Described as an overview of the various wars that occured during the 20th century I knew this was going to be a 'heads down concentrate' kind of book and I wasn't wrong.
It started with one of the most excellent introductions I have ever read that could easily be published as a piece of work on its own. I just loved how Ferguson drew out similarities between H G Well's War of the World and World War One (and later Lord of The Rings and World War Two). Yet with subheadings like "Diasporas and Pales" much googling of word meanings was needed.
The language Ferguson used however was at times outstanding, where he describes World War One as a "gargantuan abattoir featuring cavalry charges by armed and armoured vehicles" or where he describes it as an "industrialized siege where trains would transport men to and from the front lines like shift-workers" or where he describes the wounded men being offered a cigarette "they inhale only to expire". I could go on quoting various sentences, indeed my copy of the book now contains so many highlighted sections it's almost visible from space.
As fantastic as the above examples show I can't lie and at times when Ferguson was describing "counter-cyclical fiscal stimulus" I had no idea what he was talking about. I think this however lies more with my ability to grasp world economics than Ferguson's ability as a writer.
The War of the World certainly packs a few punches with America often falling foul of Ferguson's literary blows. The parallels he draws between America and Germany, Hitler and Roosevelt, the laws around interracial marriage and mandatory steralisation were startling at times. Yet no-one particularly comes out of it well (how can you when you are at war?) As with the above quotes I could give endless examples but I'm only writing a blog and so will move on.
It was horrifying to read certain parts of the book, for example the 'Rape of Nanking' (something of which I had no knowledge of). When describing the unimaginable way the Jews were treated and exterminated Ferguson illustrates time and time again how this was not just carried out by a certain few but was the collective work of neighbours and colleagues, Poles and Latvians, nearly everyone it seemed. Ferguson saves his most brutal criticism for those involved in the concentration camps and again illustrates how this was not just the work of Hitler's most trusted men - a University thesis entitled 'On the Possibilities of Recycling Gold from the Mouths of the Dead', the railway company charging half-price discounts for transporting groups of 400 or more Jews to their deaths, "thousands of people turned Hitler's deranged dream of genocide into reality"
It was difficult at times to agree with all of the arguments Ferguson put forward - Would we really have had things all sewn up in a jiffy if World War Two had started a year earlier? Would public opinion really have allowed for it? And as mentioned above some points raised (mostly to do with money, (as always)) went over my head. I also would have liked a little more focus on other wars that occured during the twentieth century, obviously a lot of focus was given to World War Two but this is so often the case and it would have been interesting to read Ferguson's perspective on wars more usually swiftly glossed over.
The book was very informative but equally very opinionated. The lengthly bibliography clearly shows the time and effort that has gone in to it's writing but I think I was looking for something more generic and facutal than the thesis put forward by Ferguson. I enjoyed it, it provided numerous talking points but it was hard work and I'm always wary when a book is so opinionated of what someone else would be arguing. More reading needed perhaps!
It started with one of the most excellent introductions I have ever read that could easily be published as a piece of work on its own. I just loved how Ferguson drew out similarities between H G Well's War of the World and World War One (and later Lord of The Rings and World War Two). Yet with subheadings like "Diasporas and Pales" much googling of word meanings was needed.
The language Ferguson used however was at times outstanding, where he describes World War One as a "gargantuan abattoir featuring cavalry charges by armed and armoured vehicles" or where he describes it as an "industrialized siege where trains would transport men to and from the front lines like shift-workers" or where he describes the wounded men being offered a cigarette "they inhale only to expire". I could go on quoting various sentences, indeed my copy of the book now contains so many highlighted sections it's almost visible from space.
As fantastic as the above examples show I can't lie and at times when Ferguson was describing "counter-cyclical fiscal stimulus" I had no idea what he was talking about. I think this however lies more with my ability to grasp world economics than Ferguson's ability as a writer.
The War of the World certainly packs a few punches with America often falling foul of Ferguson's literary blows. The parallels he draws between America and Germany, Hitler and Roosevelt, the laws around interracial marriage and mandatory steralisation were startling at times. Yet no-one particularly comes out of it well (how can you when you are at war?) As with the above quotes I could give endless examples but I'm only writing a blog and so will move on.
It was horrifying to read certain parts of the book, for example the 'Rape of Nanking' (something of which I had no knowledge of). When describing the unimaginable way the Jews were treated and exterminated Ferguson illustrates time and time again how this was not just carried out by a certain few but was the collective work of neighbours and colleagues, Poles and Latvians, nearly everyone it seemed. Ferguson saves his most brutal criticism for those involved in the concentration camps and again illustrates how this was not just the work of Hitler's most trusted men - a University thesis entitled 'On the Possibilities of Recycling Gold from the Mouths of the Dead', the railway company charging half-price discounts for transporting groups of 400 or more Jews to their deaths, "thousands of people turned Hitler's deranged dream of genocide into reality"
It was difficult at times to agree with all of the arguments Ferguson put forward - Would we really have had things all sewn up in a jiffy if World War Two had started a year earlier? Would public opinion really have allowed for it? And as mentioned above some points raised (mostly to do with money, (as always)) went over my head. I also would have liked a little more focus on other wars that occured during the twentieth century, obviously a lot of focus was given to World War Two but this is so often the case and it would have been interesting to read Ferguson's perspective on wars more usually swiftly glossed over.
The book was very informative but equally very opinionated. The lengthly bibliography clearly shows the time and effort that has gone in to it's writing but I think I was looking for something more generic and facutal than the thesis put forward by Ferguson. I enjoyed it, it provided numerous talking points but it was hard work and I'm always wary when a book is so opinionated of what someone else would be arguing. More reading needed perhaps!
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