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Castles of Steel

by Robert K. Massie

4.41 · rating details · 263 ratings · 37 reviews

In a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Dreadnought, elevates to its proper historical importance the role of sea power in the winning of the Great War.

The predominant image of this first world war ...moreIn a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Dreadnought, elevates to its proper historical importance the role of sea power in the winning of the Great War.

The predominant image of this first world war is of mud and trenches, barbed wire, machine guns, poison gas, and slaughter. A generation of European manhood was massacred, and a wound was inflicted on European civilization that required the remainder of the twentieth century to heal.

But with all its sacrifice, trench warfare did not win the war for one side or lose it for the other. Over the course of four years, the lines on the Western Front moved scarcely at all; attempts to break through led only to the lengthening of the already unbearably long casualty lists.

For the true story of military upheaval, we must look to the sea. On the eve of the war in August 1914, Great Britain and Germany possessed the two greatest navies the world had ever seen. When war came, these two fleets of dreadnoughts—gigantic floating castles of steel able to hurl massive shells at an enemy miles away—were ready to test their terrible power against each other.

Their struggles took place in the North Sea and the Pacific, at the Falkland Islands and the Dardanelles. They reached their climax when Germany, suffocated by an implacable naval blockade, decided to strike against the British ring of steel. The result was Jutland, a titanic clash of fifty-eight dreadnoughts, each the home of a thousand men.

When the German High Seas Fleet retreated, the kaiser unleashed unrestricted U-boat warfare, which, in its indiscriminate violence, brought a reluctant America into the war. In this way, the German effort to “seize the trident” by defeating the British navy led to the fall of the German empire.

Ultimately, the distinguishing feature of Castles of Steel is the author himself. The knowledge, understanding, and literary power Massie brings to this story are unparalleled. His portrayals of Winston Churchill, the British admirals Fisher, Jellicoe, and Beatty, and the Germans Scheer, Hipper, and Tirpitz are stunning in their veracity and artistry.

Castles of Steel is about war at sea, leadership and command, courage, genius, and folly. All these elements are given magnificent scope by Robert K. Massie’s special and widely hailed literary mastery.

From the Hardcover edition.(less)

Paperback, 880 pages

Published November 2nd 2004 by Ballantine Books

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Community Reviews

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Nov 12, 2011

Matt rated it

· review of another edition

The thing about World War I that most sparks my imagination is its occurrence at a unique point in history, where the pre-modern technologies of the 19th century entwined with the familiar, modern technologies of the 20th. The result was quaint and disastrous and fascinating to behold. British officers still armed themselves with swagger sticks, important towns were still fortified, and the cavalry remained an important military branch. Meanwhile, poison gas, airplanes, high-powered artillery (a...more

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Feb 23, 2009

Larry rated it

This tome is an in-depth history of the naval war between England and Germany during World War I. England had staked its national security and that or its empire on the Royal Navy. Germany's chronically insecure Kaiser had tried to build a fleet to match that of his cousin, the English King, but had diverted so much of his budget to his Imperial Army that his goal was not achieveable before the War overtook his efforts. The British strategic plan was to take advantage of the Royal Navy's numeric...more

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Jan 09, 2011

Tneeno rated it

· review of another edition

Robert Massie's sequel to his superb Dreadnought, Castles of Steel depicts the epic naval struggle for command of the seas between Britain and Germany, culminating in the massed naval showdown at Jutland.

Massie's command of his material is superb. He writes clearly, making the most complex situations crystal clear. I particularly enjoyed his description of the running naval battles with the Goeben and other German commerce raiders at the beginning of the war. But Massie's real streng...more

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Apr 19, 2011

Mark rated it

· review of another edition

Although I'm more of a tank man, there is something majestic and powerful about the battleship - like a Tyrannosaurus Rex of the seas. World War I was simultaneously their peak with the new dreadnought class ships, and the harbinger of their extinction with the rise of submarine and air warfare. Robert Massie does an amazing job of describing the war from the point of view of the British and German navies. Do not think this is just a book about big boats - there are prime ministers and politi...more

