The Guns of August and International Politics - Book Report/Review Example

The Guns of August and International Politics The book Gun of August has been written by Barbara Tuchman and is about First World War classic histories. In this book, Barbara reconstructs the World War I’s first one month, which is the first thirty days within the 1914 summer, which determined the conflict’s cause, the century, as well as the ultimate world today. Tuchman began with Edward VII’s funeral and traced every step, which resulted to the unavoidable clash. It was unavoidable in the real sense because each side plotted its combat for a generation. Tuchman is quite precise and in a spectacular manner, she evoked the features of the key players of the war. The book is an account for Europe’s plunge into the First World War and particularly for the initial battles within the tragic battle. The Guns of August is related to international politics since it deals with the relationship between nations, which is international relations according to “International Relations” by Eric, B. Shiraev, and Vladislav M. Zubok. The look seems to have used two theories of international relations. The first of these being the model of inherent bad faith with international relations as well as psychology. In this theory, a state is assumed pitilessly hostile while the contractors of such are ignored (Eric & Vladislav, 2012). This is the picture that Mrs. Tuchman gives many countries involved in the war, ”according to Tuchman, Russia had alliances of her own with England and France both of which were threats to Germany as well as both were full of envy and hatred. England is said to have had naval power together with its perfidy and selfishness (Barbara, 2004, p.311). Another theory that applies within this story is the realism theory. The theory focuses much on the security of a state as well as powers above all others. Ancient realists such as Hans Morgernthau and E.H. Carr contended that States happen to be self-centered, supremacy seeking actors looking forward to maximize their security as well as chances of survival. According to the theory, unity between nations is one way of maximizing the security of each individual state contrary to more idealistic reasons. The theory further believes that whatever act of war has to be founded on self-interest but not on idealism (Eric & Vladislav, 2012). Tuchman brings out German as a self-centered state, which seeks power over the other countries. Its behavior as it marches across the nation of Belgium is Germans way to fulfil its interest. Again, German is worried about its surrounding and fears that its security is at risk so they have to act on self-interest and seek authority over all other nations. German’s desire to finish what it had started in 1970, through its victory over France at Sedan shows quest for power. On page 311, Thomas Mann felt that the Germans deserved to become the most powerful, to dominate, as well as establish German peace. It is through such ways that the book is related to international politics. In the beginning, Barbara speaks of Great Britain’s King Edward VII’s funeral, which took place on 20 May 1910, and she is convinced that the funeral attenders would later get involved in the First World War. It opens with some survey for the scene before the war as well as ends with the well-known reversal at the Marne. Barbara concludes with the British, French, as well as German force’s decision to combat at the Marne as at September 1914. It was the same great battle, which brought Germany’s juggernaut to a stop, which had barreled all the way through Belgium as well as into France coming quite close to taking Paris. By choosing to engage British and French forces at the Marne, with an aim of wiping out somewhat real opposition towards its advance, German made a deadly mistake. By German’s avoiding Paris, French forces as well as their British allies gained a brief break as well as a good opportunity to flank the forces of German. There is no one side that won the Marne war, however, the French and British stopped German forces something that ensured that the Germans were not going to win some swift victory which was a major part of the plan of Schlieffen of German, however, they got forced into attrition war that had no favor. The forces of German did not make any further advances into France, however, during the war’s first weeks when they had made some advances had made it possible for the Germans to access material resources quite sufficient enabling them to go on with the combat for some time (Barbara, 2004)). Barbara does not talk of the Turkish campaign within which allied forces would be tremendously defeated at Gallipoli, or even the Middle East war within which T.E. Lawrence won the recognition as Lawrence of Arabia. Another thing that Barbara did not address was the entry into war of the U.S. still some several years ahead as well as the campaigns, which happened in Africa’s colonial holdings. Tuchman’s objective was to gaze at the beginning of the war as well as those situations, which made this war unavoidable. These include the centrally located Germany being concerned with its position under encirclement, the concern, which was promoted by the doubtful alliance between autocratic Russia and the democratic France, as well as the alliances’ tight system aimed at keeping a balance of power within Europe with an aim of preventing war. However, things failed to work as according to such an arrangement with one leader’s political assassination resulting to major part of Europe rushing into war (Barbara, 2004). The author lingers more on the plan of action by Germany into the war event- Schlieffen plan, which was developed in 1905 by Alfred Von Schlieffen. Following the defeat of France, the attention of German could be turned to Russia, which was a weaker, however, greater power with the need for extra tome for mobilization. For the feasibility of the plan of Schlieffen, German would take the north to attack France something that involved going via neutral Belgium. With Belgium’s resistance on German’s safe