History YMMV / FallOfEagles

* JerkassWoobie: Wilhelm II. Despite growing up to be an [[HairTriggerTemper unstable]] [[{{Narcissist}} megalomaniac]] at the helm of one of the most powerful nations in the world, [[CryForTheDevil it's hard not to view him in a somewhat sympathetic light]] due to the [[AbusiveParents cold and at times even abusive treatment he received from his parents as a child]]. This is hammered home in "The Honest Broker" when he seeks retribution against his mother following his father's death by ransacking her residence only to be reminded he will always be haunted by their disappointment.

** Creator/MichaelGough ([[Film/Batman1989 Alfred Pennyworth]]) as Helphand.

* RetroactiveRecognition:

** Creator/MichaelGough ([[Film/Batman1989 Alfred Pennyworth]]) as Helphand.
* WhatAnIdiot: Wilhelm II, by firing Bismarck, sealed his destiny in the long term.
** Nicholas II. His own ministers are overwhelmed by the chaos growing around them with Georgiy Gapon stirring up union strikes in St. Petersburg and Nicholas' total obliviousness and lack of interest in any political matters Russia was going through at the moment, and things get worse when Kaiser Wilhelm II sends Nicholas a treaty proposal that would oblige Russia to ally with Germany in the case of a potential war with France, while simultaneously obligated by previous treaties to ally with France, should a conflict with Germany arise. Their alarmed discussion on this is a very good example.
-->'''Count Kokovtsov:''' "The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany!"
-->'''Prince Mirsky:''' "With ''Germany''!? Has he taken leave of his senses!?"
-->'''Count Lamsdorf:''' "The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany."
-->'''Count Kokovtsov:''' "It cuts right across our treaty with France!"
-->'''Count Lamsdorf:''' "He's asked the Kaiser to draft one. He thinks we can sign it without submitting it to the French!"
-->'''Count Kokovtsov:''' "Does he know ''nothing''!?"
-->'''Prince Mirsky:''' "I sometimes think he doesn't even know enough to be afraid."
** Aleksandr Izvolsky, Russian Foreign Minister. In the ninth episode, he single-handedly plunged Russia into a crisis by making a secret deal with Austrian diplomat Alois von Aehrenthal. Austria would give support for Turkey's opening of the Dardanelles to Russian warships (note: Russia's ships were mostly sunk by Japan in the Russo-Japanese War) in exchange for Russian support over the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Austrian Empire, in detriment of Serbia, backed by the Russian Empire. Not only was this a secret deal, but the opening of the Dardanelles required British and French support, which Izvolsky attempted to circumvent. With Russia being unable to back her position by strength, she had to accept the annexation and back down from her engagement to support Serbia, leaving her empty-handed and having given away something for nothing. This further deteriorated Austria and Russia's already strained relations, and contributed greatly to the outbreak of World War I.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/TonyJay as Tsar Alexander III, Creator/PatrickStewart as Vladimir Lenin, Creator/ColinBaker as Crown Prince Wilhelm, Charles Gray ([[Film/RockyHorrorPictureShow The Criminologist]] and [[Film/DiamondsAreForever Blofeld]]) as Mikhail Rodzianko, Creator/MiriamMargolyes as Anna Vyrubova, Creator/JohnRhysDavies as Grigory Zinoviev, and Michael Gough ([[Film/Batman1989 Alfred Pennyworth]]) as Helphand.

* JerkAssWoobie: Wilhelm II. Despite growing up to be an [[HairTriggerTemper unstable]] [[{{Narcissist}} megalomaniac]] at the helm of one of the most powerful nations in the world, [[CryForTheDevil it's hard not to view him in a somewhat sympathetic light]] due to the [[AbusiveParents cold and at times even abusive treatment he received from his parents as a child]]. This is hammered home in "The Honest Broker" when he seeks retribution against his mother following his father's death by ransacking her residence only to be reminded he will always be haunted by their disappointment.

* MagnificentBastard: UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck

-->'''Prince Mirsky:''' "I sometimes think he doesn't even know enough to be afraid."

** Nicholas II. His own ministers are overwhelmed by the chaos growing around them with Georgiy Gapon stirring up union strikes in St. Petersburg and Nicholas' total obliviousness and lack of interest in any political matters Russia was going through at the moment, and things get worse when Kaiser Wilhelm II sends Nicholas a treaty proposal that would oblige Russia to ally with Germany in the case of a potential war with France, while simultaneously obligated by previous treaties to ally with France, should a conflict with Germany arise. Their alarmed discussion on this are very good examples.

** Nicholas II. His own ministers are overwhelmed by the chaos growing around them with Georgiy Gapon stirring up union strikes in St. Petersburg, and right then Kaiser Wilhelm II sends Nicholas a treaty proposal that would go against previous treaties with France. Their alarmed discussion on this are very good examples.

-->'''Prince Mirsky:''' "I sometimes think he doesn't even know enough to be afraid."
*** It also doesn't help that was only thinking about spending time with his wife and children, while oblivious to every political situation the Russian Empire was going through at the moment.

-->'''Count Kokovtsev:''' "The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany!"

-->'''Count Kokovtsev:''' "It cuts right across our treaty with France!"

-->'''Count Kokovtsev:''' "Does he know ''nothing''!?"

** It also doesn't help that was only thinking about spending time with his wife and children, while oblivious to every political situation the Russian Empire was going through at the moment.

It also doesn't help that was only thinking about spending time with his wife and children, while oblivious to every political situation the Russian Empire was going through at the moment.

-->'''Prince Mirsky:'''"With ''Germany''!? Has he taken leave of his senses!?"
-->'''Count Lamsdorf:'''"The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany."

-->'''Count Lamsdorf:'''"He's asked the Kaiser to draft one. He thinks we can sign it without submitting it to the French!"
-->'''Count Kokovtsev: "Does he know ''nothing''!?"

'''Count Kokovtsev:''' "The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany!"
'''Prince Mirsky:'''"With ''Germany''!? Has he taken leave of his senses!?"
'''Count Lamsdorf:'''"The Tsar has received proposals for a treaty with Germany."
'''Count Kokovtsev:''' "It cuts right across our treaty with France!"
'''Count Lamsdorf:'''"He's asked the Kaiser to draft one. He thinks we can sign it without submitting it to the French!"
'''Count Kokovtsev: "Does he know ''nothing''!?"
'''Prince Mirsky:''' "I sometimes think he doesn't even know enough to be afraid."

*** "Germany!? Has he taken leave of his senses!?"
*** "Does he know nothing!?"
*** "I sometimes think he doesn't know enough to be afraid."

* MagnificentBastard: OttoVonBismarck

** Nicholas II. His own ministers are overwhelmed by the chaos growing around them with Grigoryi Gapon stirring up union strikes in St. Petersburg, and right then Kaiser Wilhelm II sends Nicholas a treaty proposal that would go against previous treaties with France. Their alarmed discussion on this are very good examples.

* WhatAnIdiot: Wilhelm II, by firing Bismarck, sealed his destiny in the long term.

* WhatAnIdiot: Wilhelm II by firing Bismarck, sealed his destiny in the long term.

* MagnificentBastard: OttoVonBismarck