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Erich von Manstein Ablest of Hitler’s Generals ‘The confidence of the man in the ranks rests upon a man’s strength of character.’ Erich von Manstein A Life in Brief Key Battles and Campaigns 1887, November 17 Born in Berlin, adopted by childless Prussian noble family Operation Case Red, France, June 1940 Due to his differences with Halder, Manstein commands XXXVIII Corps (part of Günther von Kluge’s Fourth Army) during the invasion of France, and is only involved in Operation Case Red, the second stage of the campaign to take France. His corps spearheads the advance from the River Somme to the River Loire, and is the first German unit to cross the Seine. 1906 Commissioned as a Prussian Guards officer 1913 Attends War Academy 1914, November Severely wounded on Western Front 1920 Company commander 1935 Head of Operations, Army General Staff 1936 First Quartermaster, Army General Staff 1939 Chief of Staff, Army Group South 1940 Chief of Staff, Army Group A 1941, June Commander, LVI Corps 1941, September Commander, Eleventh Army Manstein was one of the key operational commanders 1942 of World War II, and an outstanding staff officer. Commander, Army Group Don Ancient World Saladin Richard the Lionheart 1943 However, he was not a frontline commander who Commander, Army Group South commanded loyalty and affection from his troops, 1944, March and he shared the lack of strategic vision of many 1973, June 12 other German generals. His accomplishments as a Dismissed by Hitler Dies at Irschenhausen, Bavaria commander are also often exaggerated, notably in his The Crimea, September 1941–July 1942 Manstein ably commands the Eleventh Army during the conquest of the Crimea (September– October 1941); only the port-city of Sevastopol holds out against the German onslaught. Between December 1941 and April 1942 he defends German gains against a surprise Soviet counteroffensive on the Kertsch Peninsula, but the eastern Crimea is lost. He is fortunate to keep his command after this setback, and in May 1942 launches a swift counter-offensive, which routs the Red Army and own memoirs. st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x x recaptures the eastern Crimea in just two weeks. In June Manstein renews his assault on, and finally conquers, Sevastopol. Hitler rewards him by promoting him to field marshal. The Attempted Relief of Stalingrad, December 1942 Manstein takes command of Army Group Don and endeavours, unsuccessfully, to rescue Friedrich Paulus’s Sixth Army encircled at Stalingrad, in Operation Winter Storm. Fourth Panzer Army makes some headway to the beleaguered Axis forces, but is forced to withdraw by enveloping Soviet forces to the north. The Battle of Kharkov, February–March 1943 In a desperate effort to evade being encircled and annihilated by the Soviet advance on Rostov, Manstein effects a strategic withdrawal from the Caucasus into the eastern Ukraine. On 21 February, Manstein launches a stunning counteroffensive, spearheaded by the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division, that routs the Red Army. Kharkov is recaptured on 14 March. Hitler rewards Manstein with the Oak Leaves for his Knight’s Cross. st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x x Manstein’s military career began in the Prussian Guards. In 1913 he attended the War Academy for provided unprecedented opportunity for promotion and aspiring staff officers. Badly wounded in November in July 1935 Manstein became Head of the Operations 1914, he served for the rest of World War I as an Branch in the Army General Staff. In 1938 he received operations officer. After Germany’s defeat he joined a coveted field command of an infantry division, and the Frontier Guard service before becoming a company as war approached he became Chief of Staff of Army commander in the interwar army. Hitler’s rise to power Group South. 