March 1917: On the Brink of War and Revolution

by Will Englund

“Fast-paced history . . . full of haunting, unforgettable wartime images.” ―David M. Shribman,  Boston Globe March 1917 is a riveting history of the month that transformed the world’s greatest nations as Russia faced revolution and America entered World War I. Drawing on a wealth of contemporary Russian and American diaries, memoirs, oral histories, and newspaper accounts, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Will Englund creates a highly detailed and textured account of America’s transformation from an isolationist nation to one that embraced an active role in shaping world affairs while at home Jim Crow still reigned. This fascinating examination considers the dreams of that year’s warriors, pacifists, activists, revolutionaries, and reactionaries―from Czar Nicholas II to Woodrow Wilson, from Theodore Roosevelt to the fiery congresswoman Jeannette Rankin―and demonstrates how their successes and failures constitute the origin story of our complex modern world. 8 pages of illustrations

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Russia, World War I, American History, Politics, Russian History

416 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2017

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when you're writing a book that takes place in March 1917 and you find a book called March 1917 that is all about everything that happened in March 1917. Great book, important moment in history, and endlessly useful.

[Colleen Browne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars because even though it was a major disappointment in many ways, it was very readable and there were many interesting little anecdotes throughout. It was not what the cover said it was. I expected an analysis of the revolutionary events of 1917 but what I got was simply a narrative of the events (and not a very thorough one at that.). The author drops a lot of names and it did please my Montana heart to read someone who realized the importance of what was going on in Butte and to give Jeanette Rankin a bit of time. Beyond that, if it is serious history you're looking for, look elsewhere.

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

March 1917: On the Brink of War and Revolution by Will Englund examines international social and political conflicts leading up to the titular date. Englund, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist at the Washington Post, surveys how a cast of historical figures traversed through the upheaval leading up to March 1917, placing emphasis on the United States’ entry into World War I, and on the Russian Revolution.

Drawing upon a wealth of primary and secondary resources, Englund reveals how notable personalities including writer H.L. Mencken, Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, politician James Houghteling, former President Theodore Roosevelt, and others viewed a rapidly changing world that saw the birth of jazz music, women’s suffrage, workers' strikes, u-boats, trench warfare, the death of dynastic empires throughout Europe, and the rise of the United States as a world superpower.

Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin’s story is among the more fascinating accounts in the book. As the first woman elected to Congress, Rankin found herself wading through an ideological minefield of politics: her support of workers' strikes in her home state of Montana, her participation in the suffrage movement and her gender all caused a great stir in the Washington political machine. Following the Congresswoman as she begins to understand the politics of government, and how it often clashes with her idealism, is intriguing and among the more relatable stories in the book.

H.L. Mencken’s tale accounts for some of the most exciting and adventurous aspects of the book. Mencken, working as a foreign correspondent, visited Berlin during the war and gave a fascinating description of the city and its inhabitants, all of which belies the expected wartime chaos. As the conflict escalated, Mencken was forced to flee Europe through Spain, and wound up in Cuba just in time to report on the ‘Sugar Intervention’ conflict that was taking place on the island. Englund, noting the irony, takes a break from the story to comment on Mencken's diaries for the period in question, pointing out that the minimalist nature of his diaries stood in contrast to Mencken’s long-winded writing style.

The heart of the book is the story of Woodrow Wilson’s decision to enter the United States into the Great War. Despite the public outrage generated by the sinking of the Lusitania, the Zimmerman telegram, and relentless public goading by Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson was hesitant to involve the United States in the conflict before a series of U-boat attacks on American ships, forced his hand into the inevitable. Englund does a fantastic job showing exactly how much the nation was divided on the topic, putting Wilson’s reluctance into perspective.

While the book ostensibly attempts an international perspective, it leans towards an assessment that is overwhelmingly American. Much of the Russian upheaval is shown through the eyes of American politicians like James Houghteling and socialites such as Julia Dent Cantacuzene, granddaughter of Ulysses Grant. These American impressions of the socio-political developments are both powerful and fascinating. The book is written with a popular audience in mind, and Englund does a remarkable job at capturing the essence of the period and resurrecting the spirit of the people he writes about. His skills as a journalist help this book evade the dry, academic tones of most history books, making it accessible to readers who would ordinarily shy away from non-fiction.

Reviewed by Nicholas Beyelia, Librarian

[Sarah W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially wanted to read this book out of an interest in the Russian Revolution, but, while that definitely comes up, this work is more U.S. focused, discussing how America came to join the First World War and the role of the Russian Revolution in changing how Americans viewed the conflict. The stories included cover a wide range of people, events, and topics - a Black jazz musician, the first women member of Congress, socialist revolutionaries and newspaper columnists all share in the history which made March of 1917 a turning point in history. If you're interested in Russian-American relations or how the United States entered WWI, this is a great book to read.

