The Lions of July is a sweeping study of the series of events that begins with the assassination of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, and culminates in the slaughter of the First World War. Europe's leaders were trapped by their shared history: vivid memories of past aggressions, some going back centuries.

From inside war rooms, secret council chambers and throne rooms around Europe, historian William Jannen vividly describes how a traditional, leisurely, and largely aristocratic diplomacy broke down as monarchs, ministers, and diplomats, overwhelmed by fear and tension and the sheer pace of events, gradually lost control and stumbled into war.

The failure of the great men of Europe to preserve peace resulted in the death of empires, along with millions of their subjects, bringing the old world order crashing down and sending echoes through time that still reverberate today.

This inspired, masterful work brings the tragic summer of 1914 to life. Herein, author Jannen demonstrates that no single action or decision ever stands by itself. Like Barbara Tuchman's classic book The Guns of August, William Jannen's The Lions of July is fundamental to the comprehension of the history of our time.