The War That Will End War by H.G. Wells.

Published by Frank & Cecil Palmer, London, 1914

First Edition, First Impression. A scarce first edition of H.G. Wells' influential collection of essays, The War That Will End War. Published in 1914, at the very outset of World War I, this seminal work captures the initial shock and grim hope of the era. Wells, a prominent social commentator and visionary, compiles his immediate reactions and analyses of the conflict, advocating for a fundamental shift in international relations to prevent future global conflagrations. The titular phrase, while now seen with tragic irony, was coined by Wells himself and reflects a then-widespread, if naive, belief that the immense scale of the war would necessitate a complete overhaul of the global political order, leading to permanent peace. This volume offers a crucial contemporary perspective on the early days of one of history's most devastating conflicts.

Wells, like many at the time, was deeply affected by the sudden eruption of such a large-scale conflict. His essays in this volume reflect a mix of shock, analysis, and a rather idealistic hope that the sheer destructive power of the war would force humanity to evolve beyond traditional power politics. He argued for the necessity of a new world order, a more rational and collaborative international system, to prevent such a catastrophe from ever happening again. While his vision of a lasting peace was not realised, the book remains a powerful historical document, offering insight into the contemporary intellectual and emotional responses to the initial stages of World War I. It also showcases Wells's enduring belief in human progress and the potential for reason to overcome conflict, even in the face of unprecedented violence.