[J.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In March 1917 two major events happened that have influenced the course of the world ever since. Czar Nicholas of Russia abdicated the throne when the people rose up against him, and the United States reversed its policy of official neutrality in the Great War in Europe (World War I). Will Englund explains how the events were related and details the history of this momentous month a hundred years ago.

Englund has certainly done his research and lays out the events in detail. He does so, however, in a mostly readable manner - the only challenge I had was that there were a lot of people and stories and they tended to blur together somewhat and it took me nearly half the book to become engaged. Nonetheless, this is a good explanation of the challenges President Wilson faced and the factors behind his decision. (I rec'd an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.)

[Jim Blessing · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had interesting sections, but jumped around a lot and was not an easy read.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent study of an important month in the history of the world. The author carefully follows the actions of President Wilson leading up to his decision to enter into war. There are many other key persons involved on both sides of the Atlantic. Splendid writing.

[Jim Kitzmiller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unreadable and poorly written do not necessarily have to go together, but Englund managed it. Extensively using letters to Congress and other members of government to fill in a whack a mole hodgepodge coverage of selected events during that month, creates this failed attempt to approach the quality of writings of David McCullough.

Developing compelling narratives of history bringing the figures and their actions to life without offering opinions is the key to the perfect accounting of history. This one fails at that.

[Bob Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent but a very read.

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will Englund's March 1917 covers the events of that month that culminated with Woodrow Wilson asking Congress to declare war and enter World War I. He's a good writer and especially in the second half he narrates the tension that led up to Wilson's speech (which actually was not in March).

The disparate figures in the book, from Wilson to musician James Europe, first female member of Congress Jeanette Rankin, journalist H.L. Mencken, and a number of others, don't always add up to any particular whole. People were doing stuff, even interesting stuff, as the country lurched toward war. Some were influential, some were not. So I think the book is trying to get at mood more than anything else.

One element of the book that is worth pondering is how World War I gave Americans more of a sense than ever that they were messianic saviors of the world. The messianic part had always been there*, but the war made it truly global. We've suffered a lot as a country as a result because it is applied so broadly.

* On this point, read Brian Loveman's No Higher Law.

From http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Alex Habibi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is by journalist so if you’re looking for critical analysis of the events and decisions of 1917 during the First World War, look elsewhere. The author writes a narrative following various individuals as Germany restarts unrestricted U-boat warfare, the movements against and for war in America, and the February revolution in Russia. These individuals and narratives are interesting; there’s plenty of interesting anecdotes but there wasn’t that further step taken by the author where we get analyses of the importance and consequences of these events. Good light read nonetheless.

[Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach to take a deep dive on a one month sliver of time during WW1. Gives great insight to the differing opinions of the time and leaves you wondering how you may have aligned. A good back and forth between revolutionary Russia and the painstaking decision Wilson had to make on behalf of the US. An abundance of newspaper, diary and written letter perspectives.

[Mike Nesemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Understandably, most discussions of America's entry into WWI focus on our response to Germany's actions. But Will Englund, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist, explores the momentous events of March 1917 and how the Russian revolution affected American politics. The month opened with Woodrow Wilson still publicly against declaring war. After all, his campaign slogan had been “He kept us out of the war.” There was a significant division in America with many like Theodore Roosevelt vehemently in favor of the war but many others just as vehemently opposed. I found his narrative of Jeannette Rankin of Montana, the first female elected to Congress, especially interesting. Many in the Suffrage Movement were in favor of the war, believing it would mean an expansion of economic opportunities for women and enhanced political power to push for universal suffrage. But Rankin represented Montana, which like much of the West, had little interest in getting involved in what was seen as a pointless European fight. She ended up voting her conscience, joining 49 other Congressman in voting against the war on April 6. She was defeated in the next election but returned to Congress in 1940 and was the only member of the House or Senate to vote against declaring war on Japan!

Englund does describe how German actions increased the pressure on Wilson. Examples included the Zimmerman telegram (made public in mid-February) which proposed that Mexico join the Central powers in return for a slice of the US, and the renewal of unrestricted submarine warfare in late January with 4 US merchant ships sunk in mid-March.

