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The Coming Conquest of England
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. Translation of Der Weltkrieg deutsche Traume
First published January 1, 1904
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 3, 2021
An interesting g look into pre-WW1 Great Power competition. The mood of GB, hysteria. Recommend ... if conditions ...?
When Alfred Thayer Mahan published The Influence Of Sea Power Upon History, 1660 - 1783, he made concrete concepts that had previously been amorphous, abstract notions. GB: "Oh, that's how we did it." US: Teddy Rrosevelt, sec. Of navy and great white fleet; u. s. Imperialism bcuz calling stations. Germany: Kaiser Willy. ARMS RACE. (Context of rising Germany and British superpower and also, Thucydides trap [Akbar (in toga) gif])
From that maelstrom was born [the genre of Invasions of England, sometimes by English authors. Copycats. Feverish copycats. Teutonic bellicosity.
Summary of plot. The in German culture of war gaming. WW1 German strategy irl. Note: book obvs written before appearance of Dreadnought, upending books entire naval suppositions. Also assumes French would side with Germany despite Alsace Lorraine. Was book before French war? Thucydides trap reemphasis, rising powers and old powers but German author assumes Russia and France would not be unsettled and would. side with Germany against Britain because historical animosity and Rus interests in C. Asia, Great Game; German position vis a vis France demographics and Brit naval race. More German belicosity! & author's nationalism pew book and perfidious Albion attitudes.
End: tie in HG Wells's [book:The War of the Worlds|8909], a reiteration of the [Invasion of Britain genre, but with ALIENS!]; Of said genre, only War of the Worlds remain (like Souza). Further examples, but this side of pond: Red Dawn, Wolverines!!! ID4, postcode war. Red Dawn 200...8?12? (China edition, Oops: North Korea), Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War. Forgotten, when it fails of pass, or cuz it does come
Link to gutenberg.
When Alfred Thayer Mahan published The Influence Of Sea Power Upon History, 1660 - 1783, he made concrete concepts that had previously been amorphous, abstract notions. GB: "Oh, that's how we did it." US: Teddy Rrosevelt, sec. Of navy and great white fleet; u. s. Imperialism bcuz calling stations. Germany: Kaiser Willy. ARMS RACE. (Context of rising Germany and British superpower and also, Thucydides trap [Akbar (in toga) gif])
From that maelstrom was born [the genre of Invasions of England, sometimes by English authors. Copycats. Feverish copycats. Teutonic bellicosity.
Summary of plot. The in German culture of war gaming. WW1 German strategy irl. Note: book obvs written before appearance of Dreadnought, upending books entire naval suppositions. Also assumes French would side with Germany despite Alsace Lorraine. Was book before French war? Thucydides trap reemphasis, rising powers and old powers but German author assumes Russia and France would not be unsettled and would. side with Germany against Britain because historical animosity and Rus interests in C. Asia, Great Game; German position vis a vis France demographics and Brit naval race. More German belicosity! & author's nationalism pew book and perfidious Albion attitudes.
End: tie in HG Wells's [book:The War of the Worlds|8909], a reiteration of the [Invasion of Britain genre, but with ALIENS!]; Of said genre, only War of the Worlds remain (like Souza). Further examples, but this side of pond: Red Dawn, Wolverines!!! ID4, postcode war. Red Dawn 200...8?12? (China edition, Oops: North Korea), Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War. Forgotten, when it fails of pass, or cuz it does come
Link to gutenberg.
June 2, 2012
I read this some years ago from Project Guttenberg, which I was mining for contemporary pre-Great War novels. In that context, I thought this was a fascinating and enjoyable read. This is the German equivalent of the 1903 novel The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers.
In the same way, Niemann's novel feels at times heavy handed and overly keen to tell the reader how much the British deserve to be punished for their arrogance. Or should that be the English? Like a lot of contemporary non-British writers, Niemann fails to distinguish between English and British. Despite these flaws, I found some of the spy scenes genuinely exciting. Scripted well, this would make a good film.
One of the most peculiar aspects of this novel is the point of view shift at the end. I can't really explain without giving away the ending. But you'll know what I mean when you read it!
If you're interested in the Great War and its origins, this is well worth a read.
In the same way, Niemann's novel feels at times heavy handed and overly keen to tell the reader how much the British deserve to be punished for their arrogance. Or should that be the English? Like a lot of contemporary non-British writers, Niemann fails to distinguish between English and British. Despite these flaws, I found some of the spy scenes genuinely exciting. Scripted well, this would make a good film.
One of the most peculiar aspects of this novel is the point of view shift at the end. I can't really explain without giving away the ending. But you'll know what I mean when you read it!
If you're interested in the Great War and its origins, this is well worth a read.
December 20, 2008
This book, published in German at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, was speculative military fiction. It posits a war against England that commences with a Russian invasion of India, and culminates in the successful invasion of England by French and German armies. It is most of interest in its exposition of the attitude of the German political classes towards England, and well worth reading. Obtainable by download from Google Books
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews