known november june german commander nazi_germany armed forces second world war attained rank field marshal born aristocratic prussian family long history military service joined army young age saw service western eastern world war rose rank captain end war active inter war period helping germany rebuild armed forces september invasion poland beginning second world war serving chief staff von adolf_hitler chose strategy invasion france plan later refined members anticipating firm allied reaction main thrust invasion place netherlands devised innovative tactic later known cut called attack woods rapid drive english channel cutting french allied armies belgium flanders attaining rank general end campaign active invasion soviet_union june siege promoted field marshal july participated siege germany fortunes war began unfavourable turn later especially catastrophic commanded failed relief effort operation winter storm december later known blow february march regained substantial territory resulted destruction soviet armies retreat primary commanders battle july august largest tank battles history ongoing disagreements hitler conduct war led dismissal march obtained command taken prisoner british august months germany defeat gave testimony main trials war criminals august prepared paper later memoirs helped contribute myth clean myth german armed forces atrocities holocaust tried hamburg war crimes convicted seventeen counts including poor treatment prisoners war failing protect civilian lives sphere operations sentence eighteen years prison later reduced served years released military advisor west german government mid-1950s helped establish armed forces successful memoir translated english lost victories highly critical hitler leadership dealt military aspects war ignoring political ethical contexts died munich early life born berlin tenth son prussian artillery general father family ancestry entitled use coat arms younger sister married lieutenant general couple unable children adopted previously adopted cousin martha daughter deceased brother biological adoptive fathers prussian generals mother brother led corps franco prussian war sixteen relatives family military officers rose rank general future president germany uncle wife sister attended catholic gymnasium march years cadet corps commissioned garde ensign promoted lieutenant january october began year officer training programme prussian war academy completed year programme world war began august students academy ordered report active service completed remainder general staff officer training early military career world war world war served german western beginning war promoted lieutenant participated invasion belgium 2nd august took capture site massive citadel surrounded outlying forts september unit transferred attached commanded seeing action battle lakes unit soon reassigned process advancing warsaw forced withdraw face russian counterattack november wounded retreat detachment stormed russian shot left shoulder left knee bullet hit nerve causing leg recovery took months hospital period home leave june reassigned assistant general staff officer operations commanded soon promoted captain learned hand plan conduct offensive operations undertook successful attacks poland lithuania montenegro albania offensive operations early stationed staff new headquarters near action served staff supply officer general chief staff command post near area scene battles course war british french operations july november forced german withdrawal winter series defensive positions lens continued serve october transferred chief staff serving german occupation area result signing treaty brest march unit longer needed eastern reassigned near saw minor successes area beginning lose war armistice signed november inter war era married daughter landowner proposed marriage having known days died children daughter born sons born born died battlefield northern sector eastern october serving lieutenant married major highly decorated officer commanded regiment second world war remained armed forces war ended volunteered staff position served participated restructuring men army restricted men versailles treaty recognised early age talented intelligent commander chosen officers permitted treaty appointed company commander sixth company 5th served staff officer teaching military history tactics year promoted major served berlin visiting countries learn military facilities helping draft plans army promoted lieutenant colonel given command light infantry battalion serving unit seized power germany ending period violation versailles treaty secretly 1920s new government formally renounced treaty proceeded large scale expansion military moved berlin colonel february serving chief staff july appointed head army general staff army high command tenure people responsible development fall case red defensive plan protect germany attack france period came contact advocated drastic changes warfare role officers like chief army general staff drastic changes proposed alternative development self propelled assault guns provide heavy direct fire support infantry world war resulting vehicles proved successful cost effective german weapons promoted major general october deputy chief staff general february transferred command 18th rank transfer meant receive post chief army general staff august resigned spite felt hitler intended invasion czechoslovakia october premature position given general taken post deputy chief staff incident created lasting hatred men april delivered speech celebration