sjustice Posted 21 August , 2007 Share Posted 21 August , 2007 I just received my used copy of Cyril Falls' Caporetto. I've been looking forward to reading this book for a long time. It's an interesting book. The main thing I get is that Falls misses the point relating to the Central Powers' success. Although the Italian retreat was a debacle, the reasons for the startling defeat were the employment of German/Austrian infiltration techniques. He does paint interesting pictures of personas of the main protagonists; German, Austrian and Italian, but seems to overlook the saturation bombardment, fast and deep thrusts ignoring strongpoints and successful rolling up of the defensive flanks. One of the blueprints for Michael which warrants greater emphasis and anaysis. SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huytonhoofer Posted 21 August , 2007 Share Posted 21 August , 2007 Currently got 3 on the go:- Tommy :- Richard Holmes, which I reserve for bedtime With a Machine Gun to Cambrai:- George Coppard, which I reserve for bath time. Undertones of War:- Edmund Blunden, which I keep for when I feel intellectual, ( which isn't often) I have a pile to read amongst which is" Forgotten Lunatics of World War 1", which will be the next one I pick up. Mental Health nursing is my career and I nursed many of these old guys when |I was a young man, without realising the significance of the role they played. Oh, to go back 35 years and have the interest in the Great War then that I have now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Murphy Posted 21 August , 2007 Share Posted 21 August , 2007 It's an interesting book. The main thing I get is that Falls misses the point relating to the Central Powers' success. Although the Italian retreat was a debacle, the reasons for the startling defeat were the employment of German/Austrian infiltration techniques. He does paint interesting pictures of personas of the main protagonists; German, Austrian and Italian, but seems to overlook the saturation bombardment, fast and deep thrusts ignoring strongpoints and successful rolling up of the defensive flanks. One of the blueprints for Michael which warrants greater emphasis and anaysis. SMJ I have not read that one but picked up a fantastic book a few months ago (in Italian) giving a photographic record of the War on the Italian Front: Storia Fotografica della Grande Guerra 1914-1918. The Italians really fell apart during this time but the Fanti had been pushed to the limits suffering hideous casualty rates in the months prior to Caparetto in basically futile attacks on the Austrians - its a wonder they lasted as long as they did!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 24 August , 2007 Share Posted 24 August , 2007 On the second of the Sherston memoirs. Having great difficulty putting down. (Simultaneously) reading Forgotten Luntics of the Great War and have also read Max Egremont bio of Sassoon in between. Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastermindmichel Posted 24 August , 2007 Share Posted 24 August , 2007 Leon Wolff's "In Flanders Fields - Passchendaele 1917" (Classic Penguin, 2001) Very interesting. If Wolff and Haig were alive today, they would not be sending eachother Christmas cards, I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Bachaus Posted 25 August , 2007 Share Posted 25 August , 2007 Hi Folks, Currently I'm reading "Military Operations Egypt and Palestine Vol 1 & II" and "Chauvel of the Light Horse" by AJ Hill. Just finish reading "With the Zionist in Gallipoli" by JH Patterson. God Bless Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 26 August , 2007 Share Posted 26 August , 2007 The Great Events of the Great War, 7 Volumes Some of the chapters I have posted to the Internet Archives, as they are well out of copyright. Read to ARMISTICE, it is short and a very good read. They are here under my name: http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=rlaughton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott 64 Posted 26 August , 2007 Share Posted 26 August , 2007 Halfway thru " Hard Jacka " about Albert Jacka AIF VC MC and Bar. Interesting story - sure led a charmed life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Molier Posted 26 August , 2007 Share Posted 26 August , 2007 The books that I mostly read are from the collection 'VC's of the First World War'. I have some 5 books in my collection and are very usefull by writing my Dutch articles about VC-recipients of WW1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 26 August , 2007 Share Posted 26 August , 2007 'Britain and the War' by General Huguet, who was the Chief of the French Military Mission attached to the British Army. The book is subtitled 'A French Indictment'. An interesting perspective, which triggered several British books in response. