My Four Years in Germany - Paperback

My Four Years in Germany is a memoir written by James W. Gerard, the former United States Ambassador to Germany from 1913 to 1917. The book provides a detailed account of Gerard's experiences living in Germany during the years leading up to World War I. Gerard describes his interactions with German officials, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, as well as his observations on German society and politics. He also provides insights into the events that led to the outbreak of the war, including the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the subsequent diplomatic maneuvering between European powers. Throughout the book, Gerard offers his opinions on various political and social issues, including the role of the United States in international affairs and the treatment of minorities in Germany. The book is an important historical document that provides a unique perspective on the events leading up to World War I.1917. The author was the late Ambassador to the German Imperial Court. Illustrated. From the Foreword: I am writing what should have been the last chapter of this book as a foreword because I want to bring home to our people the gravity of the situation; because I want to tell them that the military and naval power of the German Empire is unbroken; that of the twelve million men whom the Kaiser has called to the colors but one million, five hundred thousand have been killed, five hundred thousand permanently disabled, not more than five hundred thousand are prisoners of war, and about five hundred thousand constitute the number of wounded or those on the sick list of each day, leaving at all times about nine million effectives under arms. I state these figures because Americans do not grasp either the magnitude or the importance of this war. Perhaps the statement that over five million prisoners of war are held in the various countries will bring home to Americans the enormous mass of men engaged. Contents: My First Year in Germany; Political and Geographical; Diplomatic Work of First Winter in Berlin; Militarism in Germany and the Zabern Affair; Psychology and Causes Which Prepared the Nation for War; At Kiel Just Before the War; The System; The Days Before the War; The Americans at the Outbreak of Hostilities; Prisoners of War; First Days of the War: Political and Diplomatic; Diplomatic Negotiations; Mainly Commercial; Work for the Germans; War Charities; Hate; Diplomatic Negotiations; Liberals and Reasonable Men; The German People in War; and Last.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.