Fall of the Double Eagle: The Battle for Galicia and the Demise of Austria-Hungary

Once again an examination of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire adds context to the present. Current and developing events relative to large ethnically and racially diverse political entities we know as countries and their security establishments necessary to maintain political and economic integrity, make Austria-Hungary in its last decade particularly, a worthwhile study for perspective. Having spent some time in Austria and many of the now independent countries that comprised the Old Empire, as well as having studied its political and military systems since early undergraduate study--I have often been struck by the parallels that emerge between our own and other diverse political units and that of this remarkable Central European experiment.Of course, there are unique aspects to each political unit one may compare with and elements that in comparison do not apply, but there are enough in the Old Empire's case to consider as cautionary tale if anything else to our present environment. This is especially the case regarding the political activity as it applies to the "common good" and its relationship and maintenance of an effective military establishment able to sustain the state, especially against a worst case scenario.But, obtaining English language work on the Old Empire, especially contemporaneous writing that highlights essential examination of aspects of the political, leadership and military establishments is not easy to do. This work is a "brave" effort in current times to reexamine from a primarily military standpoint, but with balanced consideration of the political, social and economic environments, how the military policy played out regarding a complex situation of geopolitics in Central Europe. Especially significant in this regard were the internal politics within a diverse ethnic population with many now all too familiar economic constraint parameters. Though there are certainly differences to today's situations, there are still too many commonalities to disregard the real playing out of how leadership and the military security apparatus dealt with the realities of a situation that ultimately led to the dismantling of the larger political unit. And noting the following events in the next three decades, perhaps not to the best interests of the peoples involved. In fact, the drama is still playing out in many ways today. Certainly, the human cost was horrific. But therein lies one important aspect of this book. In terms of the cataclysmic events played out from 1914-1918 that in ways continue to play out even today in various ways, the use of the Galician Campaign focus, not well studied as compared to the focus on contemporaneous events in France, is an excellent means for the present reader to become much better acquainted with, in many ways, an as important development to anything that happened in France. It set the stage for a geopolitical reality in 1939 that led to an even worse bloodletting.The work is technical to some extent in that a reader who has studied the Austro-Hungarian military system and the related political systems as well as preceding history, will certainly find the work in keeping with that level of knowledge, study and background. But I do think a general reader will find the work engrossing simply from the story line and the humanity of the work. The author brings much of the historical account alive by personalizing it to "real people". As well, he tells another story that despite the negatives is something to ponder. Millions of brave men from many backgrounds and nationalities believed enough in the old, above nation, empire to face and engage in four years of incredible struggle to maintain that empire, often against people of the same ethnicity--this despite many horrendous losses within the first six months of the struggle. Not to dismiss the issues of the Old Empire, this commitment by so many for so long alone makes one wonder at current events.I do see this work as having further development. The style I found very readable and well put together. Though I am reasonably well read on the subject, the work did add insight and new information. The storyline was one that got my interest. I do think a further edition should incorporate some illustration in form of at least situation maps, and possibly some photos of key personalities, equipment and the soldiers--this is after all a very human story.As well, and a sobering thought, many of the millions of soldiers on both sides in the titanic battles the author brings back to life were family--such European struggles being one reason I and many in my family are today Americans. But, these were brave men who faced a storm almost beyond imagination. We should take the time to know, remember and reflect.

Introductory military history courses here in the United States rarely cover the Eastern Front of World War I with any depth. They focus mostly on U.S. contributions, which should be expected. Dr. Schindler's book is a deeper exploration of the decisions and mistakes made by the Austro-Hungarian armies in the first few months of the war. His premise is that the battle for Galicia in what is today parts of southern Poland and Western Ukraine led ultimately to the death of Europe's most ancient and powerful imperial dynasty.A review of Emperor Franz Joseph's army begins with a few officers and branches out from their inter-office rivalries. The background that led to these mistakes is both broad and deep, from a slackness in military preparation elevated to almost an art form to resorting to singling out entire ethnic groups for blame when the empire's commanders failed. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand seems almost to be the world's most dangerous afterthought considering the military and ethnic upheavals at the time in what is now Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. I shall leave it to the reader to turn the pages himself to learn just how terrible were the command decisions of just a few generals, and how other more competent generals could not reverse the Habsburg fortunes.Livy states in the introduction to his History of Rome that in the study of the past "[Y]ou may select for yourself and your country wht to imitate, and also what, as being mischievous in its inception and disastrous in its issues, you are to avoid." Dr. Schindler's book is a very good summary of the latter part of historical study: disasters to avoid.Any student of military history would be well-served to have a copy of this book in his library, especially if your university coursework was lacking on this specific subject. There are many resources available to Americans about the Western Front but far fewer about the war in Eastern and Southern Europe. "Fall of the Double Eagle" adds a new resource to the subject. Buy it, read it, and enjoy it.

Highly recommended account of the battle for Galicia in 1914, an important but little known part of the early days of WWI. It would have earned 5 stars but unfortunately it lacks both maps & photos. The lack of photos is a shame, but the absence of maps in any military history book (when the reader has to handle a jumble of military unit names and often wholly unfamiliar place names) is objectionable, but in this case is downright unforgivable as the place names vary from language to language and over time.

As long as the author sticks to the Austrian side of the struggle he is sound. Indeed his identification that the lack of investment in the army detrimentally affected its performance and his more sympathetic treatment of Conrad than other authors are to be applauded.However his knowledge of the Russian army is fallible.On page 79 it says that a Russian division had 60 guns. In fact it had six 8 field gun batteries with a Russian corps holding at corps level 12 122mm howitzers.On page 178 it states tha Alexei Evert was 2 years younger than Baron Salza. In fact he was 13 years younger.On page 249 the A_H gunners reliance on shrapnel is criticized. However the Russian artillery reserves were 85% shrapnel (Manikovsky)

There are not many books on this subject, so we are stuck with books like this. The guy knows another but can't make the book easy to read. Also the lack of maps is really bad for this type of book

Brilliantly researched and written book by a master of his craft on a largely forgotten part of WW1...

A good account of Austria's disastrous campaigns of 1914, less virulently anti-Hapburg than Wawros account of the same battles, but equally damning of Conrad's generalship. The work is severely compromised by the total lack of maps, which given the fact that virtually not a single boundary and few city names have survived the interveeening century must make the action hard to follow for those not familiar with Austro-Hungarian geography.