The Zimmermann Telegram

By: Barbara W. Tuchman

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's 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.

©1958 Barbara W. Tuchman (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A true, lucid thriller…. Mrs. Tuchman makes the most of it with a creative writer’s sense of drama and a scholar’s obeisance to the evidence.” ( New York Times)

“The tale has most of the ingredients of an Eric Ambler spy thriller.” ( Saturday Review)

A Great Spy Story!

Intrigue, espionage and deception at the highest levels ... all leading to world war and the collapse of empires. A thrilling true tale as captured by the incomparable Barbara Tuchman. Absolutely worth the investment of your time and attention.

Informative, educational and a eye opener!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Zimmermann Telegram to be better than the print version?

No. I have never read the print version, however I will do so to enjoy it without the audio as it is a super book.

What does Wanda McCaddon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Very little. Her style of reading in this book, took away from the what is other wise a thumbs up read. Oration far to slow and lacks energy when it might be excitement , Felt as if I were being read a bedtime story, and then nod of into a nights sleep.

Any additional comments?

Not worth a credit I am sorry to say.

Quite Interesting

Held my attention for the full duration of the book. Lots of personal accounts and the related actions of those not in the story but who made decisions which impacted the result. Very glad I did not live during this time period. Recommend to history buffs who enjoy close-in accounts as to how decisions are made. Enjoyed the book. Will read it again in the future.

Very Informative.

The author, researched very complex factors , roles the different countries played in WWI.
Thanks

Interesting Topic - poorly written

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a different perspective on what led to the US getting involved in WW1. The subject matter is a bit thin for an entire book and the author (while being rather accomplished for Guns of August) was a bit redundant and disorganized in laying out the details.

Great story but not an easy listen

This history is packed with characters and twists and turns, being an ignorant geek I had never heard of this episode of history, the incompetence of the diplomats and the poor strategy of both the German military and the American president offset against the surprising competence and efficiency of the codebreakers in room 40.

It is a hard listen as it needed to be read a little more slowly to allow the dense information in the story to be absorbed. Still worth the effort as it explained a lot to this ignoramus.

History for the Non-Historian

If you could sum up The Zimmermann Telegram in three words, what would they be?

Concise, clear, and understandable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

As a work of non-fiction, there really aren't characters per se. However, Tuchman's ability to convey the individual habits and traits of the many, MANY historical figures she introduces us to is wonderful. I am a historian myself and I found her portrayals and insights into the various movers and shakers (as it were) of the Zimmerman Telegram incident and the whole run up to it to be quite useful and informative.

What does Wanda McCaddon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She is able to convey the subtle wit, humor, and irony the author clearly intends in several passages. History is often dry--Tuchman's work is far from it and McCaddon's performance brings it even further to life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

While it didn't make me laugh or cry, there were several times where I had a "whoa!" moment. I've studied this period and even taught it and this book revealed to me many things I had not known before.

Any additional comments?

For the lay fan of history, this is an excellent introduction to a period of World War I that most people overlook or simply gloss over. America's involvement in the war was strictly secondary, yet its potential involvement was HUGE for both sides. Tuchman portrays the myriad schemes, plots, and intrigues in a concise, clear manner that is both easily followed and complete. For the historian, she provides a wealth of detail so rarely discussed in other works. An excellent "read" for either group.

Great historical research

If you like well research books on historical topics I'm sure you will love this book. The Zimmermann Telegram reveals a lot of the culture and political conflicts that lead to the U.S. entering the first World War. I highly recommend it.

Alternative title: Why America Entered WWI

Entertaining, interesting and informative breakdown of the events that led the United States pivoting from avoiding the European war at all costs to a firm war footing.

Almost everyone knows that Pearl Harbor was the tipping point for the USA to enter WWII, but are ignorant of the reasons for entry into the First World War.

The small stories of history are often the most interesting, as this book so demonstrates so clearly.

Weirder than fiction

President Wilson was a more stubborn appeaser of Germany than Chamberlain 20 years later, as this page-turner of a historical narrative shows. ‘Peace without Victory’ was Wilson’s proposed solution to a war started by an authoritarian expansionist military power against a democratic alliance. Fascinating book.