Traces the life of the german general whose loyalty to hitler prevented a break between the military and the nazi leader. Manstein disparaged other german generals, portraying them as incompetent. Mansteins lost victories has value for the reader for at least two different reasons. I feel a degree sympathy for the man, to be so intelligent and capable yet so thwarted. The memoirs of adolf hitlers valet hitlers last witness. The book was first published in west germany in 1955, then in spain in 1956. Manstein began his active career as an officer in 1906 and served. Lost victories is mansteins own testament of his involvement in the second world war. He rose to the rank of captain by the end of the war and was active in the interwar period helping germany rebuild her armed forces. All societies can produce great leaders but only the.
War memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general paperback lost victories erich manstein. The war memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general january 7, 1994, presidio press paperback in english new ed edition. Erich friedrich wilhelm ludendorff 9 april 1865 20 december 1937 was a german general, politician and military theorist. One, it is a first hand history of events in world war ii from a key german general s perspective. The operational warfighting performance of field marshal erich. Any general can win brilliant victories with firstrate troops, air superiority and unlimited supplies, but it takes a very special type of brain to be able to repeatedly fight off a numerically superior enemy who enjoys all.
During world war ii he attained the rank of field marshal generalfeldmarschall and was held in high esteem by his fellow officers as one of the wehrmachts best military minds. Illustrated with 24 plates of maps and diagrams and photographs originally published in germany in 1955, and in england and the united states in 1958, this classic memoir of wwii by a man who was an acknowledged military genius and probably germanys top wwii general, is now made available again. In this book, we finally have a full portrait of the man, including his campaigns, and an analysis of what precisely kept a genius like manstein harnessed to such a dark cause. Manstein s lost victories is a must read along with guderians panzer leader for those truly interested students of wwii. He commanded the failed relief effort at stalingrad and the cherkassy pocket evacuation. Lost victories, the winter campaign in south russia. Manstein did, under the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and in doing so probably saved the whole southern wing of the german army in russia from annihilation. The war memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general by. Wwii history, december 2005 mansteins lost victories is definitely one of the more interesting and informative german autobiographies to emerge from world war ii. Born into an aristocratic prussian family with a long history of military service, manstein joined the army at a young age and saw service on both the western and eastern front during the first world war 191418. Why and how stalingrad was lost is clarified, albeit through mansteins view of world war ii. Why and how stalingrad was lost is clarified, albeit through manstein s view of world war ii. The book was first published in west germany inthen in spain in in addition to the descriptions of the event with an emphasize that might be different from typical history book, the author also add in many insight and comment about the challenges and opportunities of the.
Manstein was taken prisoner by the british in august 1945. Mansteins lost victories is a must read along with guderians panzer leader for those truly interested students of wwii. Apr 12, 2018 it is very much a selfserving piece of pro manstein propaganda. I first read an edition of this when i was a teenager, in the late s.
Two, it is an intriguing, unselfconscious reflection on good people carrying out their tasks for the worst possible causes in this case, adolf hitlers. The war memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general pdf. His military mind proved outstanding in many a conflict but perhaps his greatest triumph was his ingenious operational plan that led to the rapid defeat of france in may 1940. A generals general and germanys greatest military strategist of world war two. It is very much a selfserving piece of promanstein propaganda.
Erster generalquartiermeister of the german general staff in august 1916. Two, it is an intriguing, unselfconscious reflection on good people carrying out their tasks for. This was a really great book and i cant believe i havent read this up until now. The only thing that impedes a maximal mark is the technical part of the book, which makes it rather difficult for the usual reader. At that time it seemed to me to be both the most pivotal and the coolest. War, the poet virgil once wrote, is a tale of arms and the man. Jan 31, 2020 by the summer of, after defeating france, hitlers germany was master of. However, the hardcore student of wwii will find the book to be a must when learning about the german army. The outcome of battle hinges on numbers, technology, training, and other impersonal factors, not to mention weather and terrain arms.
A firsthand account of life with hitler my father had this luger. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading lost victories. Following his appointment as first quartermaster general german. Lost victories by erich manstein, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Lost victories and over one million other books are available for amazon kindle. This study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of lost victories. These passages reveal an inglorious side of manstein, as do his repeated attempts in lost victories to cast blame on otherswhether hitler or 6th armys commander, general friedrich paulus. Lost victories is well written and transcribed from the german language. Battlefield experiences of the greatest commanders of history pdf.
Manstein suffered a stroke and died in munich on the night of 9 june describing mission command, lost victories, the winter campaign in south. Growing up in hitlers shadow hitlers last secretary. Coming from hitlers greatest general, its a most effective filleting. It also helps one appreciate the axiom two things can be true simultaneously. Lost victories by erich manstein, 9780760320549, available at book. Download pdf erichvonmanstein free online new books in. Manstein s lost victories has value for the reader for at least two different reasons. Wwii history, december 2005mansteins lost victories is definitely one of the more interesting and informative german autobiographies to emerge from world war ii. One, it is a first hand history of events in world war ii from a key german generals perspective.
In 1949 he was tried for war crimes in hamburg, was convicted of nine of seventeen charges and sentenced to eighteen years in prison. Download pdf erichvonmanstein free online new books. Born into an aristocratic prussian family with a long history of military service, manstein joined the army at a young age and saw. Convinced of his own genius, however, perhaps manstein could not have done otherwise. The war memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general illustrated edition. How perpetrators of the holocaust cheated justice and truth. By the summer of, after defeating france, hitlers germany was master of. Download erichvonmanstein ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub.
Mansteins lost victories portrays a man determined to relieve the. This book is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the military thinking behind many of germanys world war ii campaigns. The war memoirs of hitlers most brilliant general with hitler to the end. Manstein was a career officer in the german army and was chiefofstaff of southern army group in the invasion of. Manstein never admits to the soviets outmaneuvering him, only overwhelming his forces with 20 to 1 odds as though they were some massive orc horde out of the pages of tolkien. Manstein provides an unvarnished picture of war and, engagement with the russians on the eastern front. Manstein s east front strategy from sixth army in danger 18 a. The reader is given a valuable insight of the german perspective of events and the frustrations of dealing with hitler as the supreme commander of the armed forces. The first is the persistent presence of the german generals memoirs.
Jun 02, 2019 at that time it seemed to me to be both the most pivotal and the coolest. By the summer of, after defeating france, hitlers germany was. Even if they are sometimes cluttered, they are very well drawn and virtually all place names included in the narrative can be found on at least one map, making it very maanstein to follow the sometimes swirling action. Even if they are sometimes cluttered, they are very well drawn and virtually all place names included in the narrative can be found on at least one map, making it.
New publisher zenith press is to be commended for republishing it. The memoirs of fieldmarshal kesselring, 1953, albert. Nov 23, 2012 originally published in germany in 1955, and in england and the united states in 1958, this classic memoir of wwii by a man who was an acknowledged military genius and probably germanys top wwii general, is now made available again. Wall street journal, october 7, 2006 generals dont make the best memoirists, mainly because they embellish while writing for posterity. A man of that quality was too difficult for hitler to swallow for long. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
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