{"product_id":"a-mad-catastrophe-the-outbreak-of-world-war-i-and-the-collapse-of-the-habsburg-empire-9780465028351","title":"A Mad Catastrophe: The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire","description":"\u003cp\u003eA masterful account of the Hapsburg Empires bumbling entrance into World War I  and its rapid collapse on the Eastern Front  The Austro-Hungarian army that attacked Russia and Serbia in August 1914 had a glorious past but a pitiful present. Speaking a mystifying array of languages and lugging obsolete weapons  the Habsburg troops were hopelessly unprepared for the industrialized warfare that would shortly consume Europe. As prizewinning historian Geoffrey Wawro explains in A Mad Catastrophe  the disorganization of these doomed conscripts perfectly mirrored Austria-Hungary itself. For years  the Empire had been rotting from within  hollowed out by complacency and corruption at the highest levels. When Germany goaded Austria into starting the world war  the Empires profound political and military weaknesses were exposed. By the end of 1914  the Austro-Hungarian army lay in ruins and the course of the war seemed all but decided. Reconstructing the climax of the Austrian campaign in gripping detail  A Mad Catastrophe is a riveting account of how Austria-Hungary plunged the West into a tragic and unnecessary war.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45656604213301,"sku":"ByrdShop_0465028357","price":23.24,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780465028351.jpg?v=1781980689","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/a-mad-catastrophe-the-outbreak-of-world-war-i-and-the-collapse-of-the-habsburg-empire-9780465028351","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}