Erich von "The Strategist" Manstein (24 November 1887 – 9 June 1973) was one of the most prominent commanders of the Wehrmacht, Nazi Germany's armed forces during the Second World War. Attaining the rank of field marshal, he was held in high esteem by both the Axis powers and the Allies as one of Germany's best military strategists and field commanders.
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 several fronts during the First World War. He rose to the rank of captain by the end of the war and was active in the inter-war period helping Germany rebuild her armed forces. During the invasion of Poland at the outbreak of the Second World War, he was serving as Chief of Staff to Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South. Hitler chose Manstein's strategy for the invasion of France, a plan later refined by Franz Halder and other members of the OKH.
Anticipating a firm Allied reaction should the main thrust of the invasion take place through the Netherlands, Manstein devised an innovative tactic—later known as the Sichelschnitt ("sickle cut")—that called for an attack through the woods of the Ardennes and a rapid drive to the English Channel, thus cutting off the French and Allied armies in Belgium and Flanders. Attaining the rank of general at the end of the campaign, he was active in the invasion of the Soviet Union and the Siege of Sevastopol, and was promoted to field marshal on 1 July 1942. He also participated in the Siege of Leningrad.
It is interesting that the opening photo of the film clip shows a SS Obersturmfuhrer from Der Fuhrer Div. Manstein was a brilliant fellow, but strictly Wehrmacht Heeres (regular German Army). I haven't watched all of the film, but what I saw looks good. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteWell, you sure know more then I do.:)I thought excellent, but at the end they state he was a military genius, but a moral failure. He was an old school Prussian officer and saying he should have urged an end to the war is ridiculous as Hitler would never have agreed.
Delete