Imperial Germany and the Great War, 1914-1918

by Roger Chickering

This important new contribution to the successful textbook series New Approaches to European History explores the comprehensive impact of the First World War on Imperial Germany. It examines military aspects of the conflict, as well as the diplomacy, government, politics and industrial mobilization of wartime Germany. Unlike other existing surveys, Roger Chickering also offers a rich portrait of life on the home front: the war's pervasive effects on wealthy and poor, men and women, young and old, farmers and city-dwellers, Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. At the same time, Roger Chickering analyzes the growing burdens of war and discusses the translation of the hardship of war into political opposition. This excellent, well-illustrated study of the military, political and socio-economic effects of the First World War will be essential reading for all students of German and European history, as well as for those interested in the history of war and society.

Genres: History, Germany, World War I, Nonfiction, Military History, Military Fiction, War

244 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 1998

Reviews

[Dimitri · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it cannot disguise its nature as a graduate textbook, this concise yet comprehensive look at the German experience of WWI is surprisingly engaging. It's like a Hohenzollern-cetric little brother to Holger H. Gerwig's updated classic on the Austro-German alliance or the capital-focused centennial masterpiece Ring of Steel , with more socio-economics thrown in to balance the Western Front with the Home Front.

Reading about the turnip winter will, as it is wont to, make you crave fresh vegetables with a lean cut of meat.

Ring Of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I by Alexander Watson
First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918 by Holger H. Herwig

[Piker7977 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imperial Germany and the Great War, 1914-1918 provides a great insight into a nation/empire/society at war. Chickering discusses many aspects of Germany's war and home fronts including military leadership, offensive plans, gender, labor, business, economics, generational gaps, war industries, inflation, etc.

It appears that during the Great War, Germany began with enthusiasm but foundered in discontent not only at the home front but also in the ranks of the military. One of Chickering's larger themes is how the changes of Germany were born out of war. For instance, Ludendorff used his ascendancy to take over the reigns of political concerns and ultimately gave up these powers to opposing interest groups and other entities in order to preserve the old order of governmental structure at the end of the war. The Great War also provided an interesting role in the empowerment of labor unions including their right to collective bargaining. Other democratic initiatives were won out of the wartime discourse and subsequent patriotic/paramilitary groups would use the bitterness of World War I in an effort to gain momentum going into the next decades.

The one thing that would have been interesting to cover more would have been how the Treaty of Versailles affected Germany. But Chickering addresses this in his conclusion by rightfully acknowledging this topic would have required another (larger) book.

Those interested in World War I, German history, history of war economies and societies, and those interested in wartime culture should give this book a try. Since it is very well written and not too high brow it is very accessible to the armchair historian along with the seasoned professional.

[Bethany Whetstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting textbook about Germany during WWI, will definitely read this again when I don't have to do school.

[Jonathan Eagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dense account of the First World War from the perspective of Imperialist Germany. More specifically, it centers on life on the home front and how civilians and soldiers alike were affected by the ubiquitous concept of “total war.”

[Jur]

good introduction to the politics and social history of Germany in WWI

Managed to get through most of Chickering on the way back in the Eurostar. Interesting to see that the Social Democrats implicated themselves fully with the autocratic rulers, so that by 1917 the left wing (later the Communists) broke away. The strike movement against the war (and for social change) therefore occurred outside the control of the SPD and the labour unions. Which is something to bear in mind for the game. The SPD can choose to break away from the Burgfriede and put itself at the head of the antiwar movement.

[Lorraine Herbon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was unremittingly boring! Perhaps it is the fact that all of this is a retelling of information already covered by other scholars. Perhaps it is the avalanche of detail the author includes with his skimpy analysis. Or perhaps it is the author's obvious attempt to appeal to an academic audience. Whatever the factors are, the book is dull beyond words. While it may serve to illuminate some things for readers not already familiar with the scholarship on World War I, there is nothing new here for the rest of us.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good study of the origins (and course) of WWI -- synthetic