Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx
This is quite an interesting book.  The title is a little misleading because whilst the Berlin Baghdad express (rail line) is explored in the beginning chapters the book is in chronological order (of course!) which means that the German and Turkish alliance to enter the war and fight is a good part of the book.
I haven't finished, I'm only 200 pages in (because I've got lots of other stuff going on) but this is a very interesting read if you've never read on the German/Ottoman alliance or war theatre.
The intrigues with the various Arab tribes, the payments of great sums of gold, monies, arms and ammunition was quite substantial from both the Germans and the English in order to engage the locals into the fight.
I recommend this book. |
I enjoyed this book too, and can recommend it. There are some fascinating passages in Chapter 14 dealing with the physical problems of cutting the line - particularly a tunnel through the Amanus mountains (SE Turkey): the rock of Gȃvur Dağı ("Infidel Mountain") was described as solid quartz, "hard enough to cut glass" and it destroyed the sophisticated German tunnel-boring machines, consuming as many as 2,000 drill bits
a day.
"It was enough to drive men mad, and in many cases it did."