For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619-1918, by Richard Bassett
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For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619-1918, by Richard Bassett
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Among the finest examples of deeply researched and colorfully written military history, Richard Bassett’s For God and Kaiser is a major account of the Habsburg army told for the first time in English. Bassett shows how the Imperial Austrian Army, time and again, was a decisive factor in the story of Europe, the balance of international power, and the defense of Christendom. Moreover it was the first pan-European army made up of different nationalities and faiths, counting among its soldiers not only Christians but also Muslims and Jews. Bassett tours some of the most important campaigns and battles in modern European military history, from the seventeenth century through World War I. He details technical and social developments that coincided with the army’s story and provides fascinating portraits of the great military leaders as well as noteworthy figures of lesser renown. Departing from conventional assessments of the Habsburg army as ineffective, outdated, and repeatedly inadequate, the author argues that it was a uniquely cohesive and formidable fighting force, in many respects one of the glories of the old Europe.
For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619-1918, by Richard Bassett- Amazon Sales Rank: #501507 in Books
- Brand: Bassett, Richard
- Published on: 2015-05-26
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.40" h x 2.10" w x 6.30" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 616 pages
Review “John Keegan, perhaps the greatest British military historian of recent years, felt that the most important book that remained unwritten was a history of the Austrian army. Richard Bassett has now successfully filled the gap, and few could be better qualified to do so.”—John Jolliffe, The Spectator (John Jolliffe Spectator 2015-06-20)‘[Bassett] sets out 'to explore whether the Habsburgs’ army’s reputation for inefficiency, incompetence, general unreliability, and even cruelty, is at all justified.' Calling to his aid an impressively broad array of sources, he demonstrates with engaging verve that it is not.’—Adam Zamoyski, Literary Review (Adam Zamoyski Literary Review 2015-06-01)“In his superb new book, For God and Kaiser, Richard Bassett examines the central role the imperial army played in Austria. While this fighting force was undeniably in dire straits by 1914, he argues that it has gotten something of a bum rap. For several centuries, it displayed a remarkable capacity to adapt and innovate. Bassett believes that the army expressed the idea that dynastic, cultural and economic relations were more important than national identity. Indeed, the army became a remarkably successful tool for state formation and provided cohesion even as nationalism became a greater force. . . . Bassett deftly describes how Austria’s army differed from its European counterparts.”—William Hay, The National Interest (William Hay The National Interest)“[A] genuinely ground-breaking history of a subject neglected in English…few aspects of Austria’s colourful history escape Bassett’s eagle eye in a book that brilliantly fills a gaping hole in Europe’s history.”—Nigel Jones, BBC History (Nigel Jones BBC History Magazine 2016-05-01)
About the Author Richard Bassett was staff correspondent for the London Times in Vienna, Rome, and Warsaw during the closing decade of the Cold War. He lives in London.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful. Great Military History By Aussie Reader I have just finished this delightful book on the Imperial Austrian Army; “For God and Kaiser”. As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to have a copy for my library as it appeared to cover those periods of history that I find fascinating; from the Thirty Years War, the Turks at the gates of Vienna, the Wars of Austrian Succession, the Seven Years War, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the battles and campaigns of Austria and Italy followed by Austria and Prussia and through the many skirmishes and battles in the Balkans to the end of the Great War.I figured that this would be a hard task for the author, to cover over 300 years of warfare and keep the reader interested. In this case the author did amazingly well considering the amount of history to be covered. Obviously the story had to be general in nature due to the confines of space (591 pages of which 540 is narrative) but enough detail was provided to keep me glued to the pages. The book certainly allowed me to mark out areas for further reading.I have read a fair bit of most of the periods covered but usually from the other side. I have read mostly accounts of Austria’s enemies; Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, Frederick the Great, Napoleon, etc, but never from the Austrian point of view. It was great to read of Albrecht von Wallenstein, Count of Tilly, Eugene of Savoy, Maria Theresa (more needs to be written of this woman!) and many other famous Austrian soldiers and commanders.The book was easy to read and full of interesting bits of information and first-hand accounts, like this account of an incident during, the battle of St Gotthard during the Austro-Turkish War of 1663-64: "The Austrian centre was cleverly split by the Janissaries and Montecucccoli began to fall back, ordering one final counter-attack to be spearheaded by Sporck's cavalry. When Sporck received the order he rode to the head of his riders, removed his helmet, dismounted and knelt before them. In a loud voice he shouted: 'Almighty Generalissimus above us! If you do not wish to help your Christian children at least do not support the Turkish dogs! Just watch on and you will get your joy'."Most of you may know how Eugene of Savoy was turned away by Louix XIV when he asked for a commission in the French Army: "When many years later, after France had come to regret all to painfully its rejection of Eugene. A message from the French court gingerly enquired whether Eugene after all might consider serving France and said that a dazzling career awaited him in the service of Louis XIV. The Prince of Savoy demonstrated that he neither forgot nor forgave: 'I should like to accept the invitation to return to France,' he replied, 'but only at the head of an invading army to occupy it'."During the Battle of Landshut between Austrian and Prussian forces, the Prussian General