Booklist 17:65 N ’20 Boston Transcript p6 Jl 7 ’20 160w The Times [London] Lit Sup p743 N 11 ’20 60w
CZERNIN VON UND ZU CHUDENITZ, OTTOKAR THEOBALD OTTO MARIA, graf. In the world war. *$4 (4c) Harper 940.48
20–6768
The author disclaims any intention of writing a history of the war but says of the book: “Rather than to deal with generalities, its purpose is to describe separate events of which I had intimate knowledge, and individuals with whom I came into close contact and could, therefore, observe closely; in fact, to furnish a series of snapshots of the great drama.” (Preface) The result, with his introductory reflections, is a conception of the war as a whole. One of the features of the book is an intimate characterization of the Archduke Ferdinand. Contents: Introductory reflections; Konopischt; William II; Rumania; The U-boat warfare; Attempts at peace; Wilson; Impressions and reflections; Poland; Brest-Litovsk; The peace of Bukharest; Final reflections: Appendix; Index.
“Among the swarm of revelations that are appearing in connection with the diplomatic history of the war. Count Czernin’s book is one of the really notable ones. It is true he is disappointing, for he continually makes us feel that he might have told us much more if he had chosen to, but, as far as he goes, he is well worth attention.”
+ − Am Hist R 25:502 Ap ’20 650w
“It is greatly to be regretted that this translation of an interesting and important book should have been entrusted to someone with a half knowledge of German, and a complete ignorance of the elementary facts about Austria.”
− + Ath p32 Ja 2 ’20 220w Ath p108 Ja 23 ’20 2050w Booklist 16:307 Je ’20 + Cleveland p76 Ag ’20 50w (Reprinted from Am Hist R)
“The title of the book should really be ‘Czernin in the world war,’ but this does not say that the story is lacking in universal significance. The hasty-pudding character of the text, the very lack of scholarly caution, brings us so much nearer to the personality of Czernin himself; and it is this opportunity to see an important elder statesman in mental action that gives the work more interest than the technical narratives of the military leaders. The sidelights that Czernin’s analysis throws upon colleagues and adversaries in the same official station as himself, are an important contribution to the psychology of statesmen.” L: Mumford