Michael B. Barrett

A general account of how Romania brought doom on its head in 1916 by attempting to grab Transylvania from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, only to bring firm German direction to that theater of the war. While I enjoyed reading what is a good campaign history I did find the historical horizon of the author a little constrained. Though this campaign is invoked as precursor to the mobile, all-arms warfare that is usually described as "blitzkrieg," one doesn't get much sense that the author is aware that speed of action and force of will was always a component of the Prussian way of war, and that Erich von Falkenhayn's previous operational behavior at Verdun was the anomaly. Apart from that I suspect that I would have been better off reading Glenn Torrey's general account of Romania in the Great War first.… (mehr)

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I really liked this subject matter of this book but then I really enjoy books on little known campaigns and battles. This was a good read but in short I think it makes a better journal article or chapter in a book about the naval actions in the Baltic 1914-1918. It's a fascinating read but, honestly, not a lot happened. The Russians were in the throws of revolution (or at least they soon would be) and had no stomach for a fight. Outside of the sinking of Russia destroyer GROM and battleship SLAVA not much happened. It's not Barrett's fault as he has obviously spent a great deal time and effort on research but the book ends anti-climatically. It's good, it accurately reflects history but it's, well, it's boring! Still Barrett gets high marks for shedding light on an obscure WW-1 naval action in a thoroughly professional manner.… (mehr)