hitler 50th birthday praised hitler leader sent god save germany warned hostile world kept germany block way german people future happy world world war israeli historian notes rise officers tendency officers usually ardent come fore opinion fully integrated separate organisation independent nazi regime second world war poland august preparation case white german invasion poland appointed chief staff von worked chief operations colonel develop operational plan accepted plan calling concentration majority army group armoured units 10th army objective decisive breakthrough lead polish forces west plan armies comprising 14th army provide flank support armoured thrust warsaw polish capital privately lukewarm polish campaign thinking better poland germany soviet_union worried allied attack west polish campaign underway draw germany war took conference august hitler commanders need physical destruction poland nation war state memoirs recognise time meeting hitler going pursue policy poles aware policy later generals received reports activities death squads tasked following army poland kill intellectuals civilians squads assigned round jews relocation nazi concentration camps later faced charges war crimes relating jewish civilian deaths sectors control deaths prisoners war launched september invasion began successfully area responsibility 8th 10th 14th armies pursued retreating poles initial plan 8th army northernmost advance 10th army divisions quickly 14th army advance attempt polish troops area actions led defeat polish forces area september german corps attack north elements fourth eighth quickly air support improvised attempt cut polish break warsaw flexibility agility german forces led defeat polish infantry divisions units resulting september largest engagement war far conquest poland quickly polish military units surrendering october france fall case yellow initial plan invasion france prepared commander chief army colonel general members early october like called attack netherlands belgium hitler satisfied revisions plan continued october satisfied plan focused heavily northern wing felt attack direction lack element surprise expose german forces south terrain belgium suited base operations attacks france felt operation fail enemy world war leading partial success trench warfare end october prepared outline different plan submitted superior serving chief staff plan developed informal cooperation suggested divisions attack wooded hills expect establish rapidly drive english channel cut french allied armies belgium flanders plan later known cut proposal included second thrust allow force future defensive line south originally rejected proposal particular said plan entirely merit november hitler ordered forces needed surprise thrust pushing plan direction suggested documents outlining details fell hands january hitler receptive change superiors generals resented repeated insistence plan implemented place theirs removed headquarters sent stettin command january hitler looking aggressive plan approved modified version ideas today known plan meeting february corps played minor role operations france serving corps helped achieve breakthrough east case red second phase invasion plan reach cross river invasion france outstanding military success promoted general awarded knight britain proponent prospective german invasion great_britain named considered operation risky necessary early studies staff officers determined air superiority planned invasion corps shipped english channel units assigned wave luftwaffe failed overcome royal_air_force postponed indefinitely october rest year little spent time paris home soviet_union early german high command commenced planning invasion soviet_union march appointed commander commanders upcoming major offensive seeing detailed plans offensive corps fourth group command general army group north tasked advancing arrived days prior launch offensive commenced june massive german attack line corps advance secure bridges near town soviet forces mounted number aimed corps leading corps advanced rapidly reaching kilometres distant hours ahead rest army group number determined soviet corps closed corps tasked soviet formations movement having penetrated deep soviet lines unprotected flanks corps target soviet july soviet 11th army commanded cut able fight way free badly succeeded halting advance corps 8th sent anti partisan duties given 4th division attack repeatedly delayed assault underway received orders august task begin advance sooner moved new headquarters lake told send men relieve danger encircled august launched offensive 11th 34th armies cutting divisions frustrated loss 8th missed opportunity advance returned led major soviet defeat unit encircled soviet divisions receiving air support time captured prisoners tanks opponent general 34th army subsequently court executed defeat tried obtain rest days men constantly fighting poor terrain increasingly poor weather start campaign avail ordered advance east september near city informed 11th ukraine september appointed commander previous commander colonel general perished plane landed soviet minefield tasked invading capturing pursuing enemy forces flank advance soviet_union hitler intention prevent cut soviet supply oil forces infantry achieved rapid breakthrough days heavy soviet resistance neck taken forces substantially reduced leaving german divisions rest captured slowly difficulty complained lack air support contest soviet air superiority region created mobile reconnaissance unit press peninsula cutting road october