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 Pfalz
Scout Aces of World War 1
The Pfalz Flugzeug Werke, located at Speyer am Rhein in Bavaria, was the
third in the great triumvirate (along with Fokker and Albatros) of
German fighter manufacturers in the Great War. When World War I broke
out in 1914, Pfalz initially produced copies of the Morane-Saulnier
parasol monoplanes for the German air service. With the advent of the
famed Fokker Eindeckers with their synchronized machine guns, Pfalz
entered the fighter market with the Pfalz E.I and its successors, all
monoplanes which were similarly armed. Though never as as numerous as
the Albatros or Fokker designs, the D III/IIIa was flown in combat by
many well-known aces: Werner Voss, Carl Degelow, Erich Löwenhardt, and
the balloon buster Fritz von Röth, among others. This book examines the
little-known aircraft flown by these incredible men.
 A
World Undone
I have been a student of the first world war now for the last three
years and have since read many volumes on the subject. They of course
focus on all the same details of the fighting and even sometimes reveal
something new (Hew Strachan's last book revealed that there are color
photos from the first world war). This book has a level of detail that
I've rarely come across in any of the other books that I have read, the
book does not simply assume the commanders were all a bunch of idiots,
it shows that they did have some small triumphs in the face of their
constant defeats, the book even goes into detail in the planning of many
of the great battles of the war. I knew of the Schlieffen plan
obviously, but I was unaware that the plan that was actually implemented
was as much the work of Helmuth von Moltke as well as Schlieffen.
I currently am still reading this book (MS reader e-book) and am as of
this writing reading about the Gallipoli campaign. The books author
wrote that he was unsatisfied by not being able to find a one volume
book on the war that covered if not everything, then certain aspects of
the war that he felt could or should have been covered and that was part
of the reason he started on this book. My hats off to you Mr. Meyer, not
only have you accomplished what you set out to do, but I think you have
written one of the best books of the first world war ever.
 Imperial
Germany and the Great War
In a relatively short volume, the author gives a lucid, restrained
survey of a complicated and controversial topic. Coverage is of all
phases of the war affecting Germany--military, social, economic, and
political--though relatively short shrift is given to military matters,
so this book is not for World War I military "enthusiasts"--unless they
want to go beyond what occurred in combat. A particularly good feature
of the book is the wealth of references to the vast amount of scholarly
work done on the war in English and German over the last half century.
The author's comprehensive "Suggestions for Further Reading" will serve
well either the novice historian or the layperson interested in
particular aspects of Germany and the Great War.
 The
Great War and Modern Memory
I am the kind of history and war buff that loves to read
straightforward war books: books about battles, generals, soldiers,
tactics, blunders, strategies, weapons and so on. Having read a review
of Fussell's book a few years ago and thinking it was another
"straightforward" book about World War One, I added it to my Christmas
list. I received it as a gift this year (along with about 6 other books,
all novels) and I decided to browse it for fifteen minutes before diving
into one of the novels. What struck me at first was that it was NOT a
straightforward telling of WWI, and that if I had looked at the book in
a bookstore I probably would have thought it "boring" and set it back on
the shelf. You see, in this book there are no detailed accounts of the
Somme or in-depth analysis of Ypres.
However, having book in hand, I was immediately drawn into Fussell's
examination and analysis of literature, essays, poetry, letters home,
theater and culture on the front and in England during WWI in order to
paint a picture of the British soldiers' experience during WWI. It is a
fascinating book on many levels and examines war, in this instance The
Great War, from a completely different aspect than I have ever seen
before. Fussell illuminates much more clearly what happened to the
boys/men in the trenches than anything I have ever read before. For
instance, has any other book captured so vividly the oppressiveness of
being in a trench for days when all you see is a sliver of sky and the
horrific irony of morning and evening stand-to's? I don't think I have
read a book that made me sympathize and empathize with the WWI soldier
more than this book. It is a deeply moving and touching book and really
drives home the futility of war.
I know that this book will not appeal to everyone (as I said earlier, it
probably wouldn't have appealed to me had I picked it up in a
bookstore), but I believe that most people will find it fascinating if
they just put their minds to it. Fussell's book will reward those
seeking a deeper understanding of the WWI soldiers' experience.
 German
Battlecruisers
This book discusses the concept of the Battlekreuzer. The German
Großerkreuzers, as they were known, were built to strict financial
limits, and therefore the German designs were always a compromise
between the factors listed under design philosophy. Individual ship
histories are detailed with particular emphasis upon their battle
experience and deployment in conflict, and author Gary Staff includes a
variety of official records and personal first-hand accounts will be
used. The battlekreuzer had a remarkable ability to withstand battle
damage, as demonstrated by the Goeben, which suffered five mine hits on
one occasion. Full colour artwork plates and detailed line drawings and
photographs support the and enrich the engaging text. |
