Donato Colangelo’s Reviews > Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918 > Status Update

“Mitteleuropa” was perhaps the first, real, idea of European Union, albeit the concept was, in some weaker and non functional way, already at work in Austria-Hungary.

The reasons why the Austro-Hungarians faced so poorly in this war are many and a good part of these reasons stems from the mishandling of the “inner front”, as the State was not up to the task of using the war as a unifying event, but rather pushed hard against his own minorities in order to bring them under more, asphyxiating, control. That the AOK leaders were not up to the task was just a bonus.

Strong links between Nazi invasion of Russia in the 40s and Tsarist invasion of Galicia in 1914, a subject that indeed is overlooked by many if not all historians. Terrible episodes of violence, racism and deliberate killings based on prejudices. The bloodbath, in East Europe, started some 30 years before Operation Barbarossa commenced.

In chapter 3, the author tries to summarize the main elements that characterized the war of the Central Powers in 1914. The treatment is fine and complete. As usual, when a book that discusses military matters fails to provide military maps, the narrative suffers... my luck is having already read the 4 volume epic Pritt Buttar series about the Eastern Front and Hastings's "Catastrophe".

Outstanding description of the many facts and events occurring in July 1914. Very well written!