Wilson’s policies were ostensibly based upon principles and one of the moral arguments for the war was to support democracy against the three royal/imperial Central Powers – an argument undermined by the notoriously autocratic Romanov rule. The Romanov regime was shaky and although many predicted upheavals, they had ruled Russia over 300 years and even the Bolsheviks didn’t consider a revolution imminent. The currents of discontent and unrest were longstanding, exacerbated by the bungled handling of Russia’s war efforts resulting in stupendous casualties. Were the US to suffer proportional casualties today, we would lose roughly 4 million dead and 20 million wounded! Severe economic and personal privations also caused widespread anger and frustration but nevertheless, the speed of the fall was amazing. The dynasty’s final act opened on March 8 in Petrograd when a demonstration by a small group of angry women snowballed into larger demonstrations and a strike. Advised of the situation the Czar, at the front, ordered his troops to fire upon the strikers. But the military too was mutinous and just a week later, the Czar abdicated. This provided more moral ammunition to the pro-war factions since we would now truly be on the side of Democracy. American hopes and expectations of a Russian democracy led us to be the first country to recognize the post-Czar regime (and mirrored the inflated American hopes after the fall of the USSR).

Englund is a reporter and his style exemplifies the difference between an historian’s approach, e.g., Ottoman End Game, and that of a reporter. I would say the latter puts more emphasis on fleshing out the big picture with “human sized” details. To illustrate the terrible state of the German economy in 1917, he cites the lack of fuel for trucks and trams leading to the use of elephants from the zoo to pull sledges through the street. Another example was that fabric for clothing was now 1 part wool and two parts paper!

It is an interesting book and he does a good job of weaving many additional strands into the picture, including labor unrest and civil rights issues.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have said, there are a number of fascinating anecdotes that make March 1917 worth reading, but overall it feels like just that, a collection of anecdotes with a lack of real cohesiveness. At one point the author spends a couple pages going into extreme detail about a fishing trip taken by Teddy Roosevelt. Also, for a book claiming to be about both the beginning of the Russian Revolution and the buildup of the American entry into World War I, events in the United States by far get the primary focus, and events in Russia are almost entirely confined to a couple weeks in Petrograd as the government collapses. One thing I found amusing was that while Czar Nicholas II appears on the cover alongside Woodrow Wilson, he’s referenced maybe half a dozen times total throughout the entire book.

My reading interests lately have been concentrated on the lead up to WWI, and what followed in the years after the war. March 1917 was a bargain bin find that I figured I could use as a primer for basic information, and in that sense it was well worth the $5 spent. There is some decent information about the first weeks of the Russian Revolution in Petrograd if you’ve not read on the subject before, a breakdown of the anti war argument in the United States and the key players involved, as well as an interesting social portrait of the US prior to the war. The most compelling part for me was the discussion about the American reaction to the news of the collapse of the czar’s rule in Russia and the attending wave of optimism, but this was more or less confined to a portion of one chapter. If your interests lie somewhere beyond those aspects of the topic, there are definitely better resources out there.

[noreast_bookreviewsnh · Rating 4 out of 5]

March 1917 by Will Englund
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A highly detailed account of the transformative year 1917. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, was on the verge of entering the World War in Europe after campaigning on the slogan, “He kept us out of war”. Tsar Nicholas, the last monarch of Russia, would abdicate and chaos would fill the void with the Bolshevik revolution. The World War seemed to rage on with industrialized slaughter across Europe while the Russian government collapsed and ushered in its darkest days under the murderous Bolsheviks. The reader also gets a glimpse at life in America during this period with stories from the first congresswoman Jeanette Rankin of Montana fighting for women’s suffrage in America, and stories of Jim Europe, a famous black musician from New York who would go on to fight for his country in the Great War and also fight racism on the home front. We also watch the political chaos in the states with Theodore Roosevelt pushing the USA into the fray against Germany while Woodrow Wilson would advocate for neutrality as long as he could. This book has a massive amount of detail and for me it was almost too many details to keep track of, but extremely informative and interesting nonetheless. Worth the time to read slowly and keep track of the storyline, very good overall.
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#worldwar1 #europe #usa #war #1917 #woodrowwilson #tsarnicholasii #russia #president #presidentialhistory #bookstagram #readersofinstagram

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this book was an enjoyable read as it was a well-told narrative with a lot of information included. When I started the book, the premise of the book came across as an exploration of how the U.S. and Russia paralleled each other in that, through very different trajectories, both nations in March 1917 took actions/made decisions that would transform them from relative backwater powers to the two competing superpowers of the twentieth century. That said, about halfway through I began to notice that the book seemed to give more attention to the U.S. than to Russia (I assumed they would be given equal attention). This confusion was only answered in Chapter 21 when the author presents what appeared to be the actual intent of the book; that the events in Russia during that month helped further motivate the U.S. towards declaring war with Germany along with the more direct causes (resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmerman telegram, etc.). His argument, once revealed, is convincing but, in my mind, the second to last chapter of a book is a little late in the game to start arguing one's case. I highly recommend this book, just understand that it's focus is more 2/3 U.S. and 1/3 Russia rather than a 50/50 study.

