What are the main themes in Solzhenitsyn's, August 1914: The Red Wheel Knot I?

The themes of August 1914 are human, military, and political. The human theme is the heroism of the ordinary Russian soldier. The military theme concerns the stupidity and venality of the Russian generals who wasted such magnificent troops. The final theme is the way in which the chaos of the army reflects the chaos in the political order.