captured day captured november evacuated personnel city sea attack november failed insufficient forces left immediate assault ordered investment heavily fortified city december launched offensive failed december soviet troops landed retake peninsula december executed landing near withdrawal area orders general prevented collapse eastern division lost heavy equipment cancelled planned resumption attack sent forces east destroy soviet soviet forces superior position men able supply sea pushed conduct soviet troops unable capture critical rail road access points cut german lines supply battle peninsula launched hitler finally assigned major air support outnumbered ground attack north bulk force attacked south soviet troops soon fleeing recorded memoirs capture prisoners guns tanks captured lost men month delay turned attention capture battle germany largest guns built large numbers regular artillery pieces super heavy mortars railway gun brought assault furious barrage began morning june resources luftwaffe commanded committed barrage continued days ground assault began 11th army gained ground mid june focusing attention northern approaches city casualties high sides month dragged aware need act german summer offensive reduced availability reinforcements supplies ordered surprise attack amphibious landings june operation success soviet resistance july german forces entered city soviet forces conducted evacuation hitler promoted day entire city german hands july campaign indirectly involved atrocities soviet population especially committed groups tasked elimination jews europe travelled wake 11th army provided command vehicles fuel drivers military police areas planned shoot jews prevent escaping captain shocked witnessed massacre group jewish women children went ask stop killings states told forget seen concentrate fighting later called flight responsibility moral failure seventeen charges later war crimes trial related nazi killing jews prisoners war capture hitler felt right man command forces siege september elements transferred arriving august lacked proper forces storm city planned bold plan thrust cut supply line lake day arrival launched originally planned attack 18th army narrow german west offensive appeared able break german lines lifting siege hitler bypassing usual chain command directly ordered offensive action area series heavy battles launched counterattack september cut soviet armies fighting continued october soviet offensive resulting attrition meant longer execute decisive assault hold siege finally lifted soviet forces january attempt resolve persistent shortage oil launched fall case blue massive offensive aimed summer german air attacks led tasked capturing key city troops supported entered city september hand hand combat street fighting ensued launched huge november operation designed german armies trap city goal accomplished november hitler aware lost likely appointed commander newly created tasked mounting relief operation named operation winter storm reinforce german hold city initial assessment november given adequate air support able hold launched december winter storm achieved initial success divisions comprising 23rd 6th 17th divisions supporting units advanced december came assault soviet tanks conditions request hitler december attempt break hitler reluctant openly orders conditions deteriorated inside city men suffered cold weather inadequate supplies food ammunition assured hitler trapped 6th army adequately supplied air poor weather lack aircraft mechanical difficulties turned case january urged hitler allow surrender refused spite hitler wishes surrendered remaining soldiers january german romanian soldiers died surrendered survivors returned germany end war believed best 6th army encircled men saw differently weakness didn stronger stance hitler resign accept death sentence totally convinced wrong army american historians wrote message hitler november advising 6th army break statements luftwaffe supply sealed fate historians including pointed version events memoir distorted events described probably sensitivity question post war germany worked hard record matter massive involvement murder jews wrote launched offensive intended capture cut launch soviet army forces prevent relief operation scaled little saturn offensive forced divert forces avoid collapse entire attack prevented comprising command general joining planned aid relief effort instead held line beating successive soviet attacks general counterattack soviet verge collapse german units able hold line italian 8th army flanks overwhelmed subsequently destroyed spurred success planned series follow january february intended decisively beat german forces southern russia destruction remaining hungarian italian forces offensive operation star launched recapture cut german forces east operations succeeded breaking german lines threatened southern german deal threat parts united command early february operation february broke german lines february army groups don danger surrounded repeatedly called reinforcements hitler called february held costs commander ordered city evacuated february hitler arrived person february course days exhausting meetings convinced offensive action needed area regain initiative prevent troops reorganised reinforcements pulled zone neighbouring armies immediately began planning launched february later known blow soviet forces believing retreat taken completely surprise march captured tanks killed soviet soldiers reinforce point recapture important politically hitler returned march