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The Splintered Empires
- The Eastern Front 1917-21
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
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Publisher's Summary
At the beginning of 1917, the three empires fighting on the Eastern Front were reaching their breaking points, but none was closer than Russia. After the February Revolution, Russia's ability to wage war faltered and her last desperate gamble, the Kerensky Offensive, saw the final collapse of her army. This helped trigger the Bolshevik Revolution and a crippling peace, but the Central Powers had no opportunity to exploit their gains, and a year later, both the German and Austro-Hungarian empires surrendered and disintegrated.
Concluding his acclaimed series on the Eastern Front in World War I, Prit Buttar comprehensively details not only these climactic events, but also the "successor wars" that raged long after the armistice of 1918. New states rose from the ashes of empire and war raged as German forces sought to keep them under the aegis of the Fatherland. These unresolved tensions between the former Great Powers and the new states would ultimately lead to the rise of Hitler and a new, terrible world war only two decades later.
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What listeners say about The Splintered Empires
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Elizabeth
- 02-27-20
Explains a lot about
This audiobook explains a lot about the history and modern evolution of the countries between Russia and Germany. Because most of the books I have read about WW1 focus on the western front, I had never realized that fighting continued in the eastern front area for several more years after the end of WW1. I found the book to be somewhat confusing which is probably due to my ignorance of the history of this region of the world. The reason I listen to history books is to learn and inform myself as to he possibilities of how and why countries do the things they do. This book certainly met my expectations.
9 people found this helpful
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- Bradley
- 01-18-20
To understand World War 2 you need to read this.
This book is necessary to understand both the ambitions of the Germans and the Soviets in World War 2 . It also shows the birth of new nations out of the corpses of dead empires.
7 people found this helpful
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- J.Brock
- 07-30-20
Prit Buttar Is A Master
Prit Buttar's breadth of knowledge on all things the Eastern Front is astounding. The Splintered Empires is a momentous achievement. What happened during the years of 1917-1921, while WWI was still going on and after, truly boggles the mind. This was the most tumultuous period in European and Russian history. However, little is often written about the years after WWI. And what happened during this period all but assured a Second World War would occur. Brilliant work.
Roger Clark's narration is spot on perfection. He perfectly compliments Prit Buttar. It just doesn't get better than this.
3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-21-21
Good, but could have been better.
1) The narrator obviously never took the trouble to learn how to pronounce Russian and German names.
2) Far, far too much time was devoted to the details of many particular battles, with the names of the minor military leaders, the names of the military units, the bridges, the rivers, etc. Those are all irrelevant to understanding the war and it's consequences. The book would have been much more effective without all of these uninteresting and irrelevant details.
1 person found this helpful
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- Susan
- 08-18-21
I know now why WW2 was a continuation of WW1
I'm ignorant of WW 1 and the eastern front especially. Absolutely fascinating read/listen about Astro-Hungry, Germany Russian and small countrys in the war and afterwards. In addition I found it interesting that my of the same locations were fought over again in WW2! GET book!!
1 person found this helpful
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- Paul E. Williams
- 12-29-20
Complete overview Prelude to WW I and ramification
Outstanding review. Especially for one who is a novice ant interested in that period of history. Coves the conduct the world war I and sets the tage for world war aiI.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-23-20
great listen for the end of the first world war
great book for the time period, only wish it was even more dense for the post war republics between Germany and Russia, particularly lacking for Ukraine's post war situation
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- A. Mattson
- 07-28-20
Disjointed
Some food info, but a very disjointed story that jumps around in time without warning. Narrator is kind of obnoxious to listen to
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- Paul Roberts
- 09-13-20
lost empires
a little difficult to get into for the first couple of chapters but after that quite dramatic I think the reader deserves a bonus for his pronunciation of place and character names .
His deeper voice gives gravitas to what is in the end both a dramatic & tragic history ive always believed there's something poignant about an empire in decline this is particularly true of the Romanov empire and dynasty given the fate of the Tsar and his wife and in particular the children the daughters at least didn't deserve that!
1 person found this helpful