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legge_la_bomba's review against another edition
4.0
"The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime." - Sir Edward Grey, British foreign secretary, 3 August 1914
1914, the blueprints for Armageddon; the year the world ended. Historians reiterate time and time again the cataclysmic events that led to the First World War and how the actions of the world's Superpowers at the time set an unstoppable wheel in motion that could never be halted. Many believe the events of 1914 changed the world to such a degree that humanity would never be the same again, it would never fully recover or adjust to the atrocities. Governments and policies that followed couldn't contain or put out the fire in the world and as a result lead to the bloodiest century in human history.
I truly believe that life as we know it now is just a continuation from the fallout of The Great War. From the Bolshevik Revolution, the severe punishments and economic sanctions of the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, the Rise of the Nazis - World War II, Hiroshima - To Stalin - The Cold War - Vietnam, Soviet-Afghan War to the continuous problems in the Balkans to the Gulf War, Iraq War and modern day War on Terrorism and government foreign policy. To the economic decisions which created globalisation and the problems we face this very day. It created the ugly creed of fascism with its amalgam of racism and nationalism. It's all linked, it's all a knock on effect. Many claimed at the time that the War would devastate generations to come in a variety of ways and it did. It has; to the general consensus of creating so much pain and so much misery for absolutely nothing.
Paul Ham, like the back of the book reads, 'brings new tools to the job' and he does just that. This is an excellent summary of the causes of the First World War stretching all the way back to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Off the bat he tackles 19th Century Europe, delves into the societies, the cultures - the mindsets of both the ordinary man and the aristocracy from the Belle Époque to the artistic movements to industry, economies and the imperialistic race in Africa. Paul uses a lot of quotes throughout the book but they are always appropriate and incredibly interesting. There's not a great deal new here that hasn't been covered before but Paul's account feels very human and passionate, less mechanical - hence 'new tools to the job' and is continuously able to keep the reader hooked with small pieces of new information that may seem small on the surface but have huge long term consequences. So many things that I had previously learned had just been slightly distorted pieces of truth or just flat out lies; so it's really refreshing to finally hear the real truth of events.
It's fair to say I've been massively sucked in at the moment to studying the causes of The Great War; it's a beyond fascinating sequence of events. There's so many avenues to explore from the monarchies to the politicians to the military leaders. Greed, power, revenge and chauvinism all rear their heads here but unlike wars of the past, 20th century advancements in technology, weapons of mass destruction, the mindset of Social Darwinism at its most prominent, the ability to call up a nation's entire male population meant a war that could no longer be fought over a few months or a year but a war that no nation dare to yield in fear of complete collapse of the establishment and the result - a long drawn out stalemate that killed millions, wiping out entire demographics of 16-25 year olds.
Paul Ham uses a lot of written texts such as letters and memoirs to really bring home the personal tragedies faced by the soldiers. The graphic descriptions of The Rape of Belgium and the conditions of trench warfare from first hand accounts leave you genuinely teary; i'm not afraid to admit I genuinely wept reading a passage of text which described the spirit of the young French army and their will to carry on, having fought the full frontal force of the German 1st-5th Armies. Written by Alexander von Kluck himself:
"The reason for Germany's defeat 'that transcends all others' was the extraordinary and peculiar aptitude of the French soldier to recover quickly', with decent magnanimity. That men who have retreated for ten days, sleeping on the ground and half dead with fatigue, should be able to take up their rifles and attack when the bugle sounds, is a thing upon which we never counted. It was a possibility not studied in our academy."
Major-General Edward Spears writes:
"The battle proved the genius of the French race for instantaneous comprehension and adaptability. No people but the French, having started so badly, could in so short a time have learned so much."
It's just a few examples to the testament of the people to protect what they loved, to literally fight for their lives, for their families lives and for their nation's future - whose lives had been ripped apart by powers above them. The heartbreaking letters from bewildered parents and distraught wives and girlfriends make for tearful reading but give a sense of the hardships that they faced.
