1901

Rating:
Summary: Interesting alternate history novel with a few twists
Review: Newly imperial America is too much of a threat for the Germans, and, having declined a German request to sell its newly acquired, formerly Spanish, possessions, is faced with a German invasion initiated over a lazy summer weekend in 1901 . . .

Perhaps not the most detailed alternate history, but still stuffed with historical characters both on the German and American sides. Conroy sketches his characters with obvious delight (his portraits of Teddy Roosevelt and ex-rebel James Longstreet are memorable). Since Conroy sometimes gives us background on a historical character, and sometimes does not, a knowledge of history wouldn't hurt in reading this novel. Still, the plot does tend to drag in the middle, though it perks up a bit towards the end with the major battle scene (in of all places. Connecticut).

In the model of Turtledove's "The Guns of the South", though not as good. Still, it is well worth reading.

Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Incredable alternative World War 1!
Review: Okay, this was an incredible book! The premise is outstanding, the plot is great, and the characters are not only realistic, but one can relate to them. I was thoroughly impressed. And this is supposed to be the authors first book? I do hope a second one is coming soon. The ending left the possibility so agonizingly desirable, I can't wait!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting for Alternate History Fans
Review: One can tell that Alternate History has become a craze when something as obscure as 1901 comes out. I give Conroy credit for taking a totally implausible alternate thread and making it seem like something that could have happened. He portrays an unprepared turn of the 20th century United States struggling to dislodge a crack German army that has invaded New York and Connecticut. Although not Nazis, these Germans are not very nice people and one wonders where a sequel would take their nation (the ending gives a strong hint). Unfortunately, the novel has a romantic side which is cloying and simply awful. Nevertheless, 1901 is a good read for alternate history afficianados which is why I gave it three stars. Anybody else who reads this book will wonder how it ever got published.

Rating:
Summary: Good alternate history,but, could have been better.
Review: Overall, this is a good alternate history book of an Imerial German invasion of the US East Coast in 1901. The battles on land and at sea are very exciting and entertaining and in my opinion are the best parts of the book.

There were, however, a couple things I did not like about the book. First of all, every character swears and curses like there's no tomorrow (although there might not be with Germany invading), which just doesn't seem to fit the time period. Granted most characters are military men, but the foul language is a bit over used. Secondly, I think a more plausable start to the war would have been at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898(?) when the German Asiatic Squadron had the opportunity to attack and (unless Britain intervened)destroy America's forces in the Phillipines. Instead, Conroy opted for Kaiser Wilhelm make the decision a few years later when America would be quite able to oppose a foreign invasion (although Conroy's timeline does afford Germany the time to assemble a large invasion force).

In conclusion, if you like military history, I think you will enjoy this book, if not emmensely, than at least a great deal.

Rating:
Summary: About As Good As It Gets
Review: Robert Conroys story of a German invasion of Long Island in 1901 is a fascinating idea. Kaiser Wilhelm II wants Cuba and the Phillipines, so he invades the USA. Along the way, Mckinley dies of a heart attack and Teddy Rosevelt assembles a stong army to eventually repel the invaders.

The events are seen through the eyes of Patrick Mahan, who with his (...) Brigade, has a leading role in the defeat of the German war machine.

The story is written simply, if a little broadly.But it does have some interesting elements of the changing face of America, at the turn of the century. It's pace keeps one going and you just have to keep on reading.

This book is as good as anything that Turtledove has written and easily can be compared to Turtledove's books on the Great War series. My only wish is that with both of these authors, more political and strategic information would be more given. Lay off the love stories and love scenes. Neither do a good job with them and and only slow down the story.

Rating:
Summary: General Longstreet Fights Again
Review: Some books are fun to read and review even a couple of years after they are published. That is especially true if they are novels, do not sell well and suddenly become available for no more than a dollar or three from Edward Hamilton, Bookseller or some other discounter. Such a novel is "1901." There is something in it for students of President Theodore Roosevelt, of Confederate General James ("Old Pete") Longstreet of Gettysburg fame, for military tacticians and strategists and for folks who just like a rollicking good yarn.***

There is just enough historical truth behind "1901" to make it possible to suspend disbelief and enjoy a tale rooted in German Kaiser Wilhelm II's lust for empire and his fictional belief that God intended the Americans to share with him a modest portion of the fruits of their 1898 war with Spain: Guam or the Philippines, perhaps, or maybe Puerto Rico. With the world's most awesome land forces at his disposal, the Kaiser invades Long Island and prepares his navy to shield it until the Americans come to their senses.***

The challenge ruptures President McKinley's weak heart and he is promptly succeeded by his Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt of Rough Rider fame, San Juan hill, etc. Not for nothing is the first Roosevelt called "the Sage of Sagamore" (his New York residence). He is one of quite a few who believe that the American Civil War could have been shortened by two years had the Union but tenaciously followed "the Anaconda plan" of its then commander-in-chief of the army, General Winfield Scott.***

Teddy deftly or daftly (your call) at this moment of great peril summons the now deaf octogenarian erstwhile Confederate General James Longfield back into service of his country. The plot then leaps forward with support from Longfield, Roosevelt and a supporting cast of cabinet members and a young fictional hero, Major Patrick Mahan, cousin of the great naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan. The Major's earlier acquaintance with Kaiser Wilhelm and observation of German military behavior in Peking during the Boxer rebellion are pressed into service. By story's end Patrick is a general and bearer of the Congressional Medal of Honor. He is married and about to run for Congress.***

Despite 25,000 casualties the Americans have inflicted 40,000 on the German invaders and prevailed in a massive naval engagement. The Kaiser goes off to exile in Denmark. Subplots of romance, cross cultural friendships and brutalities complicate a basically simple story line. This is not a book to be read slowly or searching for metaphysical significance. For the historian there are vignettes of German leaders which lend some plausibility to the plot.

