Customer Reviews

The Rise of Prussia 1700-1830

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Not many people know about Prussia. In fact when someone says that name maybe the things that will pop into your mind are nazis and war. This book goes back to the very beginning with a couple of essays explaning the origin of Prussia. A place that no longer exists but if you were ever interested in how it all began before it all was destroyed, this is a good, not great start.

I was very excited to get this book because even though I had a lot of knowledge about Prussia, I wanted this book to tell me the things I did not know, specially from the Eve of it's formation. This book does a good job at that. Explaining about the first Prussian King and how he saved most of his money to create a worthy Army. The book goes to great lenght to explain WHY Prussia needed a good Army and henceforth why Prussia from that point on, was seen as an Agressor. An agressor so great that it had to be abolished by the allies in 1947.

The books moves on to Frederick the great, about his "two" reigns and the influences he had on later kings. Plus how he made Prussia a Major power but without any teeth. A power that was on paper only, but that was his goal and henceforth, he was call "The Great"

The last few chapters are devoted to the Napoleonic crisis and how it affected Prussia. Somethings were missing, like no real Military plans were talked about but again, I think the atuthor was trying to explain the effects of after the war and not the battles.

Overall a very good explanation of the birth of Prussia and it's kings. To understand Prussia is to see why it had to have a great Army and this books answers that question clearly. In the end, maybe it was Prussia's destiny to be defeated because it was really surrounded by it's enemies and a war fought forever, just cannot be won.