Acclaimed British Author, Diana Preston, Reveals a Chilling Story About WWI in New Book

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - April 30, 2015 - PRLog -- Diana Preston, noted British historian, writer and broadcaster, will present a lecture at the National World War I Museum, at Liberty Memorial, on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. In her just-published book, A Higher Form of Killing,” Preston describes three pivotal events that occurred in the spring and early summer of 1915, during the first year of the First World War that forever altered the way war would be fought. Reception at 5:00 pm with cash bar and small plates; Lecture at 6:00 pm.

In late April, 1915, German troops released poison gas over French and Canadian troops in the trenches at Ypres in the world's first poison gas attack; in early May 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the Cunard liner Lusitania killing 1,200 civilians while on May 31, London was bombed by a Zeppelin in the first ever 'blitz' on London.

These incidents, all illegal under international law, changed the nature of warfare forever. As technology and science played an increasing part in warfare, civilians were seen as legitimate targets and death could strike without warning civilians or soldiers from air, sea and land wherever they were.

Though Germany's attempts to quickly win the war failed, the psychological damage caused by these attacks far outweighed the casualties. “The age of weapons of mass destruction had dawned,” the author writes, “when a single attacker or a small group in comparative safety, at a distance and often unseen, could launch at the press of a firing button or the touch of a bomb release a weapon that could kill thousands.”

Diana Preston links these three chilling events together for the first time, revealing the dramatic stories behind each through the eyes of those who were there, whether making the decisions or experiencing their effect. She places the attacks in the context of the centuries-old debate over what constitutes a “just war” and shows how, in their aftermath, the other combatants felt the necessity to develop extreme weapons of their own. In our current time of terror, when weapons of mass destruction, imagined or real, are once again vilified, the story of their birth is of great relevance.

Diana Preston is an Oxford-trained historian and author. Born and raised in London, she studied Modern History at Oxford University, where she first became involved in journalism. After earning her degree, she became a freelance writer of feature and travel articles for national UK newspapers and magazines.

She has written many books about a variety of subjects including Cleopatra and Antony, the sinking of the Lusitania, Robert Falcon Scott and the Race to the South Pole, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Scottish Jacobite rebellion of 1745. Her book, Before the Fall-Out: From Marie Curie to Hiroshima, won the 2006 Los Angeles Times Prize for Science and Technology. In 2012 she published The Dark Defile: Britain's Catastrophic Invasion of Afghanistan, 1838-1842. She has reviewed for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times, been a broadcaster for the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and lectured at many prestigious venues including The Smithsonian.

In choosing her topics, Preston looks for stories and events which are both compelling in their own right and also help readers gain a wider understanding of the past. She is fascinated by the human experience, what motivates people to think and act as they do and the individual stories that comprise the larger historical picture.

When not writing, Preston is an avid traveler with her husband, Michael. Together, they have sojourned throughout India, Asia, Africa, and Antarctica, and have climbed Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Mount Roraima in Venezuela.

The National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, is honored to bring Mrs. Preston to Kansas City to speak about her new book, A Higher Form of Killing in commemoration of the centenary of World War One. Mrs. Preston will be available after the lecture for book signing. This program is free to the public with RSVP, which can be done from theworldwar.org. This lecture program is assisted in partnership with the English-Speaking Union, Kansas City Branch.

About the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial

The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial is the only American museum solely dedicated to preserving the objects, history and personal experiences of a war whose impact still echoes in the world today. The National World War I Museum holds the most diverse collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and personal experiences of the war. The Museum takes visitors on an epic journey through a transformative period and shares deeply personal stories of courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Designated by Congress as America’s official World War I Museum and located in downtown Kansas City, Mo., the National World War Museum inspires thought, dialogue and learning to make the experiences of the Great War era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations. To learn more, visit www.theworldwar.org.

About the English-Speaking Union

The English-Speaking Union is a non-profit, non-political educational organization that celebrates English as a shared language to foster global understanding and good will by providing educational and cultural opportunities for students, educators, and members. Founded in London 1918 at the end of WW I, the ESU carries out its work through a network of some 68 branches in the U.S. and 36 affiliates in the U.K. and in 54 other countries, sponsoring a variety of language and international education programs including scholarships and teacher education. Most prominent of ESU programs is the annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition, a school-based program to develop students’ speaking and critical thinking skills, through ESU Branch-sponsored community competitions culminating in the National Competition at Lincoln Center in New York City. Inaugurated in 1983, the program has since engaged more than 250,000 young people. To learn more, visit www.esuus.org/kansascity.

Media Contacts:

Mike Vietti, National World War I Museum, (816) 888-8122, mvietti@theworldwar.org
Jeff Schnabel, English-Speaking Union, (816) 442-7007, kansascity@esuus.org