Germany Ascendant: The Eastern Front 1915

Eastern Front Series, Book 2

De: Prit Buttar

Narrado por: Roger Clark

The massive offensives on the Eastern Front during 1915 are too often overshadowed by the events in Western Europe, but the scale and ferocity of the clashes between Imperial Germany, Hapsburg Austria-Hungary, and Tsarist Russia were greater than anything seen on the Western Front and ultimately as important to the final outcome of the war. Now, with the work of internationally renowned Eastern Front expert Prit Buttar, this fascinating story of the unknown side of the First World War is finally being told.

In Germany Ascendant, Buttar examines the critical events of 1915, as the German Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive triggered the collapse of Russian forces, coming tantalizingly close to knocking Russia out of the war altogether. Throughout the year, German dominance on the Eastern Front grew - but stubborn Russian resistance forced the continuation of a two-front war that would drain Germany's reserves of men and equipment.

From the bitter fighting in the Carpathian Mountains, where the cragged peaks witnessed thousands of deaths and success was measured in feet and inches, to the sweeping advances through Serbia where the capital Belgrade was seized, to the almost medieval battle for the fortress of Przemysl, this is a staggeringly ambitious history of some the most important moments of the First World War.

©2015 Prit Buttar (P)2018 Tantor

Great Detail

A very neglected but vital subject. Narrator could improve his pronunciation of Germans and especially Russian names.

Another Fantastic Series Entry

I moved to this book after listening to Collision of Empires. The level of detail Prit Buttar brings to the book is fantastic and Roger Clark is a top notch narrator that helps bring it to life.

Like Following A Chess Match

The illumination of the involved personalities and their motives bring this detailed account to life and the strategy, tactics, misery and mayhem of war into full view.

The Eastern Front Continued

The gripping narrative of the Eastern Front in WWI is continued with "Germany Ascendant." Prit Buttar's masterful account of the neglected saga continues where it left off, with Russia teetering on the brink of collapse. Though Czarist Russia isn't finished yet, their forces encounter staggering losses but still manage to hold on. Germany continues to hold both fronts, somehow managing to stage a two front war with Russia in the east, and Britain and France in the West. But this cannot continue for long. The powers that be know that Germany cannot keep this going for long. However the collapse of Russia is all but a certainty, even though they continue to keep the Germans from complete domination in the east against remarkable internal strife that threatens to tear the entire nation apart. Prit Buttar proves truth is always better than fiction once again. Roger Clark is always brilliant and does his expert best here too.

Detailed overview of lesser known campaigns

Recommend following along with maps as the place names are often not well known by an American audience. Excellent details on leadership and how the armies had to adapt to the new technologies

Interesting Topic, Better Paced

I listened to the first book, Collision of Empires, and thought that it was great in terms of narrator and content, but found it difficult to finish nonetheless. I think i found this one a bit difficult to finish as well (this took me about one month, rather than two), but it's a marked improvement in terms of pacing. No set up, the narrator jumps right into the frontlines and details Germany's rather impressive maneuvers against the Russians. I recommend for fan of WWI and military history.

Excellent!

I enjoyed, just like in Collision of Empires,the entire backstory of the events of 1915 on the Eastern Front. Very in-depth and fascinating.

Another excellent entry

This volume continues the story of the Eastern front after the combatants on both sides begin to realize that this war won't be over by Christmas and they're in it for the long haul. The Cult of the Offensive continues to cost tens of thousands of lives per week as the leaders refuse to adapt and evolve their war tactics. It's very interesting to hear about the battles from both sides, hear excerpts of the correspondence that's being passed as they plan, the political maneuvering behind the scenes, and bits of memoirs from those who were lucky enough to survive. A very good telling!

Fantastic

Second book from Prit Buttar ( and my favorite of the series ) details the murderous fighting in the Carpathian Mountains and the central powers pushing the Russians back across Galicia in the Gorlice -Tarnow offensive . I read everything I can about WW 1 on the east front and this series of books are hands down the best I’ve come across. The author weaves an understandable narrative of these complex battles and the politics behind them .

The Meat Grinder

This book thoroughly describes the enormous loss of life among soldiers on the Eastern Front in 1915 and the failure of both the Austria-Hungarian and Russian military leaders to learn from their mistakes.
I only wish the book contained more maps so I could follow the movements of all the armies.