Featured book March 1, 2020.
This book is incredibly hard to follow. There are some very good research nuggets but you have to fish them out. We had really look forward to this but were overwhelming disappointed. Janet actually reviewed this on Amazon and she must have hit a nerve. Here is one of his responses published on Amazon to what she said.
“Let’s start at the bottom. The regimental histories were written by people who had probably been there, backed up by the excellent German war diaries and after-action reports. They are practically the only primary documents concerning tactical combat, and are far superior to the British, much less the French, regimental histories. The Belgians did not bother to write any. They form the basis of the book, not just Zuber’s “thesis about artillery”, whatever that was. The Germans got the mission a few hours before executing it – and she thinks its a burst of tactical insight that they didn’t have time to rehearse? German tactical doctrine was pretty standard, and described in great detail in “The Mons Myth” and the “Battle of the Frontiers” – what are the “traditional” and “reforming” trainers she is referring to? The chain of command was clear, but she is confused. The book is generally organized a day at a time, but she is confused. I could go on. This review was ostensibly written by a woman who has never reviewed for Amazon before. Right.”
He uses German regimental history’s as the basis of the book taken carte blanche. When dealing with regimental histories you need to keep context in mind. Who wrote this, what was the audience, when was it written, and does it square with other accounts of the same events. These histories are useful but in no way can be the basis for a book. As you know German tactical “doctrine” was far from standard. This has been my Basic point when discussing any of the books about tactics from Zuber. ”The chain of command was clear.” Really? Really? Really? I have no idea how he comes to this conclusion and it is certainly not even touched in the book. I think there are a few people who would take umbrage with his criticism of Belgium Records. And yes, Women are fully capable of writing reviews and a whole lot more.
In summary, if you do not already have this book do not buy it. It is relatively inexpensive but save your money and if you are really interested in what happened at Liege purchase “German mistakes in Belgium, August 1914.”
I have not read the second edition but I would say if it is in anyway similar this will be a real treat. Not quite released yet, I would put this in my “to buy pile.”In English, lots of pictures. Well worth your time. I did a review on the first one and I hope his publisher sends me a review copy for this one!
Our second book ‘For King and Kaiser – Scenes from Saxony’s War in Flanders 1914–1918’ will be published by Pen & Sword on 30th May 2020!
http://www.royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/royalsaxonarmy/index.php/our-publications/23-for-king-and-kaiser
For some reason this is a really expensive book. Maybe they used our publisher. But being that Janet has left me like other women, for some guy named: shore excursion, you are stuck with me. This is less about world war one then the formation of Germany. The grouping of a bunch of states or loc-al areas—HEIMATS–which were Grouped together to make a nation in 1871. Earlier in the century in the British referred to this as” the Germanies.” Things that you take for granted like national holidays, the Germans did not have. So it was not only creating the institutions but convincing people that a common identity was in there self interest. So the soldier finding at he front was fighting for water back home? Remember there were four separate kingdoms and a huge group of people third still had loyalty to the kingdom of Hanover. In my mind it fascinating thought producer.
This is what I’m supposed to nag you record and walk
This is an academic work that I have cited several times. This is a plug for an older book-from the early 2000’s. It is not a quick Saturday afternoon read. It is however they only book I am aware of that covers in depth the German military thinkers before World War I. The author does an outstanding job in the listing the sources which proves how well researched it other works. If you want to know what these guys were thinking in the development of traditionalist hand reformist” doctrine” you can get that understanding here. He also gives some interesting theories about Younger versus older officers and the spirit of the offense. You might find it cheaper on Abe books.
Based on a question from a member I thought I would point your attention to the gold standard for shoulder tabs. I do not collect these or anything else anymore but my friend Mike Kelso wrote this amazingly inclusive book. Good news and bad news. It is the best. Cost is $110 and for a reference book well worth it. The bad news is that there are only 18 copies left out of an original 400t. So if you are interested act fast. This is self published and can be ordered from Mike Kelso directly- Makelso77@aol.com I sell the book for $110 with free shipping in US.
Featured book January 6.
I do not speak French let alone read it. However, if you do the postings that emanate from this book are simply astonishing. Looks really good to me. My lack of French knowledge is my loss. if you have the skills you can read more about it here: https://www.amazon.fr/…/B07NHR6QPD/ref=redir_mobile_desktop…
Featured book January 2.- Illustrating Armageddon: Matania and the First World War Hardcover – January 1, 2020
Just say no. I some higher hopes about this brand-new book. It is expensive, $41. It is heavy which makes it difficult to handle. It is really well produced. Slick pages throughout. Lots of white space. It features great paintings/drawings basically one per page or bifold. Heavily pro English. The Germans are shown only in the defeated mode. The big criticism however, is that while many of these well-known pictures are in color in real life, in the book most of them have been converted to black-and-white. For that price I would have expected color. The vast vast majority is in black-and-white with a lot of surrounding text that I do not find inspirational or even interesting. Not worth it.
