The Kaiser's Army

"By the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, the victorious German Army was one of the world's most feared and respected military forces. Despite its formidable reputation throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the army was vanquished by the Allied powers during World War I. How did his renowned army come to suffer such a surprising defeat? What political, social, and military forces left the German army vulnerable in 1914? Challenging previous scholarship on the topic, author Eric Dorn Brose offers here a provocative new interpretation of this fascinating period in German history. He argues that conservatism became deeply embedded in the army's philosophy and prevented the army from modernizing in time for World War I." "In detail, Brose describes the slow and arduous process of overcoming entrenched traditions. In August 1914, as the army strove for western victory, its shortcomings became obvious. The campaign planned by military leaders had a reasonable chance of success despite the risky provocation of Belgium and England. It failed, however, due largely to the residual effects of decades of pride and stubborn adherence to the old ways." "Combining military, social, and political history, The Kaiser's Army provides a fascinating look at the modern German army and its evolution. It is a book for anyone interested in German history, military history, and World War I."--Jacket.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.