The Eastern Front 1914-1917

[3rdID]

I finally got around to reading this book after it sat on my shelf for a number of years.

I thought the first half of the book was excellent. The 1914 battles like Tannenberg, Lemberg, and Lodz were quite fascinating. I felt the economic discussions bogged down the book's second half. I really enjoyed the chapter on the Brusilov Offensive.

Mackensen fought all over the place. Why hasn't this guy received more attention?

I was surprised to see the author take a positive view of Falkenhayn and a negative view of Ludendorff.

I would probably give it 4/5.

[Paul Hederer]

I finally got around to reading this book after it sat on my shelf for a number of years.

I thought the first half of the book was excellent. The 1914 battles like Tannenberg, Lemberg, and Lodz were quite fascinating. I felt the economic discussions bogged down the book's second half. I really enjoyed the chapter on the Brusilov Offensive.

Mackensen fought all over the place. Why hasn't this guy received more attention?

I was surprised to see the author take a positive view of Falkenhayn and a negative view of Ludendorff.

I would probably give it 4/5.

What's sad is that all these years later Stone's book is still one of the best on the Eastern Front around. I remember reading it...25? years ago, while still living at home.

You're right, the second half of the book is not up to the level of the first. It feels hurried.

Mackensen is pretty well known in "Eastern," circles.

Falkenhayn wasn't a bad field commander, as he showed in Roumania.

Paul

P.S. If you're interested in more join us at he Great War in the East discussion group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GWITE/

[3rdID]

I have Showalter's Tannenberg book on my shelf. Again, I haven't read it. Amazon sells Brusilov's memoirs but I don't feel like spending $45 for it.

Are there any other quality books on the Eastern Front?

[Paul Hederer]

I have Showalter's Tannenberg book on my shelf. Again, I haven't read it. Amazon sells Brusilov's memoirs but I don't feel like spending $45 for it.

Are there any other quality books on the Eastern Front?

Thanks for the tip on Brusilov's book. I've been looking for it for over ten years

I don't know of any other books that cover the overall military history of the Eastern Front.

Stones work remains the standard...which is a bit sad, after all these years.

Paul

[Halder]

Thanks for the tip on Brusilov's book. I've been looking for it for over ten years

I don't know of any other books that cover the overall military history of the Eastern Front.

Stones work remains the standard...which is a bit sad, after all these years.

Paul

The paucity of books on the Eastern Front in WW1 is scandalous. Stone's book is outstanding; Showalter's is very good but not very readable. Even in German there's very little that's pre-1939.

For Germanophones I can heartily recommend

Zeitalter der Weltkriege 1. Die vergessene Front - der Osten 1914/15. Ereignis, Wirkung, Nachwirkung

Also Bruce Lincoln's A Passage Through Armageddon is excellent for the Russian viewpoint. Scholarly and very readable.

[Paul Hederer]

The paucity of books on the Eastern Front in WW1 is scandalous. Stone's book is outstanding; Showalter's is very good but not very readable. Even in German there's very little that's pre-1939.

For Germanophones I can heartily recommend

Zeitalter der Weltkriege 1. Die vergessene Front - der Osten 1914/15. Ereignis, Wirkung, Nachwirkung

Also Bruce Lincoln's A Passage Through Armageddon is excellent for the Russian viewpoint. Scholarly and very readable.

Halder,

I couldn't agree with you more. It seems very strange to me. The Eastern Front is a very intersting topic. I've been hooked on the subject every since I read Churchill's "The Unknown War," which, by the way is also a good source.

There just seems to be little interest out there in the English speaking world. The Russians are discussing it a lot on their own language forums, but they seem unwilling to come to the english-speaking forums to participate.

From their side the Germans are to be found in very few numbers on the english-language forums, Austrians the same.

Because so little has been written on the Front in English, and so few of the people who speak the langaue of books that have been written on the subject participate on English language forums there isn't much access to new information, unless you know German or Russian, Turkish or Roumanian.

I posted a bit about the Eastern Front on the German AGW 14-18 group and never even got a response, so perhaps Germans are also not interested.

I know August Blume who runs the Warchron site, dedicated to the Eastern Front, would probably tell you the same.

If I had more time I would write something. The sources are out there. I found a book recently in a bookstore, a history of the German 10th army. I remember looking through it and thinking, "I've never even heard of half of these actions."

The sources are there, they just need to be found and used.

Paul

[Martin Bennitt]

about 15 years ago at a booksale in Hong Kong of all places I picked up a book called '1914: the Battles in the East' by Trevor Nevitt Dupuy, Col US Army Retd, volume 2 of a series called The Military History of World War I, published 1967 by Franklin Watts of New York. Only 80 pages long but quite clear with good pictures and maps; Volume 4 was entitled Triumphs and Tragedies in the East 1915-17, but I know nothing about it.

I read Stone years ago and liked it. Agree it's time for an update.

cheers Martin B

[3rdID]

Does anyone know anything about this book?

Passage Through Armageddon: The Russians in War and Revolution 1914-1918

[Paul Hederer]

Does anyone know anything about this book?

Passage Through Armageddon: The Russians in War and Revolution 1914-1918

It's not a bad book. I remember reading it, but I don't remember much about it. I don't think it had anything ground-breaking in it.

Paul

[duckman]

Stone himself remarks that he didn't know how to finish his book. The situation in 1917 was so confused and ever-changing that he comments it would take a book of its own to cover adequately, and was away from his purpose. Even the conclusion - the december armistice and or the treat of Brest Litovsk was not a satisfactory end - as the ripples continued to affect all theatres where the war continued, and of course Russia itself into the 20's.

An unfortunate decision as the sequence of events that led to the Russian Army falling apart in 1917 (despite being stronger and better equipped than ever before) which I believe IS central to his theme, is largely lost.

Aside from that, completely agree - fantastic book. The only downside is that (as noted) it remains a landmark after 30 years.

[Paul Hederer]

Stone himself remarks that he didn't know how to finish his book. The situation in 1917 was so confused and ever-changing that he comments it would take a book of its own to cover adequately, and was away from his purpose. Even the conclusion - the december armistice and or the treat of Brest Litovsk was not a satisfactory end - as the ripples continued to affect all theatres where the war continued, and of course Russia itself into the 20's.

An unfortunate decision as the sequence of events that led to the Russian Army falling apart in 1917 (despite being stronger and better equipped than ever before) which I believe IS central to his theme, is largely lost.

Aside from that, completely agree - fantastic book. The only downside is that (as noted) it remains a landmark after 30 years.

I agree with you--the events of 1917 have not been covered well. I was in the library this weekend and found a map detailing the Kerensky Offesnive. Looking at it I realized I know almost nothing about it.

Paul