250 CAMPAIGNS OF MANSTEIN 1939 – 1943 ARCTIC OCEAN N Narvik Trondheim NORWAY FINLAND SWEDEN Gulf of Bothnia Lake Ladoga Bergen and Oslo f Gul Stockholm inl of F Leningrad ESTONIA North Sea R U S LATVIA Baltic S ea DENMARK Copenhagen U NITED K I NGDOM LITHUANIA S I A Smolensk Russia Minsk S D AN L ER London Hamburg TH B E L A RU S Berlin NE GERM A N Y BELG. POLAND LUX. Paris KAZAKSTAN Warsaw Stalingrad UKRAINE Krakow CZECH. Caspian Sea SLOVAKIA FRANCE AUST R IA SWITZ. MOLDOVA H U N G A RY SLOVENIA RO M A N IA C ROAT IA Sevastopol Belgrade BOSNIAHERZ. I TA LY S PA IN Corsica Rome Adriatic Sea Black Sea YUGOSLAVIA BULG A R IA MACE. ALBANIA Sardinia T U R K E Y GREECE SY R IA Airborne invasion ALGERIA TUNISIA f r i c I R A Q LEBANON Mediterranean Sea ISRAEL a JORDAN L I B Y A EGYPT 251 S AU D I ARABIA Ancient World A Cyprus Crete Saladin Richard the Lionheart Athens Sicily Heinz Guderian (1888–1954) Guderian was a military theorist and self-proclaimed Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet father of the German armoured force of World War Union. As his spearheads neared the outskirts of II. In the 1930s he advocated the employment of Moscow in early December, the advance stalled. concentrated tank forces to restore offensive power Driven back during the Soviet winter counter- to the battlefield. He contributed to the creation offensive, Guderian was subsequently dismissed by of independent Panzer divisions and was a daring Hitler on 26 December. operational field commander in Germany’s brilliant blitzkrieg victories early in the war. In the wake of disastrous defeats at Stalingrad and on the Don, Hitler recalled Guderian on 1 March Guderian led the XIX Motorized Corps in the 1943 as Inspector General of Armoured Forces, in 1939 Polish campaign, crossing the Polish Corridor an effort to revitalize the tank arm. Yet he proved and advancing deep into the enemy rear. During unable to reverse Germany’s mounting defeats. May 1940 he effected the penetration through the After the failed 20 July 1944 assassination plot on Ardennes and forced the River Meuse, leading to the Hitler, Guderian was elevated to acting chief of the isolation and evacuation of the British Expeditionary Army General Staff, where he attempted to halt the Force from Dunkirk. He then led a Panzer group deep Soviet advance on Germany. He masterminded the into the French rear in June 1940 to complete the brief spoiling attack at Arnswalde in February 1945 defeat of France. During the summer of 1941 he led that delayed the final Soviet offensive on Berlin. the Second Panzer Group in dramatic encirclements Increasing disagreements led the Führer to force of Soviet forces at Minsk, Smolensk and Kiev during convalescence leave on Guderian in mid March. st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Ardennes Forest Bouillon GUDERIAN Charleville Mézières Fleigneux Illy St Menges Iges La Chapelle Floing Gaulier Glaire Donchery Fenois Marfée Wood Poix Terron Singly Omicourt La Horgne Connage Bazeilles C h ie r s Chaumont Chéhéry Me u se Bulson Omont Chémery Bouvellemont Givonne Wadelincourt Thélonne Montigny Saladin Richard the Lionheart SEDAN Balan Raucourt Mouzon Maisoncelle BATTLE OF THE MEUSE 13–14 May 1940 252 Stonne Bar Ancient World N Flabas FLAVIGNY La Bagnolle The Years of Conquest Allied intentions of advancing into Belgium to thwart In his role as Chief of Staff, Manstein helped devise the a renewed Schlieffen Plan, leaving them exposed to plan for a concentrated armoured thrust from Silesia envelopment. However, Manstein made enemies while into Poland and on to Warsaw (Operation Case White). advancing his ideas: Halder struck back by posting The invasion of Poland was launched on 1 September him to command a second-wave infantry corps that 1939, and was a great success for the new blitzkrieg only participated late in the campaign. Hitler, however, tactics. promoted Manstein to full general and awarded him During spring 1940, Manstein, now Chief of Staff of Army Group A, proffered a more audacious the Knight’s Cross for devising the plan. In June 1941 Manstein led a corps in the drive on plan for the invasion of France than the original ‘Case Leningrad during Operation Barbarossa, the German Yellow’ proposed by Franz Halder, head of the Army invasion of the Soviet Union. His success led to General Staff. Halder’s plan essentially replicated promotion in September to command the Eleventh the failed Schlieffen Plan of 1914, which sought Army, tasked with conquering the Crimea. His forces to defeat the French Army quickly by an advance broke through the Perekop Isthmus during October through Belgium, before concentrating all resources and by mid November had subdued the peninsula, with on defeating Russia in the east. After intense debate, the exception of the fortified port-city of Sevastopol. and despite much opposition, a modified version Manstein’s first attempt to capture Sevastopol failed, of Manstein’s ‘cut of the sickle’ plan was adopted in