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 26 August , 2007 Share Posted 26 August , 2007 now onto the third of the sherston memoirs. I just cannot put them down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyrene Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 It's an interesting book. The main thing I get is that Falls misses the point relating to the Central Powers' success. Although the Italian retreat was a debacle, the reasons for the startling defeat were the employment of German/Austrian infiltration techniques. He does paint interesting pictures of personas of the main protagonists; German, Austrian and Italian, but seems to overlook the saturation bombardment, fast and deep thrusts ignoring strongpoints and successful rolling up of the defensive flanks. One of the blueprints for Michael which warrants greater emphasis and anaysis. I just finished reading Caporetto. It was an okay read. A little dry at times and the maps didn't always help out much. The Italians and Austrians did better than I originally thought. Falls' positive views of Count Conrad caught me off guard. However, I was glad that he discussed Asiago and Vittorio Veneto since other histories never explain these battles. Now I know why this book is no longer in print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyrene Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 Now I'm reading The Kaiser's Battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 G'Day Scott 64. I would love a copy of that book about Jacka: is it widely available or a small publication? Impossisble to get here in France of course. Can't believe he ended his days as a door-to-door salesman. I visit the site of his Pozières action often and leave a poppy or two. A genuine Anzac hero. Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midletonman2001 Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 I am reading "Galway and the Great War" by William Henry. I am very excited about it because there is mention of a Connaught Ranger in there who might well be my Grandfather. It has also raised other research possibilities for me. The ISBN for those interested is: 1 85635 524 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott 64 Posted 31 August , 2007 Share Posted 31 August , 2007 Hi RUPERT it took me a while to realise the book was actually a novel but very informitive anyway.I am more than happy to send you the copy if i have not put you off.Please PM me or contact me at sjlaj@bigpond.com.au. Regards Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dossali Posted 31 August , 2007 Share Posted 31 August , 2007 What are you reading (WWI related) and would you recommend it? Currently reading Lyn Macdonald - 1914 The Days of Hope- I read all of her books over and over again, she has a wonderful simplicity, and the first hand accounts are very humbling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 24 September , 2007 Share Posted 24 September , 2007 I have been reading about Marshall Foch. I thought that one of the books in particular deserved a mention. Not at all a new book. Written in mid thirties, my copy published 1939. B.H Liddell Hart, " Foch: Man of Orleans". A close description of the fighting on the western front by the original revisionist. Liddell Hart was the first to break away from adulatory descriptions of the Allied generals. Up to then, they were normally compared to Napoleon and each and every one had been a towering military genius. No one escapes unscathed. American, British or French. There is even a passing swipe at the Italians. This is the original butchers and bunglers, written by an officer who served in the Great War before going on to become an eminent military historian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 24 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2007 OK... after a summer away (and what a summer it was... ) I've gotten back to WWI and reading. Picked up Yanks! by Eisenhower about a week ago, and aside from some Mensa type errors I am enjoying it. I'm also starting back to my local monument research, so hopefully rumors of my early demise can all be put to rest. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 25 September , 2007 Share Posted 25 September , 2007 Tommy :- Richard Holmes, which I reserve for bedtime Good choice, I followed this up with his book Sahib about the British soldier in India - not Great War, just great writing. I'm now on to Neil Hanson's The Unknown Soldier. Excellent so far. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 25 September , 2007 Share Posted 25 September , 2007 "Battles on the Tigris" by Ron Wilcox. Has made me revise my opinion of Townsend of Kut..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryww1 Posted 1 November , 2007 Share Posted 1 November , 2007 Haig`s Command (A reassessment) Author Denis Winter Viking publishing Very interesting....still better couple of pounds only from a charity shop.... also purchased at the same charity shop....Byng of Vimy Now thats what I call a great bargain ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haslock Posted 1 November , 2007 Share Posted 1 November , 2007 Currently reading (yet again) 50 Amazing Stories of the Great War (Odhams Press,1936). This is the one that started my interest in the Great War. It was the first war book I bought, about 35 years ago when I was a kid. Also just started A Guide to the Battlefield of Wijtshate - June 1917 (My latest purchase). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 2 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2007 The Kings Depart.... just started and its hard to get in to... Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 2 November , 2007 Share Posted 2 November , 2007 Getting towards the end of Horne's biography "The Silent General". Dipping into Battleground Europe "Touring the Italian Front" and "They fought with Pride: First World War Experiences of the 2nd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment". Next in line should be "The Paris Gun". I suppose you could detect a 1918 theme running through those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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