What Germany Thinks

Smith, Thomas F. A., 1875-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 467K words
Chapters: 47

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.What Germany Thinks by Thomas F. A. SmithAuthor: Smith, Thomas F. A., 1875-,Language: English, Class: D501: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: World War I (1914-1918), Release Date: Nov 1, 2003

Editor's review

What Germany Thinks by Thomas F. A. Smith is a work on German public opinion and thought during World War I, classified under WWI history. The title itself signals its approach: not a chronicle of battles, but an attempt to present the ideas, judgments, and sentiments within German society at the time. The value of such a work lies in offering a contemporaneous perspective, letting today's readers see how people during the war understood their own position, described their opponents, and sought reasons for action. Reading requires a critical awareness of the author's own stance and the limitations of the era, treating the book's judgments as objects of study rather than conclusions. For readers interested in the history of WWI propaganda, opinion warfare, national psychology, and the cultural history of war, it is a primary source for understanding the discursive environment of the time. This is an English public-domain electronic text, whose length and format suit it as supplementary reading for thematic study rather than an introductory general history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University students studying WWI opinion warfare and propaganda history
History readers interested in modern German social mentality
Teachers needing English primary texts for thematic seminars
Enthusiasts of wartime cultural history and national discourse

Not a good fit for

Military readers seeking a general history of WWI campaigns or battle details
Readers wanting a contemporary neutral overview and unwilling to examine stances
General readers who find English difficult and need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Before reading, review the basic timeline around the outbreak of WWI to avoid misreading the book's judgments for lack of background.
While reading, mark the author's descriptions of German opinion separately from the author's own evaluations, distinguishing material from viewpoint.
Read alongside wartime propaganda materials from other countries of the period for multi-angle reference.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book mainly cover the course of the war or ideological opinion?

Judging from the title and classification, it focuses on presenting German ideas and public opinion during WWI; it is a history work, not a chronicle of campaigns. Readers should not expect detailed descriptions of military operations, but should treat it as material for understanding wartime discourse and mentality.

Will the author's stance affect reading?

Any wartime writing carries a stance. While reading, note how the author selects materials and describes German statements, and keep the author's judgments separate from the cited materials. Treating it as an object of study rather than neutral conclusion is the more effective way to use this book.

Can I read it directly without a WWI foundation?

You can, but it is advisable first to learn when WWI broke out, the main belligerents, and the basic background. The opinions and ideas discussed are often embedded in specific events; without background, it is easy to mistake the author's period judgments for universal facts, which affects the quality of understanding.

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About the author

Smith, Thomas F. A., 1875- Author

Thomas F. A. Smith (1875– ) is also commonly referred to simply as Smith in Chinese-language materials. Public information about his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background is limited, so any introduction can only be made cautiously on the basis of his name and works. The library holds one work by him, What Germany Thinks. Judging from the title and subject matter, the book appears to be a work of observation and analysis concerning German social psychology, public opinion, or national ideas, and it may carry a commentary tone shaped by the circumstances of its time. Such subject matter usually requires an author to combine cross-cultural understanding with attention to public issues, and the writing may lean toward thematic discussion and the generalization of phenomena. Because information in the library is limited, his writing style, scholarly influence, and reception remain to be further verified; in the absence of reliable sources, his life and achievements should not be overinterpreted, and readers may form their own judgment in light of the original text.