Customer Reviews

1913: The Eve of War

As I've mentioned in other reviews, I find the immediate pre-WWI years to be very interesting, and this short and easy to read book certainly held my attention. It goes further than looking merely at the geo-political issues, such as military build-ups and "what we need is a good war" (a sentiment denied by various people after four years of appalling carnage). These, of course, are fully addressed but other not unrelated aspects are also examined. For example, the growth of the railways played a pivotal part in the lead up to the War, as did on-going friction in the Balkans. There had also been five decades of rapid mechanisation; a considerable amount of newly acquired wealth; but also poverty and labour unrest. Also in Britain there was substantial anti-German feeling, in spite of having what was in effect a German Royal Family.

I'm not sure that this book says anything new, but it does give a rational and sober analysis of the build up to a catastrophe.

Incidentally, I came across some interesting words in Mr Ham's book, such as solipsistic, recrudescent and sclerotic.

This cracking little book, by the historian Paul Ham, looks at one of the most complex subjects in history, the causes of the First World War. Short, sharp and provocative I found it to be an especially interesting and timely read during the final days of 2013, a century on from the events it considers.

Ham has little time for those, like Christopher Clark, who argue that Europe's leaders were Sleepwalkers who drifted into war by accident and describes the idea that the First World War was some kind of careless mistake as "nonsense". Nor does he particularly agree with the likes of Max Hastings that the Catastrophe of the Great War was a necessary reaction to the proto-fascist aggression of the Kaiser's Germany.

Rather, Ham believes that the Great Powers planned for the war for years and years beforehand and that their plans were so precise and so detailed that they became, in effect, self-fulfilling prophecies. By the time the carnage was unleashed the politicians and generals were caught up in events they could no longer control as years of pent-up rivalry and mistrust were unleashed.

As a concise re-examination of the origins of the First World War, I doubt this book could be bettered. In fact, as a short introduction to the subject [it runs to the equivalent of 80-odd printed pages] I'd even recommend it over Niall Feguson's 1914 : Why the World Went to War, despite the fact that Ham actually quotes from Ferguson's The Pity of War, from which that book is extracted, throughout this essay.

I also hope to read more from Ham soon as it appears this Kindle Single is actually just a prologue to his forthcoming, full-size work on the outbreak of World War One which is available now on audio download and released in May next year in hardback and on Kindle: 1914: The Year The World Ended.

Ham questions the orthodoxy that the war was inevitable, but concludes that it was because those in power determined that it was so. Europe was divided into armed camps and there were complex alliances that ensured a domino effect once one nation entered into conflict with another, but these armed camps were the product of deep mistrust. War plans became so advanced and meticulous that war became virtually inevitable - the plans became self-fulfilling. Furthermore, many of the leaders felt there was a need for war to ensure their country achieved their ambitions or took their rightful place at the top table.

Take Germany, for example. Germany had been late into the colonial race and by the time it had entered the world had been carved up, largely by the British, French and Russians. Although Germany was the most powerful emerging economy, there was no place for it on the world stage. Thus, expansion in Europe was the only way to fulfill its ambitions. Couple that with fear that Russia would soon become the dominant world power if it wasn’t cut down to size, and France would inevitably rekindle its old rivalry because of the loss of Alsace Lorraine, Germany’s only recourse was to fight on both fronts, and a quick defeat of France was necessary to enable it to turn its attention to Russia in the east.

And then there was the social climate of the time. The much cited Belle Epoque was a middle and upper class phenomenon. Ordinary working people were fervently patriotic and, persuaded by a partial press, were willing to die gloriously for their country. The youth of Europe was in rebellion against their cynical elders, and the war machine was fed by the fodder of millions of young men eager for the glories of war.

The world of 1913 was a dangerous place. There had been the naval arms race between Britain and Germany which ensured that both had immensely powerful navies. That Germany lost this race led them to ensure they had the most powerful army, and they conscripted hundreds of thousands of young men to balance the massive armies of Russia. The building of European railways also contributed. To move millions of men there had to be an efficient railway system and Germany, France and Russia were engaged in a race to finish theirs first. Mobilisation was the key. If you didn’t mobilise your troops as quickly as the enemy you would be defeated. Once the tracks were laid and the timetables drawn up, it was inevitable they would be used.

But perhaps the greatest driver for war was a negative one. All the leading politicians believed a war was inevitable, and none took any serious steps to prevent it. Of course, they did not envisage the world conflagration that eventually ensued, but it was a fault of leadership that ensured the conflict would happen. Ham puts it succinctly: ‘Sheer laziness, unintelligence and inability to concentrate were commonplace.’ He talks of an ‘awful silence at the top table. Nobody proposed a summit to discuss the growing crisis….Politicians never seriously tried to control their generals.’ He concludes: ‘The simple truth is: men in power planned, chose – or weakly acquiesced in the choice – to go to war, only they could have avoided or stopped it…..They were all, more or less, responsible.’

He is aware that he is writing with hindsight, but the lack of foresight of the world’s leaders is startling in view of the 37 million people who lost their lives in a conflict that, in Ham’s view, could have been avoided.

A fine essay distilling a powerful argument about a conflict that changed human society for ever.

Very informative read - unbiased account of the prelude to the first world war. Impressed there was no political spin in the book.

Next year marks the centenary of the Great War 1914 to 1918. The millions who died or were scarred physically or mentally will be commemorated to a point where some will be irritated.This factual account shows why the war need never have taken place.
It is an excellent, short, easily read summary. The misfortune for us all is that 'the war to end wars' did nothing but lead to more wars. As usual, those in power learned nothing.

A thoughtful and penetrating study of the [depressing] reasons for, and behind, the inexorable movement towards war. The review of the correspondence and memos between and within nations was illuminating, as also was the reaction of the varieties of people at different social levels. It is even more significant to reflect that this kind of analysis can be done for many conflicts. Paul Ham may well have some deep strata to mine already!
However, the presentation of this book made it difficult to handle. Frequently one wanted to go to the Notes and Bibliography, and I found this very diffiicult to do - which in a clearly well-researched book is a great drawback. Can someone enlighten me as to how to do this on my Paperwhite Kindle?

summed up the arrogant nature of those who ruled Europe at the time, which resonates with some political leaders today.

A good stocking filler and at a very good price. Delivery to my door was a bonus. Thanks seller and amazon

This book answers a lot of questions of the cause of this tragic event. It also leaves you wanting to learn more and pursue further studies. Well worth buying.

A thought provoking book which will drive you to do your own research into the background events at this time