Guns of August - 2668 Words

1 The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman A predilection for the high drama of war stories and an appreciation for history as narrative led me explore Barbara W. Tuchman’s The Guns of August , a dramatic, comprehensive and painstakingly detailed account of the beginnings of World War One. Having read her history of fourteenth century Europe, A Distant Mirror, I was eager to see how she would apply her style of taking important individuals of the period and showing how events unfolded through the prism of their experiences, to the subject of the First World War. Moreover, the period is one in which I have long been interested, having been introduced to it through the World War One poets, T. S. Elliot’s The Wasteland and All Quiet on†¦show more content†¦For Germany, 1914 would witness the enthronement of Kultur in Europe and the fulfillment of Germany’s historic mission. As Thomas Mann saw it, â€Å"Germans . . . deserved to be the most powerful, to dominate, to establish a ‘German peaceâ €™â€  (311). The French, for their part, in the face of growing German militarism given voice by the Kaiser himself, â€Å"possessor of the least inhibited tongue in Europe,† stoked up their furor Gallicae and awaited the moment that had seemed inevitable ever since the Treaty of Versailles had amputated her eastern flank. Aside from nationalistic scores to settle, many other nations were simply â€Å"sore-headed and fed up† with â€Å"Germany’s clattering of the sword† and saw in the coming conflict hopes for the â€Å"moral regeneration of Europe† (312-313). Tuchman sees the parts as well as the whole, and her discussion of cause as it relates to individual battles and the generals involved is psychologically astute without being limiting. She offers plausible explanations for General John French’s lack of will in the defense of Belgium (218) and shows how the breakdown of Plan 17 in the first weeks of the war paved the way for a l ong and brutal struggle (262), as did the final failure of the Germans’ Schlieffen Plan for a double envelopment of the enemy. The ensuing deadlockShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Guns of August1091 Words   |  5 PagesThe Guns of August Barbara Tuchmans Pulitzer prize-winning book about the start of World War I is a fascinating and detailed work that delivers the thoughts and actions of the belligerents and their previously mysterious leaders to life on every page. This military history of the first month of the war is written in a way as to keep the reader interested because of the great detail. The author also manages to write about the events in such a manor as the reader sees them as they happenedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Guns Of August Essay1566 Words   |  7 PagesHistory of Western Civilization II The Guns of August, by Barbara W. Tuchman. London: England. Macmillan. 1962. The Great War, more known as World war 1 is perhaps the most famous war in American history. Most people only know that the Great war was the first world war that caused catastrophe through the worlds alliances. The Guns of August also known as August 1914 is a historical work of nonfiction written about the beginning of World War I. The Guns of August is an interesting book that goes throughRead MoreEssay on The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman456 Words   |  2 PagesThe Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman Barbara Tuchmans Guns of August is about World War 1. Her book has a unique way of telling this story. Her books gives explanations for each countrys involvement in the war. It describes the opinions of the Czar and reasons for all of his crucial decisions during this time. It also explains how Germany was in a tight spot and prepared for war a few years before it actually began. England was not to worried about the war in Europe because it hadRead MoreThe Guns Of Augest By Barbara Tuchman3204 Words   |  13 Pagesâ€Å"The Guns of Augest† by Barbara Tuchman Synapsis In a book that commences with Solem, Though a high end funeral of a global leader does not sound any attractive to a reader, the book, The Guns of Augest immediately captures the attention of the reader to the world history as it unfolded in the First World War with edge hanging suspense and accuracy of history . The book details vividly how a local war turned out to be a struggle for the Europeans as there was a call to war against Russia. ImmediatelyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Guns Of August 939 Words   |  4 PagesThe Guns of August by Barbra W. Tuchman The Guns of August, written by Barbra W. Tuchman in 1962, is a novel that meticulously depicts the beginnings of the First World War. After negotiations with her publisher, Tuchman states that the purpose of this novel is to tell the story of â€Å"the wars first month, which contained all the roots, including the Goeben and the battle of Mons†(xix). The novel is broken up into three main sections: Plans, Outbreak, and Battle. The first five chapters fall underRead MoreThe Guns Of August, By Barbara W. Tuchman900 Words   |  4 PagesFerdinand in Sarajevo. Several novels have been written regarding this Great War but one book that sparks the attention of the public some years after this war occurred is entitled The Guns of August. Its title describes the insurmountable events regarding the first month of the first World War. The Guns of August was written by Barbara W. Tuchman and was published in 1962 , forty-four years after the end of the Great War. This book elaborates on the events of World War I in a manner where the authorRead MoreThe Guns Of August And All Quiet On The Western Front1633 Words   |  7 Pagesmillions of soldiers and civilians died. Children lost their parents, and wives, their husbands. So unprecedented was this type of vicious warfare that the countries involved were unprepared for one of the worst wars in history. Two books, The Guns of August and All Quiet on the Western Front address and highlight major themes of World War I. The books offer insight to the political and military strategies of France, England, and Germany during the first month of the war, as well as the emotions ofRead MoreGun Control Is A Tough Business854 Words   |  4 Pages Gun control in America is a tough business. Second amendment advocates love to flourish their rights to bear arms. However, their stubbornness is causing many unnecessary complications that could be easily solved if they would cooperate more with legislators. The need for more a more thorough background check, more rigorous restriction on purchases and less selfishness is paramount to the evolution of our country. Of the many problems we face in gun control it is availability of guns to the veryRead MoreThe Rabid Dog By Harper Lee873 Words   |  4 Pageslunged at throats, and I thought they did it in August.† (Pg. 108) - When this scene that s place it is February the rabid dog is not foaming at the mouth. But what does happen in August is very important to this book. In August the trail of Tom Robinson. The foaming at the mouth absolutely happens then, because during the trial Jem and Scout find out what Maycomb county really is all about. When Tim Johnson was walking towards the house, but in August it is when they started to â€Å"see the foam,† thatRead MoreThe Treaty Of Versailles And The Rise Of The First World War980 Words   |  4 Pagesbetter than Germany once again. This act led to the formation of alliances (WHAT ALLIANCES?). In the Treaty of Versailles, the responsibility of the start of the war was put onto Germanys shoulders, forcing them to pay 33 Billion dollars (The Guns of August, 2014). This shows why Britain joined the war in order to weaken Germany. Britain wanted to establish themselves as the dominant power in Europe again. The need for dominance is what brought these two countries into the war hating each other,