The Innocence of Kaiser Wilhelm II cover art

The Innocence of Kaiser Wilhelm II

And the First World War

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The Innocence of Kaiser Wilhelm II

By: Christina Croft
Narrated by: Jack Wynters
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About this listen

Almost a century after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Kaiser Wilhelm II is still viewed as either a warmonger or a madman, as the hundred-year-old propaganda posters remain fixed in the general consciousness. Was he, though, truly responsible for the catastrophe of the First World War, or was he in fact a convenient scapegoat, blamed for a conflict which he desperately tried to avoid?

©2015 Christina Croft (P)2017 Christina Croft Americas Europe Military Politics & Activism Royalty United States Imperialism War Middle Ages Russia Imperial Japan Socialism Africa Interwar Period

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All stars
Most relevant
The immage of the German Empire has been demonized by the Entante and later the nazis and the modern nazis in germany using the imperial symbolism for their own gain, if only the bias of the demonising of the once greate nation of Germany should aknowledge their true heritage and should accept the truth of the Great Kaiser that wanted the best for his people.

Should be a History changer

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A very different positive view of the Kaiser that portrays him as a peace maker

Peace-loving Kaiser

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the best thing I've ever heard on the real causes of the first world war. a moving portrait of a man and a time and a world. delivered everything and much more than I expected. superbly read. full marks.

Truly Incredible

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As a Millennial I believe I had looked on this time in history (until I studied it at a level and then further at degree level) as a time when Germany were persistently "the bad guys" for whatever reason. I suppose this opinion was relatively all lumped together as here in the UK we have always seen ourselves as 'the allies', the side of good. while during the second world war there is certainly good reason to suppose we were fighting something very sinister, this reflection on kaiser Wilhelm in his own time with his European familial connections certainly over turn such an uneducated view. This book is a very good reflection of the kaiser's life and does well to show that he is not the monster the Allies made him to be. Although this is only one such source on the topic it is well worth a listen!

A different perspective

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Unconvincing in the end. Even Bismark said 'that man wants war'. Poor narration didn't help the cause.

Wilhelm a pacifist - who knew?

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