The First World War (John Keegan)

"The First World War was a tragic and unnecessary conflict," writes John Keegan, a military historian.  He continues:

Unnecessary because the train of events that led to its outbreak might have been broken at any point during the five weeks of crisis that preceded the first clash of arms, had prudence or common goodwill found a voice; tragic because the consequences of the first clash ended the lives of ten million human beings, tortured the emotional lives of millions more, destroyed the benevolent and optimistic culture of the European continent and left, when the guns at least fell silent four years later, a legacy of political rancour and racial hatred so intense that no explanation of the causes of the Second World War can stand without reference to those roots.

So begins Keegan's The First World War, a one-volume account (427 pages) of the horrific and horribly sad affair.  As you'd expect, Keegan's focus is on the military aspect of the war.  After an excellent introduction on the background and outbreak of the conflict, Keegan describes the battles on the western and eastern fronts largely in terms of military unit positioning.  All major battles in other theaters (on land and sea) are covered, too- it was a world war, after all.  Other aspects- political, economic, etc- are mentioned only in passing, as Keegan tries to be as succinct as possible.

Elements of this work are excellent.  As mentioned, the introduction is fantastic, and parts throughout are very well-done; it's clear Keegan knows his stuff, and he delivers (from what I can gather) a pretty balanced account.  Other parts are dry- it's easy to get lost (or bored) in the specific military unit designators Keegan pumps out as he describes the events.  Some parts seemed rushed, but it's hard to cover such a complex, global war in one volume and be complete.  Overall, this is a worthwhile read.  Having seen the battlefields and graveyards of Ypres and Verdun, I wanted to learn more about WWI, and this volume is a good place to start.  Is there any other event in the 20th century that has more shaped our modern world?

Rating: A-

1776 (David McCullough)

As the title implies, 1776 is about that instrumental year in American history.  It follows the American and British armies as they square off in the early stages of the Revolutionary War.  We see the Patriots victorious in Boston, fail miserably several times in New York, and conclude the year with surprise victories in Trenton and Princeton.  This is narrative history, and McCullough weaves a variety of perspectives (from both sides) in telling the tale.  The focus is on not only the conflicts, but the generals as well, with an emphasis on George Washington- his successes and failures.

As the Revolutionary War lasted from 1775-1783, this is not a coverage of even most of the war- just one year.  As a result, that left me wanting more (in fact, I pondered if McCullough doesn't have it in mind to write 1777, 1778, and so on some day).  I can't claim it's faulty advertising, but it felt incomplete for that reason.  I liked his thorough and balanced treatment of the subject matter, though- he doesn't gloss over events or failures that would be embarrassing to Americans (or British).  In short, if you want to learn more about the opening stages of our nation's founding, this is for you.  If you want a complete Revolutionary War treatment, look elsewhere.

Rating: A-

Luxembourg

The places we saw, starting in Lux City and going north

Continuing my Europe country reviews, today the focus is Luxembourg.

Introduction

With Belgium to the west, Germany to the east, and France to the south, Luxembourg is conveniently situated for both tourism and, unfortunately, invasion.  Germany passed through on her way to Belgium and France in the 1940s; America liberated her from the same a few years later- a fact which locals remember and honor to this day (which is unusual in Europe).  We passed through ourselves several times- it was close to where we lived in Germany, and American friends living in the capital graciously hosted us several times.  Our visits included 9/07, 5/08, 6/08, and 10/10- and I'm sure I forgot a few in between.

When I think Luxembourg, I think 'forest.'  The Ardennes (of "Battle of the Bulge" fame, though that happened in the Belgian portion of the forest, near Bastogne) and other woods blanket the landscape, lending a sense of beauty and tranquility to the country.

Luxembourg City

Capital of the land, Lux City is a city of both old and new, situated on steep hills and cliffs that give the place a layered feeling.  It's a very nice place to visit.

Military Cemeteries

Just to the east of the city, both American and German military cemeteries from WWII can be found in close proximity to each other and are a study in contrasts.  The American memorials are white, smooth, and portray a quiet, sobering power.  Their German counterparts are dark, rough-hewn, and are undeniably those of the shamed vanquished.  Patton is buried in the former; both are worth visiting.

Mullerthal

One of the many forests, Mullerthal is beautiful.

Beaufort Castle

A nice ruin in the countryside.

Vianden Castle

Imposing and strategically situated, Vianden is another nice day out.

Clervaux

After visiting the several monuments and museums that can be found in Clervaux to the Americans who liberated them, I sensed more here than anywhere else in Europe that our contributions to WWII really were appreciated.

Conclusion

Luxembourg would take weeks to see in full, but can be enjoyably sampled in a few days.  Autumn would be the ideal time to visit, when the forests turn glorious hues on their way to the long dark of winter.

UPDATE: we visited again in October of 2019.  Our experience is summarized in these posts:
Vianden Castle
Mullerthal
Bourscheid Castle
Luxembourg City

Chesapeake (James Michener)

In Chesapeake, James Michener attempts the ambitious: trace the development of one geographic area (on Maryland's eastern shore) over a span of almost 400 years (1583 to 1978).  Starting with how Native Americans would have settled the area, he moves on to the coming of the British (and other Europeans), and so on from there.  He uses generations of families to tell the tale.  He stresses that this is a novel, and the primary families followed throughout the centuries are fictitious, as are some covered locations.  Still, there's an undeniable historical element, and Michener tries to be true to the periods discussed in terms of culture, religion, food, dress, lodging, etc. 

This book is 1001 pages; I finally gave up after 252.  It's not bad . . . but I didn't think it was great, either.  The primary problem: character/plot development is very rushed (which makes sense, as there's a lot of ground to cover), and in this case that leads to many unrealistic or improbable actions, thoughts, and situations.  At times, the dialogue is done in ways to convey historical information to the reader, but in so doing, the characters seem unrealistic.  In the end, I like the concept, but not the execution.  Michener is respected by many; he's just not for me.

Rating: C+

Liechtenstein

The country flag, painted on a cow

Welcome to a new series of posts- country-level reviews.  We're starting small today, literally, by covering Liechtenstein.

Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is small in both area (62 square miles) and population (35,000).  It's bounded by the Rhine river to the west (overlooking Switzerland), and an Alpine mountain range to the east (overlooking Austria).  Located entirely in the Alps, it's not overly accessible, but it is beautiful.  Most people, like us, go to Liechtenstein to enjoy the mountains and "say we've been to Liechtenstein."  The entire country can be seen in a day or two . . . which is what we devoted to it back in 2007.  We stayed in the east, in a village near the peaks of the Alps, and did day trips (walking or car) from there.

Vaduz and the West

The capital, Vaduz, lies in the west, near the Rhine.  There is a royal family there, in a small but imposingly-situated castle on a cliff.  The below photos show some highlights from this region.

Mountains and the East

Accessing the eastern part of the country means navigating a short but steep section of switchbacks heading up into the mountains.  Once you're up there, though, it is truly stunning.

Conclusion
The Alps, in general, are gorgeous, and you can see them more easily in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, and Italy, so skipping Liechtenstein won't hurt you.  But, if you can make it, swing on by for a day or two.

Let's end on a fun fact: During one conflict in the mid-1800s (sources differ; it was perhaps the Austro-Prussian War of 1866), the Lichtenstein Army departed with 80 soldiers and returned with 81 (a befriended Austrian), thus making it the only armed force in history to return with more soldiers than they left with.