and he had to suspend his second in late December February. Manstein envisaged concentrated armoured when Soviet forces landed at Kertsch and recaptured forces negotiating the hilly, forested Ardennes and the Eastern Crimea. Caught unawares by the Soviet forcing the River Meuse, thereby penetrating the Allied counter-offensive, he was fortunate that the divisional front and isolating the British Expeditionary Force commander who failed to hold the isthmus became the from the bulk of the French Army. His plan worked; scapegoat. it achieved strategic surprise, and correctly predicted In May 1942 Manstein launched a new offensive st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x Saladin Richard the Lionheart xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Ancient World 253 Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) Rommel was a dynamic and courageous leader who In July 1943 Hitler appointed Rommel commander was loved by his troops and admired by his enemies. In of Army Group B, which assumed the defence of 1929 he became a military instructor, and his popular northern France and Belgium in November. He text Infantry Attacks! led to appointments as commander energetically prepared to stop the Allies on the beaches of Hitler’s personal escort in 1938 and the 7th Panzer and annihilate them with a rapid armoured counter- Division in 1940. Rommel led the latter with distinction thrust. However, Rommel failed to repulse the June 1944 in the 1940 French campaign, penetrating the country’s invasion and was seriously injured during an air attack. defences and repulsing the Allied counterattack at Arras The involvement of his staff in the 20 July assassination during May, before advancing to Cherbourg in June. In plot against Hitler placed him under suspicion. Hitler February 1941 Hitler entrusted Rommel with a small gave him the choice of being tried for treason or force (which later became the Afrika Korps) to bolster committing suicide. Rommel took his own life on 14 Italian forces in Libya. Rommel pursued an aggresive October 1944, and was buried with full military honours. defence that routed British and Commonwealth forces in two major advances during 1941–42. He broke through at Gazala in May 1942 and stormed Tobruk on 21 June – a feat for which Hitler promoted him to field marshal – before advancing to El Alamein. Montgomery’s Eighth Army wore down Panzer Army Afrika during the Second st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Battle of El Alamein, while Rommel was on sick leave, and then drove Axis forces back to Tunisia. Rommel returned to thwart the Allied attempt to overrun Tunisia during Operation Torch (November 1942), but could not prevent the Axis collapse in Tunisia in May 1943. GAZALA AND THE FALL OF TOBRUK 26 May – 21 June 1942 M e d i t e r r a n e a n XX XX XX Saladin Richard the Lionheart XX Sabratha XX Trento Brescia S e a Tubruq (Tobruk) 1 South African XX Pavia Allied front lines Allied attack Allied retreat Al ’Adam (El Adem) 50 X 150 El Duda Axis movements Major battle site Sidi Rezegh XXX Bardia Minefields Sollum X Pavia N XX Ancient World Gazala XX Ariete 0 0 21 XX X Bi’r al Ghabi (Bir el Gubi) 22 Gabr Saleh XXXX 8 CUNNINGHAM 15 L 25 km I B Y A E 25 miles 254 G Y P T ‘The German generals of this war were the bestfinished product of their profession – anywhere.’ Basil Liddell Hart that ejected the Eastern Crimea within two weeks, paving the way for a lavishly supported assault on Sevastopol. interfered with his plans for a decisive assault on the city. The Tide Turns in the East city, though, it being accomplished by overwhelming On 21 November 1942 Hitler appointed Manstein to firepower. Organized Soviet resistance ceased on 4 July: command the newly formed Army Group Don, tasked however, pockets remained for months after this and with rescuing the encircled Sixth Army at Stalingrad. the price of victory proved high. Hitler was pleased by His relief effort came within 30 miles of the trapped his success, and subsequently dispatched Manstein to army, but Manstein waited too long and failed to capture Leningrad, which had been under siege since rescue it; part of it might possibly have escaped if he September 1941. Here, he thwarted repeated Soviet had ordered the army to break out earlier. Moreover, 255 xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Ancient World There was little finesse to the capture of the