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Paperback Death of the Wehrmacht: The German Campaigns of 1942 Book

ISBN: 0700617914

ISBN13: 9780700617913

Death of the Wehrmacht: The German Campaigns of 1942 (Modern War Studies)

(Part of the The Wehrmacht Series)

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Book Overview

For Hitler and the German military, 1942 was a key turning point of World War II, as an overstretched but still lethal Wehrmacht replaced brilliant victories and huge territorial gains with stalemates and strategic retreats. In this major reevaluation of that crucial year, Robert Citino shows that the German army's emerging woes were rooted as much in its addiction to the "war of movement"--attempts to smash the enemy in "short and lively" campaigns--as they were in Hitler's deeply flawed management of the war.

From the overwhelming operational victories at Kerch and Kharkov in May to the catastrophic defeats at El Alamein and Stalingrad, Death of the Wehrmacht offers an eye-opening new view of that decisive year. Building upon his widely respected critique in The German Way of War, Citino shows how the campaigns of 1942 fit within the centuries-old patterns of Prussian/German warmaking and ultimately doomed Hitler's expansionist ambitions. He examines every major campaign and battle in the Russian and North African theaters throughout the year to assess how a military geared to quick and decisive victories coped when the tide turned against it.

Citino also reconstructs the German generals' view of the war and illuminates the multiple contingencies that might have produced more favorable results. In addition, he cites the fatal extreme aggressiveness of German commanders like Erwin Rommel and assesses how the German system of command and its commitment to the "independence of subordinate commanders" suffered under the thumb of Hitler and chief of staff General Franz Halder.

More than the turning point of a war, 1942 marked the death of a very old and traditional pattern of warmaking, with the classic "German way of war" unable to meet the challenges of the twentieth century. Blending masterly research with a gripping narrative, Citino's remarkable work provides a fresh and revealing look at how one of history's most powerful armies began to founder in its quest for world domination.

Customer Reviews

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Rated 5 stars
An extraordinary contribution to the literature on the topic

In this text Professor Citino, although covering the German campaigns of 1942 in Russia and North Africa, does not make those activities the primary focus, per se, of his book. The books purpose is to provide perspective into historical German military history relative to what it has been from Napoleonic Wars. The book is actually more a part of a series as opposed to a stand-alone text. it is meant more of sequel to his "The...

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Rated 5 stars
Death of the Wehrmacht

Citino highlights operational manoeuvre as the Wehrmacht's early ace card supplemented by decision making that was devolved to officers in the field. This was a winning formula until the Allies superior materiel capabilities with their effective use of combined forces overwhelmed the German armies in North Africa and the Soviet Union. Ultimately, and most interestingly, Citino underscores the true folly of Hitler's adventures...

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Rated 5 stars
Fresh and interesting

Cetino is a master at his craft. His knowledge is deep and his research is thorough. I really enjoyed his book. He is not in the usual vein of triumphalist American authors. He places blame and credit where it is due and he is even handed in his assessment of all participants. His selection of campaigns is the key to his success and his discourse on why the Germans fought the way they did and why the Russians and the British...

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Rated 5 stars
an important addition to WWII historiography

To get the full benefit of this outstanding work, I recommend the reader first review the author's earlier work, The German Way of War. In that volume, he analyzes the Prussian/German emphasis in its military history, service schools, traditions, and practices of focus on operational skills. Considering its Geographic location, its military goal was to execute quick, decisive wars which implied aggressive attack. While...

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