Featured Book December 10
It was going to be a different book. But I got this in the mail – email from the publisher that this book is now available from his publishing house in Austria. It is a two-volume boxed set. and like the machine guns, is not available that I’m aware of in North American. heavy little sucker at 5 kg and while I know nothing about this, is advertising pictures show a great deal of detail. https://militaria.at/Book.aspx?book=47567520&Language=en
Featured book December 9
If the last book caused considerable consternation, this book takes pride of place in being the most controversial World War I German/British analysis. The author has written many books of generally t:wo genre: books about war planning and books about tactical engagements. Many of the books about war planning are quite innovative one of which is best known for his thesis that there never was a Schlieffen plan. That has engendered great educated back-and-forth especially with Dr. Holmes.
He should have stopped there. Every single original work on tactical items such as this book, he has produced has incredibly major problems in my opinion. if you read the Amazon reviews alone you might find some favorable words. I would direct you toward the negative reviews which are more in line. He is incredibly pro-German. His sources are questionable. He accepts regimental histories from the German army carte blanche, when they are often quite fictional. He has a complete misunderstanding of the German training system. Somehow, he believes that the Imperial forces were somehow homogenous in doctrine and training.
I could go on and on and on. if you do nothing else, read this and at least see what all of the hubbub is about. It is less than three dollars on Kindle.
A very controversial book in that many assumptions that spurred British legends around musketry skills came from this. This first person account was held in some quarters as a typical regimental experience at the battle of Mons. in fact it was atypical and contrary to some propaganda the British actually lost that battle. . it is a translation by somebody who was not particularly versed in military jargon. The translated version is only about half the size of the non-translated version. It was written decades after the events by a gentleman who was a novelist by profession. the hero is a reserve officer commanding a company in the 12th Grenadier Regiment in what is considered by many mono linguistic people to be typical of a German experience at Mons. being a reserve officer increases the probability dramatically that his education was quite dated. The casualty figures just do not support his version of events.
The most knowledgeable authors in the world on German World War I machine guns have put this volume and an addendum out. It is published by Verlag Militaria with their very high standards. This is a work of art chockablock full of color pictures that easily show the depth of research done by the authors. One of the authorsdoes a weekly blog for this website as well as the corresponding Facebook group, known as “Frank’s machine gun Friday.”
Corresponds to the blog by the author William T. Anderson. A retired Marine Corps Col. and all-around accomplished man. Hard copy is free from USMC University Press.
Featured book December 12
Masterful! Hew Strachan is considered the best of the best by some. I have never met the man. I have only two complaints about this book. As this is volume 1 there does not seem to be a volume two in the works. In print, This book is 1248 pages. In paperback. No binding known to mankind can support that thickness for long. Buy the Kindle version.
Featured book December 13
The author of this book, Roy Larkin, is nothing if he is not persistent! I have not read the book but it cries out that the author knows what he is talking about and has a passion for this. My interest is simply for the repair of various motor vehicles. As the Germans confiscated a huge amount of various and sundry Belgian transports, they created a problem of maintenance for trucks that were not designed for this kind of use. Does the book cover that? I don’t know but maybe somebody will buy me this for Christmas!
This is a bad book. As usual, the author, Terrence Zuber, has achieved the first mover advantage. This really is the first credible coverage of the battle of Liege in the English language. His publisher seems to get it. They seem to have a real handle on marketing. That is something I have yet to find. Having said that, and long anticipating this book we found it incredibly disappointing. I think the entire thing focuses on the wrong conclusion. There is a review in Amazon books written by somebody I know and love. You should have all of the glory details in that review. The authors reply is a classic display of misogyny.
This is a wonderful book and really quite important if you want to understand the German histories and how they each fit. There is much myth about the British involvement in the battle of Mons. There are even books that talk about how Mons was a British victory. It was not.
The foreward alone is worth the price of admission. his is a very short book. Only about 80 pages but fills the gap from the German point of view about the battle. this is actually a translation of a study by the GGS before it was disbanded due to the treaty ending World War I. So this is the official German account. There are other “official German histories”. You know about the red books and the green books both referred to as “official German histories.” The red books were produced by an organization known as the Reichsarchiv. The organization was manned almost exclusively after the war by former GGS officers. is a huge work consisting of 14 huge volumes that concentrate on corps level and above. these are skewed slightly towards the view of the former GGS blue as you know lost the war. Mons is discussed in volume 1 but clearly not at his level of detail. The third group are known as the green books. 36 volumes with maps known as Schlachten des Weltkrieg, which were sponsored by the Reichsarchiv. these 8000 pages were designed to tell the heroic deeds of thousands of participants and to shed a good light – will as good as possible on the losing side. so a lot of this is sort of Reichsarchiv propaganda.
