Collision of Empires: The War on the Eastern Front in 1914

Although the myriad of alliances and suspicions that existed between the Russian, German, and Austro-Hungarian empires in the early 20th century proved to be one of the primary triggers for the outbreak of the First World War, much of the actual fighting between these three nations has been largely forgotten in the West. Whilst battles such as Ypres, the Somme, and Passchendaele have been inscribed deeply on the public consciousness, with the exception of perhaps Tannenberg, the conflicts in the East do not hold the same recognition. In his new book, Prit Buttar seeks to correct this imbalance with a magisterial account of the chaos and destruction that reigned when three powerful empires collided. His harrowing narrative is driven by first-hand accounts and new, detailed archival research to create a dynamic retelling of the tumultuous events of the first year of the war, examining the battles of the Masurian Lakes and Tannenberg in East Prussia, followed by the Russo-Austrian clashes in Galicia, the failed German advance towards Warsaw, and the vicious fighting in the Carpathian mountains. Buttar reveals how delays in adapting to a modern war and inadequacies in supply and support arrangements, combined with a failure to plan for a long war, left the Central Powers struggling to keep up with events, and having to come to terms with the dreaded reality of a war on two fronts while Russia was driven towards revolution. A war that was initially seen by all three powers as a welcome opportunity to address both internal and external issues would ultimately bring about the downfall of them all.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations/ List of Maps/ Author’s Note/ Dramatis Personae/ Introduction/ Chapter 1: The German War Machine/ Chapter 2: The Russian Steamroller/ Chapter 3: Austria-Hungary: the Other Sick Man of Europe/ Chapter 4: Over the Brink/ Chapter 5: The First Battles: Stallupönen and Gumbinnen/ Chapter 6: Crisis of Command/ Chapter 7: Tannenberg/ Chapter 8: The Illusion of Victory: Galicia, August 1914/ Chapter 9: The Battle for the Masurian Lakes/ Chapter 10: The Reality of Defeat: Galicia, September 1914/ Chapter 11: A Bloody Sideshow: The Serbian Front/ Chapter 12: Mud and Blood: Autumn in Poland/ Chapter 13: Lódz/ Chapter 14: The First Christmas/ Chapter 15: Disappointments and Illusions/ Appendix: Place Names/ Notes/ Bibliography/ Index

About the Author :
Prit Buttar studied medicine at Oxford and London before joining the British Army as a doctor. After leaving the army, he has worked as a GP, first near Bristol and now in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. He is extensively involved in medical politics, both at local and national level, and serves on the GPs' Committee of the British Medical Association. He appears from time to time on local and national TV and radio, speaking on a variety of medical issues. He contributes regularly to the medical press. An established expert on the Eastern Front in 20th century military history, he previously wrote the critically acclaimed Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany's Eastern Front 1944-45 (Osprey 2010) and Between Giants: The Battle for the Baltics in World War II (Osprey 2013). Published to coincide with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Collision of Empires is the first in a three-volume series, the definitive study of the First World War on the Eastern Front.

Review :
"Insightful, drawn from numerous sources woven together into a narrative that is easy to follow even if one knows little about this theater of the war... The centennial of World War I is under way, and authors around the globe are writing many new books about the way. This book certainly ranks among the best of them." --Military Heritage "Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author's narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar's splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires." --Toy Soldier & Model Figure "Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front." --Library Journal ..".a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front." --WWI Historical Association, www.ww1ha.org (October 6, 2014) Insightful, drawn from numerous sources woven together into anarrativethat is easy to follow even if one knows little about this theater of the war...The centennial of World WarI is under way, andauthors aroundthe globe are writing many new books about the way. This book certainly ranks among the best of them. Military Heritage Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author's narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar's splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires. Toy Soldier & Model Figure Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front. Library Journal ...a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front. WWI Historical Association, www.ww1ha.org (October 6, 2014) " Insightful, drawn from numerous sources woven together into a narrative that is easy to follow even if one knows little about this theater of the war... The centennial of World War I is under way, and authors around the globe are writing many new books about the way. This book certainly ranks among the best of them. "Military Heritage" Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author's narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar's splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires. "Toy Soldier & Model Figure" Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front. "Library Journal" ...a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front. "WWI Historical Association, www.ww1ha.org (October 6, 2014)"" Insightful, drawn from numerous sources woven together into anarrativethat is easy to follow even if one knows little about this theater of the war...The centennial of World WarI is under way, andauthors aroundthe globe are writing many new books about the way. This book certainly ranks among the best of them. "--Military Heritag"e "Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author s narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar s splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires."--"Toy Soldier & Model Figure " "Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front." "--Library Journal" ..".a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front." --WWI Historical Association (www.ww1ha.org), October 6, 2014" "Insightful, drawn from numerous sources woven together into a narrative that is easy to follow even if one knows little about this theater of the war... The centennial of World War I is under way, and authors around the globe are writing many new books about the way. This book certainly ranks among the best of them." "--Military Heritag"e "Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author's narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar's splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires." --"Toy Soldier & Model Figure " "Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front." "--Library Journal" ..".a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front." --WWI Historical Association (www.ww1ha.org), October 6, 2014 "Painstaking research and firsthand accounts propel the author's narrative of events that took place during the first year of the war a century ago. Buttar's splendid hardcover book puts an exclamation point on the reality that their collision in combat resulted in the downfalls of all three empires." --"Toy Soldier & Model Figure " "Based in archival research, this book will appeal to readers interested in World War I and especially the first months of battles on the Eastern Front." "--Library Journal" ..".a timely retelling of the early weeks of the war on the Eastern Front." --WWI Historical Association (www.ww1ha.org), October 6, 2014