Tannenberg: Clash of Empires

This is an outstanding piece of scholarship which provides a tremendous amount of detail on not only the 1914 campaign in East Prussia, but also on the Russian and German armies, and the imperial rivalry between the two nations in eastern Europe. Amazingly well researched and superbly written, this is the best book by far on the subject.

Showalter's "Tannenberg" is an exceptionally thorough and comprehensive history of not just the 1914 Battle of Tannenberg but also the dynamics that lead up to this clash and the fallout later. The only shortcomings are the lack of any historical photographs and the somewhat difficult to read, elliptical style of writing that Showalter uses at times. A recent article in "Military History" magazine also coincidently covers the same battle but incorporates historical photographs of the people and places which adds to our understanding of this turning point. This book is nonetheless well worth reading for any historian interested in this overlooked aspect of World War One or in German history in general