Generally recognized as the standard one-volume history of Russia; this monumental work examines the social; religious; and cultural as well as the political and economic aspects of Russian civilization from the earliest times to the present Cold War. The last third of the book discusses the revolution of 1917 and the emergence of the Soviet Union as a world power.
#346025 in Books David Wetzel 2003-09-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .80 x 6.00l; .79 #File Name: 0299174948264 pagesA Duel of Giants Bismarck Napoleon III and the Origins of the Franco Prussian War
Review
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Origins of the Franco-Prussian WarBy Frank J. KonopkaMost Americans don't know a lot about the intrigues that led up to the French declaration of war against Prussia in 1870; a calamity that led to the downfall of Napoleon III and his Second Empire. This book aims to bring light to that era; and does it fairly well. I think; however; that this was not written for the casual reader; but rather for those who already possess some knowledge of the personalities and issues of the day. Often the author speaks about some person or incident as if the reader should know about this man or thing already. With no explanation given; the lay reader is at a complete loss to understand what's happening; or who's doing something. Also; the language of the work does not allow easy reading; it's more academically oriented; with many references to other historians and their works and opinions on the subject. I did learn much that I didn't know before; howver; particularly about the famous Ems telegram; and the author's opinion that it was not the overriding cause of the war that I had always believed it to be. For that alone; I thought this book worth reading.2 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A fine book to understand the origins of the warBy Scott GressDoes a fine job explaining how the war happened. Recommend it to anyone curious about the issue.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Ben BeshwateGreat thanks!
