Most military historians are in agreement that Feldmarschall Erich von Manstein was the most outstanding German high commander of the Second World War. Many view him as the foremost exponent of large-scale mobile operations in any of the Second World War armies.
Surprisingly, no biography of him has yet been written. To this day, his family refuses to release the papers of his estate to the German military archives at Freiburg. Furthermore the contradictions in the personality of von Manstein make it difficult to generate a synthesis. On one side there is an extraordinary military talent, on the other many political and moral aspects. His military achievements stand in sharp contrast to his inhumane policy of occupation in Russia, his active participation in the slaughter of Jews in Southern Ukraine and the Crimea and his ambivalent attitude to the military resistance movement.
These contradictions have led the author to describe Manstein as 'the Janushead' - the term chosen for the title of the book. He has not written a traditional biography but a portrait.
A complete account of all phases of Manstein's career is given in one chapter, seven more chapters deal extensively with milestones in Manstein's career: his successful plan for the battle of France which led to the defeat of the French Army in less than one month, his dereliction of duty during the battle for Stalingrad, his hubris which led to the disaster of the battle for Kursk, his refusal to take part in the military resistance movement, his compliance with the Commissar order and his involvement in the Holocaust.
The author has widened the subject well beyond the personality of its central figure. It shows how the Nazi system, step by step, succeeded in perverting the centuries-old traditions of the Prussian and German officer corps. Thus, an additional number of German generals are treated in detail to illustrate how moral decrepitude progressively penetrated the highest levels of the armed forces.
This is a very important book, not just because of its up-to-date treatment of von Manstein, a personality who very much requires such an examination, but also due to its wide-ranging and original examination of the Second World War German officer corps at the highest levels.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Marcel Stein specializes in World War II history.
"...well worth reading to place Manstein’s operational brilliance in a broader moral perspective." (Journal of Slavic Military Studies)
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
US$ 4.00
Within U.S.A.
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00058262583
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: R Bookmark, Youngtown, AZ, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Used - Acceptable. Dust Jacket Condition: Fair. Boards have shelf wear. Dust jacket has shelf wear. Writing on the inside cover. Seller Inventory # 269013
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Best and Fastest Books, Wantage, NJ, U.S.A.
Condition: VeryGood. Well ket copy, with jacket, tight and unmarked, little wear. Fast Shipping - Safe and Secure Bubble Mailer!. Seller Inventory # 1M5GSB0008HH_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Irolita Books, Aurora, ON, Canada
Hardcover. Condition: VERY GOOD. Dust Jacket Condition: VERY GOOD. Slight shelfwear. Dust jacket is protected in new archival mylar. 436 pages. -- Please feel free to ask for additional information, or detailed photos. Ships in sturdy cardboard packaging, with tracking. US orders ship USPS from Niagara Falls, NY. Canadian orders ship from Ontario. Seller Inventory # 12780
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Irish Booksellers, Portland, ME, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 1906033021-R
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: GoldBooks, Denver, CO, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: very good. Very Good Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think_very_1906033021
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: GoldenDragon, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: very good. Very Good Copy. Fast Shipment. Seller Inventory # SilverDragon1906033021
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Anitabooks, HEREFORD, United Kingdom
Hard Back. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 2007. HARDBACK. A VERY GOOD BOOK IN A TIDY DUST JACKET. PREVIOUS OWNERS NAME AND ADDRESS ON FRONT BLANK END PAPER, OTHERWISE VERY GOOD WITH NICE BRIGHT PAGES. POSTED FROM THE UK IN 1-2 WORKING DAYS, IN A PROTECTIVE CARD WRAP. Seller Inventory # 040143
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Voltaire and Rousseau Bookshop, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. (ref. PP6) with clean Dj and throughout; fore edges are relatively clean with some markings. Seller Inventory # ABE-1659629231652
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Der Buchfreund, Wien, Austria
Original-Pappband. Condition: gut erhalten. Dust Jacket Condition: Gut. gr8 Original-Pappband en 436 pp. Schutzumschlag: Gut. Seller Inventory # 2024165
Quantity: 1 available