Kitchener's War

[AndyHollinger]

I've put this one down for now. I got about half way through it and found it signficantly wanting. I don't know, really, why, but the style didn't grab me nor did the contention of being the mis-understood genious who did or wanted to do everything right but was kept from doing so.

In a way, I understand that it's not really a history as much as a polemic. He is out to resurrect Kitchener's reputation from the likes of DLG ... but it seems he goes too far too often.

The book did, however, give me lots to think about when considering Asquith of whom I had always thought highly. It confirmed, in a roundabout way, that Grey had already left the scene in terms of impact ...

I very rarely do this - not finish a book - but it was like being hit by a hammer over and over again. Kitchener is right, Kitchener is good, if only ... He also takes for granted you've bought the entire Donkey theory. His discription of Haig is "incompetent" and goes down from there.

Frankly, I enjoyed Prof Cassar's notes very much and the bibilography is very useful.

[Dikke Bertha]

Hello

Does the title of this book include the words "architect of victory"?. If so I have started a new post which duplicates yours. Sorry about that .

[AndyHollinger]

Actually two different books ... this one in 1977 and the new one, trying to popularize his impact ... published 2005 ...

I have corresponded with the author. He is quite the Kitchener fan (as one would believe) ... He is not a man of subtle words either for DLG (about whom we agree) or DH (about whom we are in less agreement) ...