Fouque was shot and wounded and was about to be finished off by an Austrian hussar when an Austrian cavalry officer, Colonel Voit, recognised him and managed to spare his life: "Voit, an officer in the Loewenstein Dragoons, brought up his own beautifully saddled remount for the wounded Prussian who at first declined the offer, noting that 'the blood will spoil your fine horse furnishings', to which Voit replied with old Austrian courtesy: 'It will become far more precious when it is stained with the blood of a hero'."During the Battle of Aspern & Essling in 1809, Archduke Charles had to rally the Austrian centre which was about to be broken by Napoleon's troops: " ... Charles galloped off to the colours, his horse rearing, and pointing with his arm at the enemy he screamed at his troops to hold the line .... Many accounts have the Archduke seizing the colours ... Such was Charles's innate modesty, he always denied seizing the colours, usually with the self-deprecating observation: 'Me carry such a heavy weight? ... hardly!' "There are a number of basic maps(7) outlining the major battles during this period and numerous B&W photographs/illustrations however a few colour prints wouldn’t have gone astray. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am sure anyone interested in this period of Austria’s history or even just an interest in military history would definitely enjoy this book.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful. In Our Time an Army to Know and Study By Tom Rozman Author Richard Bassett has done a great service for many current political and military leaders. He has provided them a study on what a military establishment can do to maintain some semblance of society and life worth living for a diverse people against almost impossible odds for three hundred years. Most remarkable is that this Army gave its allegience to a power that spoke for all the diverse peoples in the lands that comprised Austria-Hungary. It secured the dynasty and thereby its people against forces and foes that more than once in that 300 years threatened to destroy it and take apart the lands of the empire. But in a manner beyond heroism it prevailed until 1919. Then it was dismembered and what followed proved horrific beyond imagination--and yet already we forget and appear on a path to possibly worse. The old kaiserliche und koenigliche Armee may have been eliminated in retrospect for all of the wrong reasons.How does an Army secure its dynasty and thereby its lands and people for three centuries against the most powerful forces in Europe during that period? This study examines the amazing and entertaining epic story of how that was done by the Imperial and Royal Army in its dynastic, military, political, and social context. Again, it is an epic story that captures the reader as effectively as Tolkiens', even Sienkiewicz' Trilogies. The battle and campaign summaries alone are stories that grab the imagination. It does it so well that the old k. und k. Armee almost comes alive to the reader--a living breathing organism worthy of reflection and great respect, for if anything, this was a most human institution with all that that humanity entails. And yet, from private soldier to general officer it fully reflected the diverse people of the empire--people of Bosnian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Irish, Jewish, Polish, Romanian, Serbian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swiss and others that virtually to the end were loyal and prepared to do battle for the dynasty. Interestingly, it was well in advance of the U. S. Army as a force, that though diverse, proved again and again to be effective, able to win and when beaten withdraw and return to the fight another day.To tell this story, this is an extremely well crafted work. And it breathes the empire. My experience as an Army dependent for 18 years and a soldier for over 27 years with family from the lands of the old empire, bears this out. I have been privileged to travel to the countries that have formed from the empire some 30 times. I have spent many months experiencing the culture, the people and the land. I also took an early interest in the k. und k. Armee and have studied it at length. This book is true to my experience and study and has added much additional perspective for which I am greatful to the author.The k. und k. Armee, though very human as an institution, was a great establishment. As the author shares, many artifacts of literature, military technology, music, military fashion that became part of the American and other Armies culture and traditions, derive from it --even my alma mater borrowed from that tradition--so in many ways the k und k. Armee was an army we came from.I highly recommend this work to any practioner in national political or diplomatic career and especially to professional soldiers--the read will enlighten and expand horizons. As well, the student of military history will gain much from reading this book. Given the current situation in Eastern Europe, "For God and Kaiser" puts much of today's situation in perspective.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. A vastly underrated army finally gets its historical due. By Joseph R. Martan I'm partial to the old Imperial Army because I think it has gotten bad press over the decades. Fact is, it was the Austrians who destroyed Frederick the Great's reputation for invincibility and it was the Austrians who were Napoleon's most implacable foe and who inflicted the first major defeat upon him at Aspern-Essling in 1809. It is significant that Napoleon also acknowledged the Habsburg armies were his most dangerous enemies. As for Prince Eugene - this superb soldier's achievements are sometimes forgotten - here we find out why he is considered one of the greatest of 18th century generals who could defeat the Ottoman Turks and the French of Louis XIV with equal aplomb. This book fills a badly needed place in the library of any serious military history buff. My only complaint is that the author could have spent a few more pages on the military bands - certainly they were the best in Europe (and our own US Marine Corps Band when founded was based on the treatment that Joseph II decreed for the band of the "Deutschmeister" regiment) and it was Maria Theresa's 1741 decree requiring every regiment in her army to establish a regimental band which was the real impetus in the development of the concert bands we have today. This is real nitpicking. On the whole, this is an excellent book.
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