As the book focuses strictly on and leading up to the year 1914, Ham doesn't delve too much into the technicalities of the battles from August to December, 1914 - the book is more a summary of the causes of the conflict, however, he does give a nice assessment of the first major battles to take place such as the Miracle of the Marne, Battle of Le Cateau and First Battle of the Aisne on the Western Front as well as tactical positioning of troops - the German advance and the failure of the Schlieffen plan; The devastating loss of troops in the first months both on the Eastern and Western Front and the humiliation of the Austro-Hungarian army at the Battle of Galacia. The politics and military policies and tactics between officers are discussed heavily too and make for incredibly interesting reading.
The most controversial question that still lingers and is the source of debate still to this day from the world's top historians is: who started the war? It's a question that although a general consensus has been reached, will always lead to fierce debate because there really is no set answer. Paul does his best to give the reader as balanced argument as possible. The reality is that Europe had been on the brink of war for decades and was a balloon waiting to burst. The Balkan conflicts may have been the catalyst but every major nation had its reasons. Serbia after years of oppression wanted an end to Ottoman interference and Austro-Hungarian rule and wanted a united Slavic nation. Russia saw themselves as the protector of the Slavic people, who in return had an alliance with France. France were desperate for revenge from the Franco-Prussian war, which had taken the precious province of Alsace-Lorraine into German hands. Austria-Hungary wanted to obliterate the Serbs from existence to end an ancient feud and extend their empire. Germany, in alliance with Austria-Hungary was fast becoming Europe's biggest economy, who wanted to dine on the world's top table with the likes of Britain and France, it wanted to expand, it wanted a global empire and along with frustration at being spurned the opportunity time and time over, it became isolated, angry, paranoid and being geographically squeezed between Russia and France, it felt choked and claustrophobic. Britain dithered, would not commit to an open alliance and had eyes on only protecting its own interests; as a result it created uncertainty and unease amongst diplomatic relations. Britain did offer efforts of mediation right up till the eve of war, but by then the wheels were in full motion. Germany knew that if war was inevitable then it had to be now, before Russia were too powerful two years down the line. Yes, you can argue that Russia officially started the war by being the first to mobilise but the real aggression came from the Austro-Hungarians with Germany's approval and the declaration of war on the Serbs - offering an ultimatum they knew they would not be able to agree to, knowing full well would spark a domino affect. Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf and Helmuth von Moltke, key military personnel in conjuring this war plan. Had Gavrilo Princip not pulled the gun on Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, it's most likely another Moroccan crisis or small dispute in the Balkans would have popped the balloon. Either way, the half-hearted governing of the politicians not to push for peace, the reckless war minded military officials and the madness of the monarchs all contributed to atrocities never seen on European soil before, wiping out a generation of innocent young men and leaving repercussive ripples a whole century later.
The next book i'm moving to is a combat history on the whole war, written by Peter Hart, it covers the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the sea battles, Gallipoli, Solonika, Italy and Palestine. It'll give more of an idea of the incomprehensible loss of life, particularly the battles of Ypres and of the Somme where the British lost lives at an astonishing rate. Then of course, USA's entrance.
Really highly recommended, not as comprehensive as Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August or Christopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers but an excellent introduction for anyone looking for more of an in-depth study on the causes of the war, with lots of new info. Be prepared to shed some tears though.
1914, the blueprints for Armageddon; the year the world ended. Historians reiterate time and time again the cataclysmic events that led to the First World War and how the actions of the world's Superpowers at the time set an unstoppable wheel in motion that could never be halted. Many believe the events of 1914 changed the world to such a degree that humanity would never be the same again, it would never fully recover or adjust to the atrocities. Governments and policies that followed couldn't contain or put out the fire in the world and as a result lead to the bloodiest century in human history.
I truly believe that life as we know it now is just a continuation from the fallout of The Great War. From the Bolshevik Revolution, the severe punishments and economic sanctions of the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, the Rise of the Nazis - World War II, Hiroshima - To Stalin - The Cold War - Vietnam, Soviet-Afghan War to the continuous problems in the Balkans to the Gulf War, Iraq War and modern day War on Terrorism and government foreign policy. To the economic decisions which created globalisation and the problems we face this very day. It created the ugly creed of fascism with its amalgam of racism and nationalism. It's all linked, it's all a knock on effect. Many claimed at the time that the War would devastate generations to come in a variety of ways and it did. It has; to the general consensus of creating so much pain and so much misery for absolutely nothing.