[Trevor · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disjointed mess of a book, March 1917: On the Brink of War and Revolution, is a lazily researched and written people's history of events surrounding March 1917. The author appears to try to blend Howard Zinn with David McCallough, but takes their writing style and butchers it. What I mean by that is he takes Zinn's "People's Perspective" and tries to use McCallough's flow of events story telling aspects and ends up leaving you scratching your head at the end of the book trying to figure out why he focused on certain people and events.

For instance, why focus so much on how much Wilson liked to play golf? Every president like to play golf, it is a bipartisan sport, yet the author made it seem like it was a big deal. He also introduces characters to make it seem like they played an important role in History, like Jeannette Rankin and James Europe, but unlike where Zinn would deliver on explaining on how such small characters/events reflect the greater emotion of the country at the time, this author lets their narrative peter-out, wondering why he brought them up in the first place (in this case, it was because one was the first female congresswoman and the other was a black musician), but doesn't explain on how their importance reflects on changes in America at the time.

[Charles Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this period of history. When one looks back it's easy to see how the events surrounding Worl War 1 set the stage for the rest of the 20th Century and beyond. Many history books of this era can be frustrating as they attemp to mention every name and place caught up these events. But Will Englund employs a light touch, boiling it down to the most interesting people and places. The focus is on the U.S. decision to enter WWI. In turn, Englund lays out how events out of America's control - the collapse of the Czar, German U-boat warfare, etc - led to our entry into the war. It also shows how many Americans opposed getting involved. This has always been of interest to me because I have always believed that if the U.S. had stayed out we would never have seen the rise of fascism and the killing machines of the Second World War. One observer in 1917 wrote why he was opposed to U.S. entry: “Fight this war out to a finish — to a dictated peace; leave the Central Powers with an undying grudge against their conquerors, and you have sown the seed for a period of intrigue, international alliance, and militarism, that will bear fruit in our children’s time, in another disaster perhaps more terrible that the present war.”

[Randall Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was an interesting approach to WWI history to slice history by focusing on one particular month - March 1917, and the significant events that took place in that month - the overthrow of the Tsarist government in Russia, and the resumption of unlimited U-boat warfare leading to the US entry into World War I. I also think the author did a decent job of trying to tie together all of the disparate events going on in the world, but in the end wasn't entirely successful. The events ended up feeling to me like separate events, rather than part of an over-arching narrative. I also felt like there was a lot more emphasis on the US entry into WWI and what led up to it, and that the Russian Revolution was definitely the secondary story. I also don't think the author provided much background on what was going on in WWI at that time, which to me was a definite flaw. I've read a large number of books on WWI, so I wound up feeling like the author didn't offer much that was unique or new, other than his approach of looking at a slice of what was going on in March 1917. So overall, there are other, much better books about WWI and these issues, so I'd only recommend this book if you're looking for a reasonably good, basic introduction to this period in history.

[Scott Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Audiobook) One of many works written to capitalize on the 100th anniversary of the critical events of 1917. As the title suggests, it focuses on a key month, March, and the major events that came to alter the course of human history. It discusses America and Russia, as both dealt with monumental actions, be it entry into a European-based war for the first time in its history, or the overthrow of a royal family that had been in power for over 300 years, respectively. Overall, it was an interesting work, and does offer perspectives on key issues and concerns that drove decisions and actions during that month, but it won't exactly take its place in the pantheon of great historical works. Perhaps it tries to do too much, as to discuss either the American entry into the war or the first Russian Revolution of 1917 could take up multiple volumes. Perhaps for a reader who wants an overview, but not much more, this might be worth the read. For other historians, it is ok, but probably not the greatest option. The reader does a decent job with the material, but not phenomenal.

[Danielle Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a well reported and well written book. I especially enjoyed the sections on pre-Revolution Russia from the perspectives of Mencken and Houghteling and the countdown to the overthrowing of Tsar Nicolas II.
I felt some topics were over reported, such as an entire chapter devoted to Teddy Roosevelt trying to catch a sting ray in Florida. Did not contribute to the larger narrative and was honestly unnecessary to include.
I thought the multiple occurrences (and goals) of movements during this month were well intertwined. Examples include the war vs peace of course, but also just as importantly, women’s suffrage, racial equality and desegregation, democracy vs autocracy, isolationism vs being a world leader, Wilson’s higher goals of the 14 points and League of Nations, among many others.
The final two chapters that chronicled the end of March and the aftermath of the US ultimately entering the war were very well done. It really tied everything together for me and was an insightful look into how these events affected (and still affect) the rest of world history from 1917 onward.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time well spent! Will Englund’s “March 1917: On the Brink of War and Revolution” covers just that; America’s march into the Great War and the Russians revolt against the hapless rule of Czar Nicholas II. One of the pivotal moments of the twentieth century.