carefully assembled available forces wide prevent recaptured march bloody street fighting battle accomplishment received knight cross captured march prevented entire regained substantial territory resulted destruction soviet armies retreat soviet casualties preceding month sector dead taken prisoner captured destroyed tanks pieces artillery spring began march ending operations area time planning undertaken eliminate enemy operation favoured immediate attack battle hitler concerned plan draw forces away industrial region event ground muddy tanks position lieu immediate attack prepared operation citadel launching delayed troops gathered area mud solidified aware danger moved large numbers reinforcements intelligence reports revealed expected locations timing german citadel german strategic offensive eastern largest battles history involving million men time launched initial assault july soviet forces outnumbered nearly command northern formed southern armies slowed tanks blown minefields caught combat series prepared soviet defensive lines days fighting model advance stopped suffering casualties july model forces drawn away soviet army launched forces able penetrate soviet lines causing heavy casualties reached enter capture major objective july inflicting soviet losses resulting july hitler called failed offensive allies landed sicily issued order withdrawal protested felt soviet forces exhausted reserves area want stop reserves committed hitler insisted calling operation soviet casualties heavy modern historians possibility successful german continuation offensive regarded battle german victory believed destroyed offensive capacity rest assessment turned incorrect able recover quickly expected moved reserves lower realising soviet activities diversion soviet offensive began august heavy pressure days heavy fighting soviet troops broke german lines retook punching wide hole fourth army tasked holding response demands reinforcements hitler sent 7th 2nd 3rd construction began defensive positions hitler refused requests pull insisting held reinforcements waged series armoured battles near august resulted heavy casualties ran prepared soviet lines august informed forces river area holding wide insufficient numbers needed withdraw receive reinforcements continuous pressure soviet forces separated severely threatened northern flank threw main reserves drive retake august took advantage close gap 4th 8th armies defensive line hitler finally allowed withdraw september withdrawal ordered earth actions taken zone kilometres river later faced charges war crimes trial issuing order soviet losses july august included million casualties tanks self propelled artillery pieces aircraft german losses tenth soviet losses difficult sustain reserves men draw series meetings september tried unsuccessfully convince hitler high command let generals military decisions campaign september withdrew west bank operation ordered times degenerated rout exhausted soldiers hundreds thousands soviet civilians travelled west bringing livestock personal property correctly soviet attack case campaign deception disguise timing exact location intended offensive historians wrote german generals belief nazi racial theories idea manipulate german intelligence consistency utterly 1st ukrainian led met outnumbered near thrust near north attacked near south november german troops thinking location main attack taken completely surprise captured gained west bank liberated november 17th army cut isolated attacking 4th ukrainian october guidance general cities mid november receiving reinforcements resumed offensive december continued successful advance repeated requests hitler reinforcements turned january met hitler tell line needed retreat order save forces hitler refused requested changes highest levels military leadership turned hitler believed capable managing wider strategy january forced retreat west soviet offensive waiting permission hitler ordered consisting men divisions break pocket night february beginning march soviet forces driven river hitler directive march point forward positions defended man encircled march permission break received hitler time flew hitler headquarters try convince change mind hitler eventually relented relieved command march appeared cover january issue time magazine retreat victory opposite direction dismissal received swords knight cross march handed control model april meeting hitler mountain retreat model adjutant later described scene response paid strategic skills attack operations said use south field marshal model replied believe use strategic means disposal defend soil son lies buried medical leave surgery remove right eye recovered home medical facility dresden suffered infection time danger losing sight day failed july plot assassination attempt hitler life planned military coup état seaside resort baltic met times main conspirators involved conspiracy later said prussian field mutiny placed house surveillance obvious hitler appointing new post bought estate october soon forced abandon soviet forces overran area home evacuated january family took refuge temporarily friends berlin tried audience hitler turned away family continued west germany war europe ended german defeat suffered complications right eye receiving treatment hospital arrested british transferred prisoner war camp near august post war trial moved october held palace justice location major nazi war criminals organisations helped prepare page document defence general staff trial august myth clean events holocaust arose partly result document