Richard M Watt's book unfolds the story of 1918-19, the fateful year that saw the tragedy of Germany, soon to become the tragedy of Europe. In 1918 came the brief moment when the victorious Allies at the Versailles Conference had the opportunity - by means of a peace with justice - to set up democracy in central Europe. The Kings Depart tells of their failure; of the Allies' rapacity which drove a ruined Germany to seek vengeance; of Germany's terrible collapse into anarchy and Red revolution and her even more frightful salvation at the hands of the army and the Freikorps; of the appearance of the swastika banner and right-wing terrorists and adventurers awaiting their Fuhrer.
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About the Author
Richard M Watt is the author of DARE CALL IT TREASON, a widely acclaimed history of the French Army mutinies in 1917. Born in 1930, he was educated at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating, well-written, a real page-turner!,
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This review is from: Kings Depart (Hardcover)
The failure of diplomacy and politics which was the Treaty of Versailles is often said to have led directly to the 2nd World War.This book is about the German socialist revolution after WWI but has a much larger significance. In order to better illuminate the reasons for the revolution, the author spends maybe half the book describing the whole end-of-war scene, what was happening with the Allies, and the whole Treaty of Versailles process. The emphasis is on the diplomatic and political task of making the peace, and boy, if you've ever looked down on the arts of diplomacy and politics, this story is a real eye-opener! For example, after the German monarchy collapsed, the leading legitimate political party was the Majority Socialists. They were the only ones left to take over and try to steer the country out of chaos. Their legitimacy lay in the fact that they had been handed the reins by the previous monarchical government, and so could rule according to German law. Unfortunately, one of the leaders ran out to a balcony, and yelled to the crowds, "Long live the German Republic!" which was a horrible mistake -- it implied that the old, monarchical laws no longer applied, and that the Majority Socialists had no legal standing anymore. Also fascinating is the role that American President Wilson's fussy, exacting, professorial temperament had in the failure, and the unfortunate fact that the German diplomat the Majority Socialists sent to represent them was a lousy public speaker. And did you know the French believed all along that there would soon be another war with Germany? This was why they insisted on extracting so much land and money from the Germans, a punitive move which only made the 2nd World War all the more inevitable. The book is full of such fascinating examples. I am not a history student and generally have to read books on history laboriously, one chapter at a time, forcing myself to pay attention. Although this is real, undiluted, non-romanticized history, it is so well written that, after finishing every chapter, I wanted to go onto the next. The author is an excellent writer, great at character description and at suspense, though not in the least showy or overly present as a narrative voice. I plan to read every book of his I can get my hands on.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A splendid account of a critical period in European history,
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This review is from: Kings Depart (Hardcover)
The sub-title of this book is 'The Tradegy of Germany: Versailles and the German Revolution'. It was first published in 1968 but has recently been re-published in paperback. The book covers the period from the armistice that ended World War I (November 11, 1918) to the signing of the Versailles treaty about seven months later (June 28, 1919). During this period Germany was swept by repeated revolutions from the left and counter-revolutions from the right. These ended finally in the establishment of the weak and unstable Weimar Republic but also (and ominously) in the founding of the Nazi party and the beginning of the career of Adolf Hitler. While Germany was in chaos, the leaders of the victorious nations (Lloyd George of Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France and Woodrow Wilson of the United States) lead the discussion in Paris of the terms of the treaty that was to be imposed on Germany. It is generally agreed today that the Versailles treaty was a dreadfully botched job and that in the end it made almost inevitable the emergence of a revengeful and vicious Germany and then World War II. How all of this came about is a fascinating and horrifying story which Richard Watt tells with enormous skill and verve. In 530 meticulously researched pages, he has written the single most exciting history book I have ever read. It is a page-turner, a book I could hardly bear to put down. I have only one critical comment to make. It seems to me that this period of Bolshevik revolutions in Germany and also elsewhere especially in Hungary lead to something else other a a nationalistic fury and a desire for revenge. It lead to a sharp increase in anti-semitism. The holocaust itself, which would have been unthinkable in pre-war central Europe, became not only thinkable but perhaps likely after 1919. This view, I should stress, is my own only. At any rate it is a subject that Watt has chosen perhaps wisely not to address.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
History as it should be written!,
This review is from: Kings Depart (Hardcover)
I first read this book, in almost one session, when it first appeared in 1970. Since then I've reread it several times and have recommended it to countless friends, and to my children, who have been as delighted with it as I was. It provides a superb - and exciting - overview of a period little covered in English. It must stand as one of the classics of 20th Century Narrative history. If you enjoy this, then also seek our Watt's "Dare Call It Treason" on the French Army Mutinies of 1917, which is another splendid treat for history enthusiasts
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