Paul Ham, like the back of the book reads, 'brings new tools to the job' and he does just that. This is an excellent summary of the causes of the First World War stretching all the way back to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Off the bat he tackles 19th Century Europe, delves into the societies, the cultures - the mindsets of both the ordinary man and the aristocracy from the Belle Époque to the artistic movements to industry, economies and the imperialistic race in Africa. Paul uses a lot of quotes throughout the book but they are always appropriate and incredibly interesting. There's not a great deal new here that hasn't been covered before but Paul's account feels very human and passionate, less mechanical - hence 'new tools to the job' and is continuously able to keep the reader hooked with small pieces of new information that may seem small on the surface but have huge long term consequences. So many things that I had previously learned had just been slightly distorted pieces of truth or just flat out lies; so it's really refreshing to finally hear the real truth of events.
It's fair to say I've been massively sucked in at the moment to studying the causes of The Great War; it's a beyond fascinating sequence of events. There's so many avenues to explore from the monarchies to the politicians to the military leaders. Greed, power, revenge and chauvinism all rear their heads here but unlike wars of the past, 20th century advancements in technology, weapons of mass destruction, the mindset of Social Darwinism at its most prominent, the ability to call up a nation's entire male population meant a war that could no longer be fought over a few months or a year but a war that no nation dare to yield in fear of complete collapse of the establishment and the result - a long drawn out stalemate that killed millions, wiping out entire demographics of 16-25 year olds.
Paul Ham uses a lot of written texts such as letters and memoirs to really bring home the personal tragedies faced by the soldiers. The graphic descriptions of The Rape of Belgium and the conditions of trench warfare from first hand accounts leave you genuinely teary; i'm not afraid to admit I genuinely wept reading a passage of text which described the spirit of the young French army and their will to carry on, having fought the full frontal force of the German 1st-5th Armies. Written by Alexander von Kluck himself:
"The reason for Germany's defeat 'that transcends all others' was the extraordinary and peculiar aptitude of the French soldier to recover quickly', with decent magnanimity. That men who have retreated for ten days, sleeping on the ground and half dead with fatigue, should be able to take up their rifles and attack when the bugle sounds, is a thing upon which we never counted. It was a possibility not studied in our academy."
Major-General Edward Spears writes:
"The battle proved the genius of the French race for instantaneous comprehension and adaptability. No people but the French, having started so badly, could in so short a time have learned so much."
It's just a few examples to the testament of the people to protect what they loved, to literally fight for their lives, for their families lives and for their nation's future - whose lives had been ripped apart by powers above them. The heartbreaking letters from bewildered parents and distraught wives and girlfriends make for tearful reading but give a sense of the hardships that they faced.
As the book focuses strictly on and leading up to the year 1914, Ham doesn't delve too much into the technicalities of the battles from August to December, 1914 - the book is more a summary of the causes of the conflict, however, he does give a nice assessment of the first major battles to take place such as the Miracle of the Marne, Battle of Le Cateau and First Battle of the Aisne on the Western Front as well as tactical positioning of troops - the German advance and the failure of the Schlieffen plan; The devastating loss of troops in the first months both on the Eastern and Western Front and the humiliation of the Austro-Hungarian army at the Battle of Galacia. The politics and military policies and tactics between officers are discussed heavily too and make for incredibly interesting reading.