written largely gave oral testimony treatment prisoners war concept military obedience especially related order issued hitler requiring soviet political shot trial admitted received order said carry documents presented later trial claim actually received regular reports summer execution hundreds political denied knowledge activities testified soldiers command involved murder jewish civilians commander contradicted testimony saying aware happening involved september general staff declared criminal organisations testimony interned british prisoner war known special camp wales awaited decision face war crimes trial kept apart inmates taking solitary walks tending small garden beginning work drafts books british author correspondence visited inmates camps britain preparing best selling book hill admirer german generals described operational genius remained contact later helped arrange publication english edition memoir lost victories british cabinet pressure soviet_union finally decided july prosecute war crimes senior officers adolf transferred await trial died october released medical grounds march trial held hamburg august december faced seventeen charges trial events poland fourteen events soviet_union charges included prisoners war cooperation killing jewish residents welfare civilians earth tactics retreating soviet_union prosecution led senior counsel order signed november based issued build case known genocide order called elimination jewish system harsh punishment claimed remembered asking draft order signing american historians edward davies wrote agreed hitler idea war soviet_union war committed claimed remember signing version severity order defence led prominent lawyer argued order justified partisans jews order calling jews executed justified desire protect men partisan attacks argued compelled orders given sovereign government orders illegal speaking defence stated found nazi racial policy sixteen witnesses testified knowledge involvement genocide called russians arguing showed restraint decent german soldier laws war fighting russians displayed responsible activities unit direct control operating zone command key points trial prosecution claimed duty know activities unit duty stop operations recent scholars including opinion certainly trial found guilty charges sentenced eighteen years prison ensued supporters britain germany lobbied british press germany sentence seen political decision sentence reduced years february published best selling book career trial portrayed honourable soldier fighting despite overwhelming odds eastern convicted crimes commit book helped contribute growing cult surrounding release partly result eye problems result pressure winston_churchill common germany europe period attitude jews roots exposure views actions reflection loyalty hitler nazi regime grounding sense duty based traditional prussian military values criticism hitler based solely disagreements conduct war regime racial policies historians including opinion jewish slavic ancestry officer opposed introduction sent letter protest general commenting volunteered serve armed forces proven worth speculated interested protecting serving concerned possibility distant jewish ancestry carried investigation ancestry report completed results remain unknown hand believed jews linked global conspiracy led jews order stop spread communism necessary remove jews european society order november based reads jewish system wiped allowed invade european living space jewish class beings damage virtue activities nation promote anti german tendencies world revenge survival prevent killing jews civilians areas units operating actively participated aware demonstrated letter sent demands hand murdered jews felt men deserved watches help men work davies note letter time complained activities later stated felt number jews killed holocaust exaggerated post war life memoirs senior officers called blank plans founding german army june spoke giving analysis strategic power considerations country defence spoke country professional army army opinion length service months months idea form reserve force later implemented war memoir lost victories published west_germany translated english worldwide distribution book highly acclaimed best seller critical hitler leadership style historians saw emphasis purely military aspects war ignoring political moral aspects way high command responsibility events holocaust favourable portrayal impact popular opinion centre military cult cast germany greatest generals greatest history described und military cult legend general legendary mythical ability honoured public historians biographers including feel narrow focus military matters exclusion moral issues considered ethical lieutenant general encouraged young german soldiers obedience head state serve nation german people wife moved times release prison living time settling house near munich second volume memoirs soldier life covering period published wife died died stroke night june age surviving german field marshal died july buried military honours funeral attended hundreds soldiers ranks obituary times states influence effect came powers mind depth knowledge generating current troops putting personality magazine saying assisted march blind sense duty awards 1st 2nd class knight cross class friedrich order swords 2nd class september 1st class september order michael brave 2nd class oak leaves swords knight cross july general der commanding general march commander chief march commander chief mentions october july march august
Erich von Manstein