Synopses & Reviews
General Heinz Guderians revolutionary strategic vision and his skill in armored combat brough Germany its initial victories during World War II. Combining Guderians land offensive with Luftwaffe attacks, the Nazi Blitzkrieg decimated the defenses of Poland, Norway, Franceand, very neatly, Russiaat the wars outset. But in 1941, when Guderian advised that ground forces should take a step back, Hitler dismissed him. In these pages, the outspoken general shares his candid point of view on what would have led Germany to victory, and what ensured that it didnt. In addition to providing a rare inside look at key members of the Nazi party, Guderian reveals in detail how he developed the Panzer tank forces and orchestrated their various campaigns, from the break through at Sedan to his drive to the Channel coast that virtually decided the Battle of France. Panzer Leaderbecame a bestseller within one year of its original publication in 1952 and has since been recognized as a classic account of the greatest conflict of our time.
Synopsis
Germany's opening run of victory in World War II was only made possible by the panzer forces that Heinz Guderian (1888--1954), the father of modern tank warfare, had created and trained, and by his audacious leading of those forces from 1939 to 1941. Guderian's breakthrough at Sedan and lightning drive to the Channel coast virtually decided the Battle of France. The drive he led into the East came close to producing the complete collapse of Russia's armies, but at the end of 1941 Guderian was dismissed for taking a timely step back instead of pandering to Hitler's illusions. He was recalled to service only when Germany's situation had become desperate, and he was eventually made chief of the General Staff when all had become hopeless. Panzer Leader is a candid and dramatic account of the development and campaigns of the panzer forces that, along with the Luftwaffe, stood at the heart of blitzkrieg; it is also a searing group portrait of the Third Reich's leading personalities as they turned early victory into a protracted, agonizing defeat.
Synopsis
The 50th-anniversary edition of the German general's legendary memoir
About the Author
Heinz Guderian (18881954) rose through the ranks of the German military to become chief of the general staff. He was also the author of Achtung, Panzer! and With the Tanks in the East and West.