Two additions to the many fine suggestions:
The Radetzky March, by Joseph Roth. The long run-up, from the side of the doomed Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Colonel Roosevelt, by Edmund Morris. TR was an erratic politician, but he understood European affairs better than any other American.
Thunder at Twilight: Vienna 1913/1914 has always been my favorite book about the beginnings of World War 1.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood call on Thunder at Twilight; a great read. It is amazing how many significant people "just happened" to be in Vienna in 1914.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Colonel Roosevelt, by Edmund Morris. TR was an erratic politician, but he understood European affairs better than any other American."
You mean 'almost as poorly' as any other American.
Roosevelt was a Progressive militarist for whom the cause mattered less than the social coercion and blindless collective mania it justified and prompted. An excellent example was his pre-war flattering of the Kaiser, who then "became" in T.R.'s eyes an abomination who had to be removed once it suited his pro-World War I megalomania. ("This country needs a war. Any war will do.") Neither interpretation demonstrates much understanding of Europe.
In short, he was the McCain of his day.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCoincidentally, someone who understood Europe as well as any American was also, unfortunately, someone who demonstrates how far National Review's has fallen over the decades, especially in foreign policy. Namely, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn:
External Link
Kuehnelt-Leddihn was also, interestingly enough, once a fellow at that now supposedly sinister Mises Institute, as well as the Acton Institute. Another mark against Buckley, I suppose. (sarcasm)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNothing much to add here except that I really love The Radetzky March.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know how popular this would be at NR, but Murray Rothbard wrote a great piece about how the Wilson administration used the war to organize the economy according to business/government interests. That mobilization was never really undone and it set the stage for the New Deal and all the other progressive impositions on the economy throughout the rest of the 20th century.
Easily found on the internet.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMIR,
I would suggest you read “Colonel Roosevelt,” as Mr. Brookhiser recommends. It's quite possible that in the first 200 pages you may discover that Teddy's opinion of the Kaiser does not quite match up with your assertions. Maybe, just maybe, you'll come to understand why Mr. Brookhiser contends that Teddy understood Europe better than any other American.
Just a suggestion.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse