Jutland, 1916: Clash of the Titans [Hardcover]

Nigel Steel (Author), Peter Hart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003

On 31 May, 1916, the great battle fleets of Britain and Germany met off Jutland in the North Sea. It was a climactic encounter, the culmination of a fantastically expensive naval race between the two countries, and expectations on both sides were high. For the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, there was the chance to win another Trafalgar. For the German High Seas Fleet, there was the opportunity to break the British blockade and so change the course of the war. But Jutland was a confused and controversial encounter. Tactically, it was a draw; strategically, it was a British victory. The Grand Fleet lost more ships, most spectacularly three of its battlecruisers, but retained its command of the seas. Naval historians have pored over the minutiae of Jutland ever since. Yet they have largely ignored what the battle was actually like for its thousands of participants. As oral historian at the Imperial War Museum in London, Peter Hart has access to a vast repository of diaries, letters, written accounts and interviews about the engagement. Alongside a brisk narrative of the action, there is an extraordinary wealth of first-hand testimony here from both officers and enlisted men: it is invariably full of drama and pathos, of chaos and courage, and it enables the reader to appreciate both the awe and awfulness of a sea battle in the dreadnought era.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'[Hart and Steele] have attempted to tell the story of the battle through the experience of participants, both German and British, and they have made a considerable success of their effort. Much of it makes grisly reading. ... Oneof the most striking features of the book is the high quality of writing by simple men ... by interweaving such passages from the battle's earliest moments to its last the authors have constructed a gripping narrative.'John Keegan, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (22/3/03) 'Through the deft us of written reminiscence and oral history the two authors present an almost cinematic account, counterpoising poignant details with jingoistic fervour for a conflict both sides expectantly nicknamed "the apocalypse".'SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY (2/3/03) 'nothing can beat the voices of the on-the-spot witnesses in conveying the full horror of the business.'NAVY NEWS (1/3/03) '[Jutland 1916] includes a wealth of fascinating eyewitness accounts ... an exciting, fluid read... [the authors] 'warts-and-all' account of the bungling that infected the destroyers helps illustrate how the possibility of a tactical triumph slipped through the Royal Navy's fingers' WARSHIPS INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW (1/7/03) 'The beauty of this book is the extraordinary research into the personal experiences of the officers and men that helpos to sustain the tension of a controversial encounter that still stirs emotions among naval buffs.'OXFORD TIMES (28/2/03) 'The hardihood of the men, the suffering and the losses, still makes compelling reading after nearly 90 years.' Lawrence Phillips, SHIPS TELEGRAPH (Ministry of Defence) March 2003 Peter Hart has written an 8-page article on Jutland publicising the book in BATTLEFIELDS REVIEW.

About the Author

Nigel Steel is head of the Imperial War Museum's Research and Information Department. He and Peter Hart have collaborated on several titles, including works on Gallipoli, Passchendaele and the First World War in the air. Nigel Steel and Peter Hart are both historians at the Imperial War Museum in London. They have collaborated on three previous titles, on PASSCHENDAELE, GALLIPOLI and THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN THE AIR.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Cassell; First Edition edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304358924
• ISBN-13: 978-0304358922
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,656,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history of the battle, September 9, 2006

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A Reader (CA, United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Jutland, 1916: Clash of the Titans (Hardcover)

Overall 'Jutland 1916' is an excellent overall history of the Battle of Jutland. It briefly covers events preceding the battle especially Jellico's orders and mindset then gets right into the action. The battle itself is covered in great detail with significant quotes from participants. The authors seem to be very fair and balanced in their portrayal of events and in giving the participants the benefit of the doubt. It is also very well written.

The only criticisms of the book are that it is slightly British heavy although the authors do indeed cover the German events well. While it has numerous maps I would still have preferred a few more and also a bit more detail on each especially ship and group names on all maps. Finally, the book assumes you have not only a familiarity with WW1 naval warfare but especially British naval ranks/positions and traditions.

None of these criticisms are significant and for anyone interested in the Battle of Jutland this books is a must read.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is not bad... not bad at all, August 2, 2006

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Paul M. Seid (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jutland, 1916: Clash of the Titans (Hardcover)

For anyone already at least somewhat familiar with the history of the Royal Navy prior to and during World War I, this book is an excellent addition to the library. The authors presuppose that the reader already has some knowledge concerning such actions as the Dogger Bank, Coronel, the Falklands, etc., which predate the Battle of Jutland, but if one does, the narrative flows smoothly from them.

This volume answers some questions that other authors, notably John Keegan and Robert Massie, seem to have overlooked or not considered worth adding to their own works, although to be fair, Mr. Massie's amazing "Castles of Steel" is not a book solely about Jutland and should not be expected to contain the same level of detail. Mr. Keegan's "The Price of Admiralty," which contains a condensed description of Jutland, does not, in my opinion, approach either of the other books in level of detail or editing.

My personal recommendation would be for anyone interested in, but lacking knowledge of, this period of warfare first to read "Castles of Steel" and then read "Jutland 1916: Death in the Grey Wastes." The first book will give the reader all of the background to Jutland, as well as an excellent account of the battle. The latter book will then "fill in" the gaps from the first, and make the battle come alive even more fully.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Huge Steel Ships, Gray Seas and Skies, Coal Smoke, Gunflashes and Powder Smoke, June 25, 2006

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Richard A. Jeffries "Rich J" (Smyrna, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jutland, 1916: Clash of the Titans (Hardcover)

I was fascinated by this book from the moment I started reading it. This book holds the reader's attention through first hand accounts by the participants and in depth analysis by the authors. Accounts range from the lowest seaman in the bowels of ships and gun turrets to the admirals and captains making the decisions during the battle. The authors have thoroughly done their homework.

Jutland has been a battle analyzed inside and out by historians and reporters from the time the battle ended until now. The battle is generaly more noted for the mistakes, errors in judgement by leaders, and the overiding decisions by both sides to not take anymore risks than were absolutely necessary.

Misters Steel and Hart bring these points to the forefront with superb detail, fast-paced action narratives, and personal eyewitness accounts of participants. The book is well interspersed with diagrams of the naval movements during key phases of the battle and excellent quality photographs of the men, ships, and action in the North Sea. Appendices of both sides major combatants with results and casualties are also well done.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in great naval battles from any age.