War Land on the Eastern Front : Culture, National Identity, and German Occupation in World War I (Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare)

Rating:
Summary: Classic Scholarship
Review: A magnificent scholarly work on the (unfortunately) often ignored Eastern Front of World War I. Liulevicius paints a compelling, yet chilling picture of the experiences of the German army of occupation. He skillfully reconstructs the occupiers' mindscape and masterfully examines how the collective experinces in the East played a role in the constructiion of Nazi ideology. Liulevicius' work in this neglected field is a welcome contribution to the academic world. Not only is this work insightful, but it is wonderfully written. Avoiding a common pitfall of most academic writing, Liulevicus's skillful prose and well constructed narrative keep the reader engaged and unwilling to part with the text.

Rating:
Summary: Very impressive work
Review: As someone who has a MA in Modern European History and with a concentration in early 20th century German cultural history, I found Liulevicius's work to be not just thought-provoking, but very easy to read. It is sad that the Eastern Front has been neglected as a whole, as the experiences of Lands and Spaces played such a key role in the development of German postwar attitudes toward the East. It is no accident that the first shots of World War II were fired there and that most of the fighting and killing occurred there. In reading this book, the reader can get a sense of why these later events occurred the way that they did. The concept of German Kultur as a driving force intrigues me. Until recently, most military histories did not discuss the mindsets of the average soldier, instead focusing on the leaders.

Well, I could say a lot more about this work, but I think brevity is the key and that the above comments just only illustrate a few of the many fine points that Liulevicius makes in his book.