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In this monumental history of the First World War, Germany's leading historian of the 20th century's first great catastrophe explains the war's origins, course, and consequences. With an unrivaled combination of depth and global reach, Pandora's Box reveals how profoundly the war shaped the world to come.Jörn Leonhard treats the clash of arms with a sure feel for grand strategy, the everyday tactics of dynamic movement and slow attrition, the race for ever more destructive technologies, and the grim experiences of frontline soldiers. But the war was much more than a military conflict, or an exclusively European one. Leonhard renders the perspectives of leaders, intellectuals, artists, and ordinary men and women on diverse home fronts as they grappled with the urgency of the moment and the rise of unprecedented political and social pressures. And he tells how the entire world came out of the war utterly changed.Postwar treaties and economic turbulence transformed geopolitics. Old empires disappeared or confronted harsh new constraints, while emerging countries struggled to find their place in an age of instability. At the same time, sparked and fueled by the shock and suffering of war, radical ideologies in Europe and around the globe swept away orders that had seemed permanent, to establish new relationships among elites, masses, and the state. Heralded on its publication in Germany as a masterpiece of historical narrative and analysis, Pandora's Box makes clear just what dangers were released when the guns first fired in the summer of 1914. Read more
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Hardcover
just superb wonderful narrative with context, explanation inference and reflection in fact, I found it un-put- downable- to coin a phrase I began to read 2 months ago and just finished last night--- 8 weeks-- I noticed that as I got towards the end I read in smller bites to prolong the pleasure of reading this book yes--its a beast-- 907 pages of text perhaps 20 odd pages between fotos and maps-- all the rest is text and yet I never flagged-- never put it down to take break-- I really just couldn't stop reading/admiring/loving my time w this volume obviously don't read if this is yr first book on WW1--- but if you have the basics under yr belt and are ready to make the commitment- then this is the book for you most of us are familiar with the beginnings from the aneexation crisis 0f1908 through the battles of Tannenberg and the Marne-- and , again, on the other end-- the events of October 1918 ending in the Versailles treaty but its the 36 months in between 1915 16 17 that are so much in focus in this account how the various states accommodated to a new type of war both at home and on the field , the economic ppolitical and social consequences of this first world struggle- all of this is described in wonderful detail -- in addition to accounts of the various,varying battles and campaigns the first world war is the Ur-catastrophe-of twentieth century European history this volume is a wonderful wise long account of that struggle -coda--- an earlier amazon reviewer observed that the book read like a bad translation from German that was not my experience at all, - I very rarely had to reread a sentence to comprehend its sense was also great to se this war through leens of Central European Powers. well worth yr time I highly recommend-- great book for a long summer vacation read; even if it is very heavy to lug around amazing value for 23 dollars - thanks amazon!. brian lordan.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2019 by john b lordan
Format: Hardcover
Other reviewers have described this book as a scholarly, comprehensive work that reads well, and at first glance I concur. I leave better historians than I to judge the merits of the scholarship, and I limit this review to the book's production and arrangement, along with a few additional observations. My German is likewise not good enough to assess accuracy of translation, but a few quick dips into several subjects seemed understandably clear. At 1087 pages (907 of text), 2 1/4 inches thick, a book of this format taxes the limits and convenience of a single volume. However, the binding appears strong, with the pages sewn in small signatures, which should ensure its durability as a reference to be consulted beyond initial reading. It is printed on acid-free paper (a check with a pH testing pen confirms this), of an attractive off-white, and the type, though necessarily somewhat small, contrasts well, is nicely spaced, and easy to read. As expected, there is an index and many pages of notes. Fortunately, most of these are citations and are not necessary for a basic reading of the narrative, for their arrangement at the end of 900 pages makes flipping back and forth inconvenient, but the days of true foot notes are a relic of the past in modern book production. There are a number of illustrations scattered throughout the text, and though reproduction is small, they enhance coverage of a wide range of subjects beyond military aspects. A couple of captions had insignificant, minor inaccuracies, but they are readily apparent and should not confuse readers. I'm initially favorably impressed with this book and would strongly recommend it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018 by william todd
