The reporting of facts regarding any major event involving a nation will always see the home nation as the centre of events. This is why the Great War is seen in the UK as a British Army war. A war won by the heroic deeds of the British Army, with some help from the French, some Russians and, near the end, a handful of Americans.
Since the late 1970s thousands of books have appeared concerning the Great War, almost all cover the fighting on the Western Front, France and Flanders. There are a few regarding Gallipoli, Salonika, and even Africa. The war at sea, the war in the air, and, if you look hard enough, the million and a half Indians, thousands of Africans, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians sometimes get a mention. But rarely it must be said.
What matters is what relates to us!
Therefore, unless the writer is determined to explain away or support the Russian Revolution in 1917, we hear almost nothing of the millions dying in the war in the East. This is surprising as it was in the east, in Sarajevo, that the war found its beginning.
Nick Lloyds excellent book is a welcome introduction to the Great War on the Eastern Front.
The author begins at the beginning, describing the death of the Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo. A small local incident in itself, certainly one that could lead to war between Austria and Serbia, but it became the trigger for the great conflict that many hoped for, and just as many feared.
The Eastern Front began in Sarajevo and spread across an area twice that of the Western Front, it was to reach from the Baltic to the Aegean Sea.
Once the Austrians had decided to attack Serbia, after much discussion with friend and foe, it became inevitable for Russia, the Slav saviour, to intercede. With Russian mobilisation Germany mobilised, and this led to French mobilisation, and a war few understood began.
Nick Lloyd takes us through the people involved in the decision-making in all governments. We have insights into those everywhere who sought war, as a cure for all problems, and those who rejected the idea for ideological reasons. These brief insights reveal how complicated government decision-making can be. It has not changed one bit since then. The personalities of the Emperors, kings, and leading politicians can be seen clearly. No King wished for war. The Tsar was against one, the Emperor of Austria also, King George had no choice but disliked the idea, and Kaiser Wilhelm rattled sabres but ran from any declaration of war. However, each nation had officers who indicated that now was the best time for war, except Italy who were not anywhere near ready. The major nations were led into war by politicians and soldiers. Many warmongers considered the war, a short one, to be worth the risk to ensure security, their gamble came close to paying off.
The Great War was a war of men, 800,000 here, 1.5 billion there, the industrial strength of the nations led to a vast array of weapons never before seen in such abundance. While men were considered important it soon became obvious artillery and machine guns were more important. The days of 'elan,' as the French found out in 1914, was over.
This book follows the attacks and failures of all sides. The Austrians attack weak Serbia and fail. The Russians charge into Germany, and soon have thousands of dead, including many Generals. Then Germany prevails on the Eastern Front, then Russia. All the while Austria rises and falls as the tide turns this way and that.
The weather intervenes. Snow lies six foot deep in the fields, when the thaw comes it leaves rivers of thick mud. Dust filled with mosquito's swirls around in summer, poor food, rotten uniforms, morale rising with victory, falling with defeat. Bodies lying thick after an attack, sometimes for months. Disease kills as well as bullets.
Italy joins in, soon realises its mistake, and another million casualties are needlessly found.
By the end, with Russia choosing revolution rather than war Germany came very close to victory. Their starving citizens, their defeat in the West, and the failure in the East brought them down.
By 1918 the world was a very different place from four years before. The world had changed, millions were dead, millions more traumatised, and Western Europe changed forever.
Nick Lloyd does a great job in taking us through this conflict. The individuals are clearly expressed, the ideas behind the warmongers, the conditions that led to war, the people on the ground and tactics and Generals involved all made clear in a simple style.
The writing in the book is clear, straight forward, and I found it very easy to read over 500 pages quite quickly. A vast conflict covering a vast area laid out for us in readable style, with great research and understanding.
I recommend this book for anyone as ignorant as I off the Eastern Front. This is a good book!
German General August von Mackensen