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May 02, 2009

Sam rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Yes

This was the book that got me hook on WW I naval warfare. It is brilliantly written and the pages fly by. Since I knew so little of the history going into it I found it exciting and a page turner as I could not wait to see what happened. The very first chapter grabbed me as the nations of Europe one by one declared war on each other and the naval forces of the med postured for war. It made for a tense setting as the British navy hunted for HMS Goeben.
Massie does a brilliant job of discuss...more

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Oct 28, 2009

Jill rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: military-history, wwi-wwii, my-classics

This is a "must read" if you are a Massie fan, a student of WWI history or interested in the developing stages of modern sea power. This is a wonderful narrative of the war at sea between the Grand Fleet of Great Britain and the High Seas Fleet of Imperial Germany. Massie weaves a fascinating tale of the tug-of-war between the politicians and the naval commanders on one side, and the power of the Kaiser over the Navy on the other.
Massie gives interesting insights into the person...more

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Sep 10, 2009

Joe rated it

· review of another edition

I came to this very well written piece of popular history after reading the author’s previous book “Dreadnought” which covered Anglo-German naval rivalry up to the outbreak of the First World War. “Castles of Steel” (a phrase from Churchill) takes a largely strategic view of the conduct of the war at sea and in particular the struggle between Britain and Germany.

There are some exciting stories here and the author tells them well; the chases across miles of ocean, the often terrifying...more

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Feb 04, 2012

Brian rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: european-history-great-britain, european-history-germany

Robert Massie's approach to understanding World War I through the naval battles is original and thought provoking. It is one of the best he has ever written and the prefect accompaniment to his book Dreadnought. The book tracks how the German and British navies reacted during the war and the strategies employed by both. Whether it is the chasing of cruisers around South America or the battles between the Grand Fleet (Great Britain) and the High Seas Fleet (Germany) the detail and analysis is top...more

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Feb 14, 2010

MS rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, military

Excellent book, Massie is so good. Sequel to "Dreadnought," tells the story of the naval battles of World War I. World War I was really the first opportunity for a full fledged fleet-level engagement between modern, steel, big-gun battleships, but the German fleet avoided such a confrontation until it accidentally happened at Jutland. Even then, the Germans broke off from the full Armageddon battle sought by the British (and by readers) before it could fully unfold. It never happen...more

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Jun 16, 2009

Johnny rated it

Shelves: history

This is a hefty volume, but it covers WWI naval history better than any I've read before. Robert K. Massey writes with more color and illuminates more character than Barbara Tuchman (The First Salute and Guns of August) such that the details behind and concerning the build-up to these engagements at sea and the engagements themselves read more like "story" than "history." Frankly, I read Alexander Fullerton's novel about the chase of the Goeben into the Dardanelles and on int...moreThis is a hefty volume, but it covers WWI naval history better than any I've read before. Robert K. Massey writes with more color and illuminates more character than Barbara Tuchman (The First Salute and Guns of August) such that the details behind and concerning the build-up to these engagements at sea and the engagements themselves read more like "story" than "history." Frankly, I read Alexander Fullerton's novel about the chase of the Goeben into the Dardanelles and on into the Black Sea, but even though it had a different angle, Massey's account seemed more lively and satisfying in the long run.

I've also never understood why the kaiser had such an inferiority complex until I read this account. Churchill is shown to be both brilliant and naive, resulting in exactly the kind of diverse consequences you'd expect from that combination. Churchill's struggles to get the Chancellor of the Exchequer to loosen the purse strings in the build-up to WWI certainly casts the struggles described in his memoirs on WWII's build-up (The Gathering Storm) into intriguing relief. Also, how could I possibly not like a book that regularly reflects on the work of Jackie Fisher in creating the modern British navy (at that time) and often quotes from the great admiral's acerbic observations about command fitness with regard to naval officers who are merely part of the old boys' network.

