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The Zimmermann Telegram
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
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The Zimmermann Telegram
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Summary
In the dark winter of 1917, as World War I was deadlocked, Britain knew that Europe could be saved only if the United States joined the war. But President Wilson remained unshakable in his neutrality. Then, with a single stroke, the tool to propel America into the war came into a quiet British office. One of countless messages intercepted by the crack team of British decoders, the Zimmermann telegram was a top-secret message from Berlin inviting Mexico to join Japan in an invasion of the United States. Mexico would recover her lost American territories while keeping the U.S. occupied on her side of the Atlantic.
How Britain managed to inform America of Germany's plan without revealing that the German codes had been broken makes for an incredible, true story of espionage, intrigue, and international politics, as only Barbara W. Tuchman could tell it.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C R Griffin
- 23-03-24
An interesting subject
Zimmerman unwittingly did Europe a favour and changed world history. His arrogance shone through this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PureAFM
- 01-09-21
Plesantly surprised
This was not quite what I expected but I ended up really enjoying it. the start is a little weaker than the rest. it covers a lot about the perspective of the relations of the Germans, Americans and Mexicans which is a perspective I see much less off. It becomes the stories of the characters involved in Germanies attempt to start war with Mexico and America from both sides, supprisingly dramatic given that it's historically accurate.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Asta Rootsi
- 10-09-21
Brilliant story brilliantly performed
This book definitely shows that truth can be stranger than fiction. And the narrator does an amazing job with an amazingly witty and entertaining text. Definitely history at its best and narration at its best as well!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R J Elliott
- 12-11-21
terrific
Excellent telling of a fascinating story, learned a lot in a most enjoyable way. Cheers.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- North Yorkshire
- 16-08-22
Still supremely entertaining
Written nearly 70 years ago (1958) this account of the Zimmerman telegram and America's entry into World War I is still a lively and entertaining account. It mainly focuses on Germany's attempts to manoeuvring for advantage, keeping America out of the war for long enough for its U-Boats to fore the British to surrender. That manoeuvring is like a strategy board game, factoring in Japan, Mexico, as well as German diplomats in Russia and American diplomats in Berlin. We see British code-breakers (part of 'Room 40'), meetings of the German high command, British printshop owners in Mexico, and Mexican revolutionaries (including Pancho Villa), It is lively, tightly focused and reads (hears?) a bit like a novel.
I thought the narrator was excellent, thoroughly getting into the role. She captured the author's scathing view of the American side (Wilson's idealism is savaged) and Prussian arrogance and high-handedness. She also catches the humour and overall vitality of what is a classic work of popular history.
Tuchman tells a human story - about decision-makers agonising with impossible problems and then, self-consciously, plumping from a list of likely blunders, She provides sharp pen-portraits of the main protagonists - and is fairly unusual in including several Germans in this (rather than just isolating the Kaiser and Ludendorff). The exception is Japan, which was widely incorporated in plans, but whose own perspective is never addressed.
I listened to this only because it was on the Plus list, but I had read some of Tuchman's books before and knew she was a skilful narrator. Her investigations (perhaps a better word than research for this popular study of the 50s) seems to have been thorough and it captured my interest from the start.
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