Told from varied points of view the author spends time with Woodrow Wilson and his anguish over war. Czar Nicholas and his cluelessness about everything. Leon Trotsky who was actually in New York at the time. Theodore Roosevelt who agitates for war as a purification of the human spirit. H.L. Mencken who condemns everything not German and spends the month following a farcical revolt in Cuba. James Reese Europe who contemplates race in America through the lens of jazz. The most fascinating character is Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress.

[Rosemary]

Interesting book, focusing on a very whort window in 1917.

Thanks to this book I understand better the critiques of Wilson, and I also better understand why he remains a hero to some. A very complicated man, and, I think, fundamentally unsuited to the office he held.

I was also surprised to find that a man I knew only as the person our local museum's sculture court is named for (Elihu Root) was such a vital player in the government during this period, even though he no longer held formal office.

The one down side to the book, though not the author's fault, was I kept swapping in actors from Reds, Doctor Zhivago, and Nicholas and Alexandra for the historical figures.

My brain--not so helpful sometimes.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 4 out of 5]

With "March 1917: On the Brink of War and Revolution", Will Englund takes a look at a month that for the US and Russia would set them both on paths that would alter them forever. For Russia, it would mark a revolution that would force the abdication of Nicholas II and effectively end several centuries of the way that country was ruled. For the United States, it would be a month that would eventually force the country out of neutrality and into World War I whether it wanted to or not. Englund splits the difference (albeit not evenly) across each of these nations & their history as events unfolded as we the reader follow these events in both nations toward where history was leading them. It's an interesting look at this particularly interesting period in world history.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, however I felt like it jumped around too much. One moment you are in Russia on March 10, then you are back in the Oval Office with President Wilson (what a douche) on March 7, then you are on a train with Jeannette Rankin, then you are in a union hall on March 19, then you are back with Theodore Roosevelt on March 11. I can handle some jumping around, but not that much. But like I said, there were enlightening moments and I appreciate the global picture the author tried to paint. It definitely leaves you on the edge of your seat even though you know a) the U.S. ends up joining the war, and b) the war ended in 1918.

[Raafknaag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book for those wanting to learn about the painstaking politics and hard decisions, which shaped the world (of today, for a great deal) 100 years ago.

The vast amount of work which has gone into this book certainly has paid off, into an immersive read. No stone has been left unturned, I think. I think the detail which is in the book does result in a great immersion into this crucial month. However, at times I found the staggering amount of detail overwhelming and I got lost a little. Perhaps this is in part due to the fact that I haven't read any proper books on WWI before this one, I was inspired by the game Battlefield 1 to read this book.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never knew 1917 was such a pivotal time in the history of the USA, Europe and Russia. Well written, although scattered at times. Did a good job of showing the concurrence of events around the world at this time. I especially liked the reflections at the end of the book that modern Americans would not recognize the America of 1910, but would vaguely recognize the America of 1917.

Also, a great look into how torn and distraught Wilson was about going to war. I wish modern presidents were this reluctant to enter into war and needed hard-fought congressional approval for war as well. It would lead to a lot fewer wars.

[Fred Svoboda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.
This book follows the currently popular fashion of writing a book focused on one limited period of time and proposing that it helps explain the large movements of history. In this case it's a little more than a month rather than a year, but Englund's book works reasonably well, particularly in suggesting some of the details of what was happening in the government and culture at the time. I'm not sure how well this would work for someone not already familiar with the entry of the U.S. into WWI, but I found it an entertaining and fast read.

[Hans Hoffmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book concerns it self with the events in March of 1917. Woodrow Wilson’s lead up to entering the war and the concern/quest the man had for a peaceful resolution. The second area of focus is the paradox of the allies Russian alliance as it fell apart and ended in revolution. Lots of interesting tidbits in this fascinating book. The US became the worlds exporter of mules. Enjoyed reading about Trotsky’s time in New York. Teddy Roosevelt’s strong desire for war. Really enjoyed this book - nice way to end the year.

[Craig Fiebig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book describing many perspectives across countries and communities as they wander through the morass of the First World War. The perspectives of revolutionaries, pacifists, realists, etc all appear fairly treated and benefit from the author’s thorough research and narrative. Worth reading for anyone interested in understanding more about how our world tumbles and pursues global conflagration.