port- st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x Saladin Richard the Lionheart Red Army from the attempts to relieve the city, but Soviet spoiling attacks st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Ancient World Saladin Richard the Lionheart The Battle 256 xx xxxx xxx xxx, xxxxx xxxx xxxx Casualties: xxxxx Casualties: xxx, xxxxx Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953) A staff officer throughout World War I, Rundstedt’s increasingly backed Rommel in the controversy willingness to serve as one of Hitler’s senior generals over the counter-invasion strategy and dismissed in the interwar years helped the Nazis win the loyalty Rundstedt on 2 July 1944, following his failure of the Prussian officer corps. Rundstedt retired after to drive the Allies back into the sea at Normandy. the 1938 annexation of the Sudetenland but Hitler However, his seniority and respectability ensured that recalled him as Commander of Army Group South Hitler could never entirely dispose of his services. for the Polish campaign. He then led Army Group Rundstedt was appointed to head the honour court A in the West, where he implemented the deep that dismissed army officers complicit in the 20 penetration of the Ardennes, devised by his chief of July assassination plot, and he was recalled as staff Erich von Manstein. Hitler rewarded Rundstedt Commander-in-Chief West on 4 September 1944. He with promotion to field marshal and gave him oversaw the December 1944 Ardennes offensive, but command of Army Group South during Operation increasingly became a mere conduit for the Führer’s Barbarossa. Rundstedt’s retreat from Rostov, however, orders. Hitler retired him permanently on 11 March led to his dismissal on 1 December 1941. 1945 in the wake of capture of the bridge over the In March 1942 Hitler appointed Rundstedt as River Rhine at Remagen by US troops. Arrested in Commander-in-Chief West, but the Führer’s distrust May by US troops, he remained in Allied custody of Rundstedt’s conservatism ultimately led him to until 1949, but evaded war-crimes prosecution due to appoint Erwin Rommel as his subordinate. Hitler ill health. He died four years later in Hanover. the Soviet thrust toward Rostov forced Manstein to back beyond the River Dnieper. During February abandon his relief effort and to affect a strategic retreat 1944 he rescued only some of the forces isolated in from the Caucasus. the Cherkassy Pocket. Disenchanted with Manstein, During February 1943, Hitler gave Manstein Hitler relieved him during late March, appeasing him operational freedom to arrest the continuing Soviet with the award of the Swords to his Knight’s Cross. advance in the Ukraine. Conducting a delaying defence Manstein anticipated being recalled and continued on his threatened northern flank, he withdrew forces to believe that his military genius could change the from his southern front and launched a devastating strategic situation sufficiently to allow a negotiated counterattack northwards on 21 February that shattered peace; however, he failed to see that the brutality of the the Soviet South-Western Front and recaptured Kharkov Nazi regime made political negotiation highly unlikely. three weeks later, temporarily stabilizing the situation. He was never recalled to service, and at war’s end was Manstein styled this operational technique rochade, arrested in Germany by British troops. after the chess move where a player castles his king. It was his greatest major battlefield accomplishment –yet Later Years he would never repeat this feat. In 1949, having escaped the post-war Nuremberg trials, Lacked strategic vision, Manstein believed he could st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Manstein was convicted of violations of the laws of war by a British military tribunal in Germany, and he operational counter-strikes. He supported Hitler’s ill- served three years in prison. On his release, he became conceived Operation Citadel offensive in July 1943 to a military advisor to the West German government. In pinch off and annihilate Soviet forces astride Kursk. 1955 he published Lost Victories, which would become Thereafter, Manstein’s forces were steadily pushed one of the most widely read World War II memoirs. st Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Caption xxx x xxx xxx Caption Caption Caption Caption xxxxx Caption Saladin Richard the Lionheart turn around the war on the Eastern Front with similar Ancient World 257