In August 1914, when war breaks out in Europe, Canadians rush to join the army to fight with the Allies, expecting to be home by Christmas. Everyone thinks the war will be over in a few months. But by the time the war ends in 1918, nearly 10 million soldiers and 13 million civilians are dead. The especially brutal conditions the soldiers face are portrayed in a spare, straightforward style that neither glorifies war nor dwells on the horror. No one reading this book will come away with anything other than sorrow for the tragedy and futility of “the war to end all wars.”.