The most controversial question that still lingers and is the source of debate still to this day from the world's top historians is: who started the war? It's a question that although a general consensus has been reached, will always lead to fierce debate because there really is no set answer. Paul does his best to give the reader as balanced argument as possible. The reality is that Europe had been on the brink of war for decades and was a balloon waiting to burst. The Balkan conflicts may have been the catalyst but every major nation had its reasons. Serbia after years of oppression wanted an end to Ottoman interference and Austro-Hungarian rule and wanted a united Slavic nation. Russia saw themselves as the protector of the Slavic people, who in return had an alliance with France. France were desperate for revenge from the Franco-Prussian war, which had taken the precious province of Alsace-Lorraine into German hands. Austria-Hungary wanted to obliterate the Serbs from existence to end an ancient feud and extend their empire. Germany, in alliance with Austria-Hungary was fast becoming Europe's biggest economy, who wanted to dine on the world's top table with the likes of Britain and France, it wanted to expand, it wanted a global empire and along with frustration at being spurned the opportunity time and time over, it became isolated, angry, paranoid and being geographically squeezed between Russia and France, it felt choked and claustrophobic. Britain dithered, would not commit to an open alliance and had eyes on only protecting its own interests; as a result it created uncertainty and unease amongst diplomatic relations. Britain did offer efforts of mediation right up till the eve of war, but by then the wheels were in full motion. Germany knew that if war was inevitable then it had to be now, before Russia were too powerful two years down the line. Yes, you can argue that Russia officially started the war by being the first to mobilise but the real aggression came from the Austro-Hungarians with Germany's approval and the declaration of war on the Serbs - offering an ultimatum they knew they would not be able to agree to, knowing full well would spark a domino affect. Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf and Helmuth von Moltke, key military personnel in conjuring this war plan. Had Gavrilo Princip not pulled the gun on Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, it's most likely another Moroccan crisis or small dispute in the Balkans would have popped the balloon. Either way, the half-hearted governing of the politicians not to push for peace, the reckless war minded military officials and the madness of the monarchs all contributed to atrocities never seen on European soil before, wiping out a generation of innocent young men and leaving repercussive ripples a whole century later.
The next book i'm moving to is a combat history on the whole war, written by Peter Hart, it covers the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the sea battles, Gallipoli, Solonika, Italy and Palestine. It'll give more of an idea of the incomprehensible loss of life, particularly the battles of Ypres and of the Somme where the British lost lives at an astonishing rate. Then of course, USA's entrance.
Really highly recommended, not as comprehensive as Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August or Christopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers but an excellent introduction for anyone looking for more of an in-depth study on the causes of the war, with lots of new info. Be prepared to shed some tears though.
ashurbanipal's review against another edition
2.0
Its thesis is laughably superficial and so is his analysis. I've spent the past month grading high school essays on the first world war and Ham writes with the skill of a competent 15 year-old. If you want a history of the July Crisis written during the centenary you're better off with Clark, MacMillan, Otte, McMeekin, Hastings, Martel... Honestly probably anything else.
Ham's argument that his book serves as an introductory piece to the topic is a paper shield. It does not excuse what a poor piece of history and writing this is. The idea that this degree of mediocrity is what's needed to reach the general population should, frankly, insult the reader.
Do yourself a favor and pick another book.
Ham's argument that his book serves as an introductory piece to the topic is a paper shield. It does not excuse what a poor piece of history and writing this is. The idea that this degree of mediocrity is what's needed to reach the general population should, frankly, insult the reader.
Do yourself a favor and pick another book.
johnawickline's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
The lead up to the outbreak of the Great War is full of blunt political maneuvering, miscommunication, and feigned ignorance. The lack of power in civilian governments and the growing power of the banners of militarism are deeply investigated and dissected by the author to paint a clear picture if how the world devolved into hell. This book focuses on the whole of the year of 1914, discussing both thw lead up to war and the opening maneuvers of the European nations. This is not a summary of World War I, this book explains why the war happened, not what happened during the war. Fortunately it focuses on more than military history and touches on the social and political aspects of the European Continent before the declaration of war. It should be noted that this book only focuses on the relations between the European powers. Had this book discussed more than the year 1914 and the tensions that led to the outbreak of war, that would have been unacceptable, but given the scope of the book and the intentions of the author the exclusion of other continents, while disappointing, make sense. This book gives a deep and thoughtful explanation of the political and social culture of each of the great nations, while trying to present not only their own perspectives but the perspectives of how they were viewed by the other nations. Overall this book will give the reader a expansive amount of information to digest and consider. The breadth of knowledge shown by the author and the inclusion of opinions and thoughts from important figures of the time make this book an enjoyable and engaging read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
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