passage, the Germans were prompted to invade as well as enforce cruel measures to ensure Belgium’s compliance. The cruel march via Belgium with unbelievable harsh punishments against resistance as well as preparedness for the destruction of Louvain city, which is well known for its University, lead to German’s brutality general condemnation. In defense for Belgium, Tuchman provides plausible descriptions for John French, the general who lacks will, (p. 218). This attack on Belgium was the cause of failure to meet the timetable of the plan by Schlieffen to take out the French, (p. 262). While Tuchman explains, the British commander as well as the French allies’ poor relationship assisted German advance, however, unplanned decisions of the military by leaders of France within the field as well as political pressure within and a change in the leadership of the British military within France enabled to halt the advance of German at the Marne. With one faster end to the war, the hopes of German for victory could fade with time despite the fact that they possessed the personnel as well as equipment to enable them keep on fighting (Barbara, 2004)). Tuchman happens to be a masterful storyteller as well as a good prose stylist. However, some of Tuchman’s snarky comments about German, for instance, the German “need” to comply and follow the leader, are bothering. These types of comments possibly show more of the biasness of Tuchman more that she intended to demonstration. There exists a documentary by the name of Guns of August with great archival footage; however, it does not address the intelligence of Tuchman’s presentation as well as data analysis (Barbara, 2004). Looking at Germany’s ideas within the 19th century’s last half, it was a matter of when “when” but not “if” as far as the war against England or France was concerned. German philosophy, hundreds of years is traced by Tuchman, within which she discovers a self-destruction seed, that awaits its hour. The writer cites Hegel as well as his notion for German’s splendid destiny of compulsory, “Treitschke, who set power increase as the states moral duty” as well as “Netzche” the man who would change Germany into Superman (Barbara, 2004, p.22). In terms of a pure narrative power, this book happens to be an admirable piece of work. It happens to be les satisfactory as a World War I’s scholarly contribution. Despite the fact that Tuchman gathered as well as made effective use of quotes from numerous sources, she gave a story that is only partially based on evidence that was best available. Frequent inaccuracies as well as over simplifications notably within the tale ought to be credited to unsatisfactory familiarity with pertinent monograph literature (Eric & Vladislav, 2012). Such numerous oversimplifications and inaccuracies are evident within the prewar developments as well as the Mediterranean affairs. Moreover, for those events that took place after the Ist of August 1914, a wider primary evidence utilization could have been desirable. A good example is that neither the Italian and Russian document collections published from 1918, nor files of the German Government, which are quite a valuable source, seem to have been consulted. The usefulness of the book is impaired further by deliberately prejudiced treatment of imperial Germany. Information that is authentic about German’s misdeeds as well as faults has been mixed extensively with insinuations, half-truths, as well as absurd generations, transforming the 1914 German into a barbarian’s nation. In the pages of Mrs. Tuchman, the people of German happen to be invariably hysterical, unpleasant or even outright ruthless (evidence garbling can be particularly noticed here), as well as the soldiers marching as predatory ants across Belgium on page 213, with no time reveal the beast underneath the skin of German (p, 314). Germans even makes use of lance- equipped mounted troops using the outlandish name ’uhlans’ decisive evidence that they favor ‘fearful models’ (Ist the guns as well as now the savage Tartars), at the times they did invade their neighbors (p 171). Serve it all add the idea that one of the generals of German, Alexander von Kluck, arises like a ‘grim- visage Attila’ in page 401. As well as that the Prussian captain corps is in whatever case composed solely of ‘waspwaisted’ or ‘bullnecked’ kind (Barbara, 2004, p.17) The tale of the 1914 gets to be even more lopsided due to Tuchman’s choice to pay only a brief consideration to Serbia and the dual monarchy. It is not quite clear the manner in which the affairs of such countries as well as Balkan problems generally naturally divide themselves from the remaining part of the war, (page Viii). Very aside from their part within the political tensions that gripped Europe in the year 1914 that are handled summarily handled rather), a n individual wonders, for example, the manner within which the strategic planning of Germany could be evaluated with no enquiry to the arrangements of the military made by as well as with Australian ally. Another thing is that is it not confusing more or less crucial matters to treat the first Austro Hungarian campaigns contrary to Russians and Serbs- the eastern front letter on some major sector- just as simple side shows? Confidently, at least the rising misunderstanding between Vienna And Berlin as well as the various complications growing from Australia- Hungary’s participation within the war against Britain, France and Russia that was postponed warranted some attention, if only to create a clear understanding that both aggressive groups were having grave complications in getting coordinated. Tuchman’s personality profiles for leading figures within the two sides are written skillfully despite the fact that some happen to be debatable, for instance the one for Sir John French as well as several plainly misleading, for instance, the one for Admiral G. A. von Muller. References Barbara, W. T. (2004)). The Guns of August: The Outbreak of World War I. Presidio Press . Eric, B. S., & Vladislav, M. Z. (2012). International Relations. New York: Oxford University Press. Read More