It was incredibly interesting to read about the post-Jutland controversy with regard to Jellicoe's actions versus Beatty's. Beatty's carelessness seems to have cost an opportunity for Jutland to be a more decisive action as did Jellicoe's cautiousness. Certainly, Massie's account is no friend to Beatty.

Of course, Churchill doesn't fare too well at Massie's hand either. Churchill's ham-handed telegraphy when serving in the admiralty probably cost a lot of men their lives when he insisted that the old aging hulk known as Canopus was sufficient to respond to a request for reinforcement.

Most importantly, I had no clue that, in spite of the Armistice in November of 1918, there were more German casualties in June of 1919 when the crews of the surrendered German vessels scuttled them in Scapa Flow and tried to evacuate. Fascinating! (less)

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Oct 18, 2009

Brian rated it

Shelves: favorites-must-read, good

Mr. Massie is unquestionably a genius with regards to historical narrative. At almost no point throughout the nearly 800 pages of this book did I feel bored or disinterested. Massie has a distinct skill for weaving personal accounts, letters, and impressions into a framework of immense quantities of technical data. The structure of the book, generally focused on individuals and their personalities, allows Massie to construct an epic work of panoramic scale and yet keep the reader intrigued with ...more

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Feb 19, 2008

Richard rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, world-war-i

I enjoyed Robert Massie’s Castles of Steel more than the preceding book Dreadnought. While Dreadnought was a good book, it focused more on the personalities in the naval arms race between Great Britain and Germany rather than the ships themselves. As a history of the personalities and political intrigues from the ascendancy of Bismarck to the eve of war in August 1914, Dreadnought was an interesting book. However, it was not much of a history of the dreadnoughts themselves.

Castles of...more

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Nov 27, 2007

Curtis rated it

Recommends it for: Historians Military Naval

Shelves: history

This book is essentially volume two of Massie's work on the development of the dreadnought class warships. This book follows up with their deployment in World War One and consequent strategies that proved unrealistic and how the new and fast developing technology of the submarine affected them. The British Navy had traditionally considered it's role to be that of making a land invasion of the home isles impossible and had planned on a close blockade of the continent in the case of Germany in p...moreThis book is essentially volume two of Massie's work on the development of the dreadnought class warships. This book follows up with their deployment in World War One and consequent strategies that proved unrealistic and how the new and fast developing technology of the submarine affected them. The British Navy had traditionally considered it's role to be that of making a land invasion of the home isles impossible and had planned on a close blockade of the continent in the case of Germany in particular. Due to the advent of the modern torpedo and submarine close in blockade was abandoned for a general blockade of the North Sea.
One might say "oh well" but it proved to have far reaching consequences for America and the world as well. This led to the development of longer range U-boats or submarines by the Germans and their deployment beyond the North Sea arena. Ultimately unrestricted warfare was declared and ships such as the Luisitania were sunk. The U-boats and the general blockade can be said to have brought America into the war which of course ultimate changed it's course and that of the future.

One of the ironies underscored is the reluctance of William II to commit his High Seas Fleet to fight the British Navy head on. At the battle of Jutland it seems as though German armor gave them an advantage over the English ships which while faster and more heavily armed had thinner plating. In a clash of dreadnought class battle cruisers the English faced serious loses while the German ships returned to port. It's possible that had Germany committed it's High Sea's Fleet and submarines to attack the British Navy they might well have inflicted serious damage. A serious loss of naval power would have been for more serious for the British than the Germans who had the perceived advantage on the land.

Massie touches on an important aspect in the war that might have the course of the war prior to the American entry. This was due in no small part to the decisions of key groups of people in England and Germany.

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Jul 31, 2009

M. D. Hudson rated it

· review of another edition

I liked this even better than Massie's Dreadnought, since this book actually features naval warfare rather than just naval arms races. Massie gets in the facts, but also manages to convey the pity of war along with the bravery, personality clashes, and bureaucratic bullshit that also characterizes war (and every other human endeavor). Such huge ships. So many dead sailors. Such an incredible waste... and yet a pretty gripping tale too.

