Battles East: A History of the Eastern Front of the First World War

by G. Irving Root

Despite the enormous amount of literature that has been published about the First World War, only a handful of books have ever been written about the incredibly important Eastern Front of that great conflict. But while British, French, and later American troops fought a relatively static war with Germans in Western Europe, huge armies of Austro-Hungarians and Germans clashed with Russians and later Romanians on a sprawling landscape well to the east. Vast plains, endless forests, giant marshlands and even a major mountain range were the setting for this desperate contest, from which there were no victors. Instead, three mighty empires disappeared into revolution, violence and chaos. Battles A History of the Eastern Front of the First World War records the story of this forgotten theater of war in text and in maps, from the first shots along the frontiers in August 1914 to the fighting over boundaries which characterized east-central Europe long after the armistice had been signed in the West.

Genres: World War I, Russia

387 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Brian]

Very interesting. I picked up the book because of an interest in the history of the Baltic region. My grandmother was born in East Prussia. I, and aparently many people, know very little about the Eastern Front of WWI. Disturbing. Not sure quite how to articulate my feelings. Here millions of people were led to slaughter... not just led, dupped; and often their lives were thrown away by generals, kings, etc. who should have had the people's best interests in mind, but just threw people into a meatgrinder when they knew they couldn't succeed. "Diversionary battle." War is B.S. The battle lines swung wildly back and forth. People died in vicious battles for this yard of territory then the next week others were dying to regain the same. Germany 'won' in the East, but then because of capitulation in the West, 'lost.' Romania made out like a bandit despite being resoundly beaten down. Post-war their national territory was twice as large as before. We're through the looking glass. No one wins.

[Mick Maye]

Expanded my limited knowledge of this era and the conflict in the east for the First World War. The commitment of the Central powers; especially Germany, re-inforces the reasons behind the strategy in the Western and Italian fronts.
I found thus book well written and researched from my limited knowledge and highlighted the differences in the styles of warfare in the East. The struggles of both Russia and more obviously Austria-Hungary explains the events which happened at the end of the war.