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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
Εξαιρετικό. Δε θυμίζει κλασικό βιβλίο ιστορίας. Δεν εξιστορεί γεγονότα, εξετάζει όλους τους λόγους που οδηγήθηκε η Ευρώπη στον "μεγάλο πόλεμο". Πολύ χρήσιμο για όλους. Μεγάλο μέρος του βιβλίου αποτελεί η κατάσταση στα Βαλκάνια από το 1870 μέχρι την έναρξη του πολέμου και κυρίως οι διαφορές μεταξύ των λαών,που εξηγούν πολλά, ακόμα και για την πρόσφατη ιστορία της περιοχής. Έμφαση δίνεται στους διπλωματικούς ελιγμούς μεταξύ των μεγάλων δυνάμεων της εποχής. Λέγεται ότι είναι το καλύτερο ιστορικό βιβλίο για τον Α' Π.Π.. Δεν έχω απόψη γι αυτό, σίγουρα όμως είναι χρήσιμο σε όσους ενδιαφέρονται για την βαλκανική ιστορία.
This book brought a major revision to how I viewed the causes to WWI. For example, I hadn't known that the plot to murder Archduke Ferdinand originated from inside the Serbian Government. I also was still under the impression that the German head of state launched the war. He didn't. No wonder the Germans were so perplexed at the Paris Peace Conference after the war. I was also clueless as to the role French finance played in 1) Arming the Serbian Government and 2) Developing Russian railways for their military machine. There are plenty of surprises in this book. One feeling I had leaving the book was that the Russian people deserved better leaders. It's so tragic that the good ones, like Stolypin, got assassinated along the way. Russia replaced one set of nincompoops with an even worse group.
A detailed, nuanced, objective history of the origin of the first world war. Other more superficial and perhaps entertaining accounts now seem misleading. Clark discusses the effects of the print media, of the absence of single strong executive decision makers, of the complex motivations of the participants, and of the absence of the various international mediating organizations that now exist. He also starts out with a detailed discussion of Serbia and the Balkan wars. Others mention the assassination in passing, as a triggering event only.
This is a great book if you know exactly what you're getting into - a nuanced, incredibly complicated blow-by-blow political history of the lead up to World War I. It gives a much richer sense of the structural reasons we're all taught in grade school while simultaneously highlighting the role of contingency and chance. I have never really cared for political history, but, as far as political histories go, this one is deftly written and interesting.
informative
slow-paced
Christopher Clark is a good historian, but not a very good story teller. It is important for people to write good history, but I find it less enjoyable than good history told in a good story. Parts were interesting, parts were boring.
informative
slow-paced
More in depth than I needed, but an interesting analysis of history.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
sad
slow-paced
History as it should be written. Researched, organised, yet open to uncertainty; compelling structure and writing