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Mar 01, 2011

Al rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: military-history, strategy

This is the sequel to Massie's Dreadnought, and covers naval actions in WW I. Prior to the aircraft carrier, ship to ship actions were what generated the first arms race of the 20th century. The opening of WW II, ie. the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, completely shattered that paradigm. Excellent book which covers the influence Churchil and Jackie Fisher had on the building of the RN.

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Jul 01, 2008

Hotspur rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: adults, with some grounding in the history of WWI

Shelves: naval-history, ironclads-and-dreadnoughts

The natural successor to DREADNOUGHT, Castles is an overview of the significant naval campaigns of the Great War, 1914-1918. From the Escape of the Goeben to the Scuttle at Scapa Flow, Massie informs and entertains the reader with a straightforward depiction (from a noticeably Anglo-centric view, of course) of historical naval battles. Massie being Massie, he can't avoid some of the gossip and behind the scenes stories concerning great events. The section concerning the maneuvering of Beatty ...more

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Aug 07, 2011

Inert1 rated it

I was fascinated by the level of detail in the book, which comingles the political, strategic, tactical, and technical aspects of naval warfare. I hadn't thought about the practical aspects of operating a steam battleship, and it was impressive to read about all of the issues that have to be addressed. The story of the evolution of ships is also continued from Massie's earlier book, Dreadnought, as are the stories of the German and British governments' quirks and machinations.

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Nov 06, 2011

John E rated it

Not as flowing nor as readable as the previous book "Dreadnought." Still a great story. The structure of naval warfare, like all warfare, and the structure of the book is long periods of dull routine followed by short bouts of terror and panic. Overall it's a worthwile read.

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Aug 23, 2010

Hugh Ashton rated it

· review of another edition

Very good account of the naval war of WWI. Excellent analysis of the Beatty/Jellicoe controversy (I'm a Jellicoe man myself). A companion to the same author's Dreadnought.

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Aug 09, 2011

Alistair rated it

This was an excellent follow up to Dreadnought. This book is able to cover all the major naval engagements of WWI in a great deal drama, with out getting bogged down in the tiny details.

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Aug 05, 2011

Urey Patrick added it

Shelves: world-war-i

If you are interested in the period prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, and all that led up to the conflict, this book and Massie's earlier book "Dreadnought" are essential reading.

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Jul 15, 2009

Kristopher rated it

· review of another edition

If you're interested in WWI British Naval history then this is the book for you. Thick and at times dryly academic but very detailed and exciting.

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Jan 27, 2011

Kirk rated it

· review of another edition

Ridiculously long. Excessively detailed. But the account of the Jutland made it all worthwhile.

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Nov 25, 2008

Thomas rated it

· review of another edition

rarely ahve I read a non fiction book that was so fascinating in detail

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Jul 29, 2011

Jfarley added it

Moves about as fast as an iceberg, but for a naval dork it is pure heaven.

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Feb 22, 2011

Brian rated it

· review of another edition

A very good synopsis of World War I at sea. Historical analysis a bit weak.

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Nov 22, 2010

Todd O'bryan rated it

· review of another edition

This was the first book by Robert Massie I have read. He has a talent to breathe life into historical figures and historical settings that even a casual reader can enjoy. However, this is also a nice addition to the historical enthusiast's, of The Great War naval engagements, library. I have yet to get the Dreadnought which is the time period prior to WWI and the lead in to this book.

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Jun 08, 2010

Rod rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history

Excellent overview of naval operations in World War I.

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Sep 11, 2008

Bret rated it

· review of another edition

A bit dry and technical in places (and long) for those with no interest in World War I or military history, but full of interesting facts and anecdotes for those who are.

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Mar 17, 2008

Steve rated it

· review of another edition

It was perfectly described as "a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action."

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About Robert K. Massie

Robert Kinloch Massie (born 1929) is an American historian, writer, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, and a Rhodes Scholar.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1929, Massie spent much of his youth in Nashville, Tennessee and currently resides in Westchester County, New York in the village of Irvington. He studied American history at Yale University and modern European history at Oxford University ...more

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