Format: Kindle
This analytical treatment of the First World War has a distinctly German perspective in some ways (many sources, quotes, illustrations were new to me for that reason) but it places the war in historical context across the societies involved, and the evolution of those societies. Military and diplomatic issues are addressed but not really a military, diplomatic or narrative history. Worth reading
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Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2019 by TFC323
Format: Hardcover
If I were still teaching European history, this magnificent book is the one I would go to for the First World War. Encyclopedic in scope, the book gives us an excellent narrative of the military struggles of 1914-1918, but also includes detailed information on the social, political, and international aspects of the war. In spite of its wide scope, the book also provides unusual and touching details, e.g., the names and circumstances of the first and last British soldiers to die in the war (819-820) or the presence of five disfigured French soldiers within sight of the German delegation at the signing of the Treaty of Versailles (845-846). Erbsenzaehlers will find many statistics to satisfy them: "The cost of killing one Central Powers soldier came to $ 14,300, against $ 4,500 for one Allied soldier." (704). The translation reads well, but some errors creep in: October 2018 appears for October 1918 (784); on page 876, the word "conformation" is used to mean "confirmation." These, however, are quibbles that do not detract from the overall brilliance of Leonhard's book.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2018 by Robert P. Neuman is a retired college professor and management consultant
Format: Hardcover
This is a tough book for me to rate. Honestly, it was not a pleasant and enjoyable reading experience for me. Nevertheless, it is a meticulously researched and exhaustively detailed book on a seminal historical event. If you are the scholarly sort, with a deep and abiding interest in World War I, or even history in general, this is likely the “go-to” book on the subject. On the other hand, if you are reading simply for enjoyment, look elsewhere. This book is a real doorstop, incredibly dense (not just in the depth of its subject, but physically) and difficult to even hold when reading in bed. It is heavy and cumbersome with over 900 pages of text and another hundred or two in endnotes, bibliographies and indexes. I read a lot of very long books, but this one took me seemingly forever to read, such was the complexity of the subject matter and the author’s treatment of it. If you read it at night, it will often times put you to sleep after 15-20 minutes. I rate it at 5 stars, because I believe it accomplishes what the author set out to do; that is to produce a comprehensive analysis of the factors leading to, involved in and following the First World War. That being said, I believe the target audience for this work is relatively small.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019 by Steven M. Anthony
Format: Hardcover
A superior one-volume comprehensive history of the war that enveloped the world a century ago. If you are to understand the international politics of today, you must have knowledge of the upheavals and carnage unleashed after an assassination in Sarajevo. The German historian Professor Leonhard has assembled an astonishing range of facts and opinions into a cohesive narrative that is worthy of the vast political, social, and military subject that was World War I. Trench warfare, home-front economic dislocations, the value of trains and ships, weaponry (including tanks and gas), the breakup of empires, the effects on far-flung European colonies, why the troops kept grinding away, the rise of Lenin, the late entry of America, and so forth, are all here. If you have time for only one major book on World War I, this should be the one. It will win prizes. Asides: (1) While I do not know German, it strikes me that the translator into English, Patrick Camiller, has done an excellent job and (2) the design of the book"s dust cover by Jill Breitbarth is perfect.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2018 by Christian Schlect
Format: Kindle
Different take on the history of the Great War. While most books list key battles, pore over maps, weapons employed, list orders of battle, this book concerns itself more with social, economic, political, and ultimately human aspects of the war. What makes this book truly distinguishable is that it is written by a German historian, and thus offers uniquely German perspective, albeit unbiased one.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2020 by Dino Masic
Format: Kindle
This book is for all those who would like to understand why World War 1 happened and how it never really finished till ww2.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2024 by Amazon Customer