Rating:
Summary: possible but 12 years too late!!! wouldn not happne in 1901!
Review: The possibilty on war between the US and Germany in the later part of the 19th century actually cam e realy close to happening. In 1889 nice three us warship came very close to fighting three german warships at Apia harbor in Samoa. At this time the German warships ware vastly superior to the amarican ships that were built in the 1860's. the geram ship were all modern ship built in the 1880's. This incident would have sparked a war. The only thing that prevented the war was a hurricane that sunk or badly dammaged the fleets.
The reason a war with the US would not have been fought in the 1901 period is that the US under Teddy Roosevelt vastly imporoved the navy in the 1890's. The "Great white Fleet" would have been more tham a match for the German Fleet.
Even if there had been territorial ambitions for the germans it would have been in the pacific, where they had more interests.
One more thing . . . I realy hate German soliers portraid as the streotype NAZI. The german solier of the late 19th and ealy 2oth cnetury was not am evil stark raving killer, no matter that the british propaganda said of them occuping Belgium.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but predictable
Review: There seems to be a rash of alternate History novels in the last 10 years or so portraying America as an awful lot more powerful than it was at the time. Also, even more predictable - the evil nasty europeans and the courageous "underdog" of the US overcoming the treacherous attack and "blowing the bad guys away". I mean - come on ! Not only do we have American cinema giving credit to U.S. forces for things they never did - like the U-571 movie where brave American marines dealt with cruel nasty nazis and recovered the enigma machine. The only thing was, it was BRITISH mariners and the Americans where nowhere in the region. At this rate, we in europe fully expect the movie of Alexander the Great's humble beginnings in downtown Statten Island, or the tale of the Bostonian Julius Casear's rise to glory.
And so it is with alternate history. Without exception, American authors build up American opponents then knock them down by American grit, gung ho and chutzpah (whatever that means !) So many Americans have this ludicrous notion that they have always been a super power, and if I hear once more about how a bunch of plucky American farmers beat the Brits for independance, I'll scream. What about the French that contributed in a not-exactly-small way ? What about the fact it was essentially german mercenaries NOT the British Army who had other things on their palte at the time ?
Regardless, I digress. I am giving the impression I didnt enjoy this. I did think it enjoyable, but oh, so predictable !
Oh and one last thing - I agree about the fact the Germans of the time weren't the strutting SS that came later, but nor where they big cuddly teddy bears - ask the French who had been invaded by them 1871. And it couldnt be an American review without a dig at the Brits (by the same gent who defended the Germans on here) could it ? ;-)

Rating:
Summary: Very inchanting and discriptive work for this period.
Review: This book is outstanding in it's entirety! A must read for history buffs!--Dennis Mosley

Rating:
Summary: 1901, almost
Review: This is an "Alternate History" story based on factual plans of the German Army to invade the US that were never used. Believablity is added to the story by the fact that the US Atlantic Squadron conducted manuvers in the Caribbean and South Atlantic each summer while the rest of the navy showed the flag around the world.

The story is told through several characters including Teddy Roosevelt. I found some of the characters to be lacking but others were well done, I especially like the German soldiers and the German politican Holstein. However, Conroy overuses the ploy of putting old conferate generals back into uniform to "whip them damn-yankee Germans".

There is a great deal of military information but unfortunetly much of it is wrong. The Germans are in Feldgrau when in fact it was not adopted by the German army until 1910. The US soldiers are in blue despite the US Army having issued khaki field uniforms since 1898. Conroy also has the US soldiers armed with single shot "Trapdoor" rifles despite the magazine-fed Krag Rifle having been first issued in 1895. By 1901 the Krag equiped the US Regular Army and many National Guard regiments.

Conroy's information on the US Navy is very good but he has the German navy about twice it actual size for 1901. In the book it is claimed to be second only to the British when it was smaller than the French and Russian fleets and equal to the US Navy. Per the 1905 Jane's Fighting Ships in mid-1901 the US Navy had 9 battleships, 2 armored crusiers, 6 large monitors, 6 protected crusiers (armored decks but no side armor) and a number of light crusiers and gunboats. The German's had 9 battleships, one armored crusier. 8 coast defence ships and 6 protected crusiers with many smaller ships. The four battleships of the Brandenberg class were slow, shortranged and with an inadequate secondary battery. The five Kaiser class battleships had a good secondary battery but only four 9.4 main guns (second rate size)The coast defence ships were very slow, shortranged, unstable and with a useless secondary battery of only six 3.5" guns. Going against the US Navy would have been risky business.

The story lacks an dramatic incident to trigger the crisis, relying instead on the convoluted "logic" of the Kaiser to start the war. It is also difficult to believe that the Germans could assemble a large invasion fleet then sail through the North Sea and across the Atlantic in total secrecy. This is made less believeable when in the story the scope of British intelligence is more fully revealed.

Nevertheless, it was a good read and did succeed in capturing some flavor of the period. I especially enjoyed the description of "Fightin" Bob Evans taking on a German crusier squadron with a lone US battleship. The ambush of a German battalion by Gen. Fred Funston was also very well done. It is not in the class of Morris's "Theodore Rex" or Massey's "Dreadnaught" but it is a worthwhile addition to the period.