Erich von Manstein Germany’s Greatest General During WW2

Hi, and thanks for watching! Join us as we delve into the life of Erich von Manstein, one of the most greatest German Field Marshals of World War II.

This video explores his rise in Hitler’s regime, his fall from grace, and his subsequent arrest and trial. We investigate his controversial role during the war, his relationship with the key figures of the Third Reich, and his perspective on the atrocities committed. We also discuss his role in post-war Germany, including his influence on the Bundeswehr and his best-selling memoir, “Verlorene Siege” (“Lost Victories”). Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more fascinating insights from History Inside

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In military history, few figures stand out as  brilliantly as Erich von Manstein. A master   strategist and a tactical genius, Von Manstein’s  name is synonymous with innovation and cunning   tactics on the battlefield. Join us as we delve  into the life and legacy of this enigmatic  

Military commander who left an indelible mark  on World War II. From his early days in the   German army to his pivotal role in some of the  war’s most iconic battles. Let’s get started. Erich von Manstein was born as Fritz Erich Georg  Eduard von Lewinski in Berlin on November 24,  

1887, into an aristocratic family with a long  tradition of military service. His father,   General Eduard von Lewinski, was  a senior Prussian Army officer and   his mother came from a family of prominent  politicians. Due to his family’s background,   it was expected that von Von Manstein would  follow in their footsteps and join the military.

At the age of 18, he joined the cadet corps at  Lichterfelde near Berlin and later attended the   Prussian Military Academy. He graduated in  1906 and was commissioned as a lieutenant   in the 3rd Foot Guards Regiment. During World  War I, Von Manstein served on both the Eastern  

And Western fronts, rising through the ranks  to become a captain by the end of the war. After Germany’s defeat in World War I,  Von Manstein remained in the military   and was promoted to the rank of major in  1927. He continued to climb the ranks and  

Eventually became a colonel in 1932. It  was during this time that he began to   develop his innovative military strategies,  which would later become his trademark. On the 1st of July 1935 Von Manstein was  appointed as the Head of the Operations  

Branch of the Army General Staff. He would play  a central role in the development of Fall Rot   (Case Red). This strategic plan was designed to  safeguard Germany from potential French attacks. During this time, Von Manstein interacted  with Heinz Guderian and Oswald Lutz,   both strong advocates for a significant  warfare transformation, with a focus  

On the Panzer’s role. Despite the push for  change, some officers, such as Ludwig Beck,   the Chief of the Army General Staff,  opposed such drastic shifts. As a result,   Von Manstein proposed an alternative solution:  the creation of Sturmgeschütze or self-propelled  

Assault guns that would offer robust direct-fire  support for the infantry. These StuG units proved   to be among the most effective and economical  weapons in the German arsenal during World War II Von Manstein’s contributions before and during the  Blitzkrieg were instrumental in shaping the course  

Of the conflict and underlined the effectiveness  of this innovative military doctrine. Before delving into Von Manstein’s role  in the Blitzkrieg, it is essential to   understand the context in which this style of  warfare emerged. The term “Blitzkrieg” refers   to a fast and overwhelming military  offensive characterized by surprise,  

Speed, and the use of combined arms  – infantry, armor, and air support. Von Manstein’s involvement with Blitzkrieg began  well before the outbreak of World War II. Von   Manstein, along with other military thinkers such  as Heinz Guderian and Walther von Brauchitsch,   were instrumental in developing the doctrine  of Blitzkrieg. Their ideas focused on mobility,  

Combined arms warfare, and surprise  attacks to achieve rapid breakthroughs   in enemy lines. Von Manstein’s theories  formed the backbone of this new doctrine,   and his influence on the German  military was substantial. As World War II erupted, Von Manstein’s  theories were put into practice on a grand  

Scale. He was given the command  of the 18th Panzer Division. His   leadership and innovative tactics were  evident during the invasion of Poland   in 1939. The 18th Panzer Division played  a crucial role in the rapid encirclement   and defeat of Polish forces, showcasing  the effectiveness of Blitzkrieg tactics.

Von Manstein’s unit, demonstrated the importance  of well-coordinated mechanized forces and close   air support. One of Von Manstein’s most  famous achievements occurred during the   Battle of France in 1940. He commanded  the German forces that launched a daring   attack through the Ardennes Forest, a  route considered impassable for large,  

Armored formations. This audacious move surprised  and outflanked the French and British defenders,   leading to the quick fall of France. Von  Manstein’s tactics at the Battle of France   highlighted the mobility and audacity  that characterized Blitzkrieg warfare. Von Manstein’s contributions extended beyond the  early victories of the war. He played a key role  

In the planning and execution of Operation  Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union   in 1941. His strategies, particularly in  the battles around Kiev, demonstrated the   application of Blitzkrieg tactics on the Eastern  Front. Von Manstein emphasized the importance of   fluid battlefield control, rapid advances, and  encirclement to disrupt and destroy Soviet forces.

One of the most notable accomplishments  of Von Manstein’s career was the relief   of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad between  December 1942 and January 43. Von Manstein’s   skillful management of limited resources  and his use of mobile counterattacks nearly   turned the tide of the battle. Though ultimately  unsuccessful, the operation showcased his tactical  

Skills and his ability to adapt Blitzkrieg  principles to different situations. In the   most successful German counteroffensive  of the war, his troops regained control   over Kharkov in February 1943. Following this  victory, his forces were forced into retreat. Despite his frequent clashes with Adolf Hitler  on strategy for the Eastern Front, Von Manstein  

Remained steadfast in promoting a flexible, mobile  approach to defence. He was willing to give up   land with the aim of spreading Soviet forces  thinly or provoking them to advance rapidly,   creating an opportunity for German forces  to counterattack and encircle them. However,   Hitler disregarded Von Manstein’s counsel,  keeping to his strategies of holding all  

Positions firmly. Their disagreements  escalated when Von Manstein publicly   suggested Hitler should surrender control of  the army to professional military strategists,   proposing the inception of an Eastern  commander-in-chief role. Hitler repeatedly   dismissed this proposition, fearing it  would undermine his control over Germany Von Von Manstein’s suggestion however raised  concerns within Adolf Hitler’s closest allies  

Like Hermann Göring, Joseph Goebbels, and SS Chief  Heinrich Himmler, who were unwilling to relinquish   any of their authority. Open doubts about Von  Manstein’s loyalty began to arise, particularly   from Heinrich Himmler, who suggested to Adolf  Hitler that Von Manstein, being an idealist and  

A defeatist, was ill-suited for troop command.  Hitler’s patience ran thin with Von Manstein’s   consistent objections, culminating in Hitler  relieving Von Manstein of his command on March 31,   1944. Two days later, Hitler named Walther Model,  a Hitler loyalist, as the new commander of Army  

Group South, thus replacing Von Manstein. Despite  this he was awarded the Swords for his Knight’s   Cross, the third-highest German military honor,  in recognition of his services to the Wehrmacht. Following a surgical procedure, Von Manstein  spent his recovery period both at his residence  

And a medical institution situated in  Dresden. During the unsuccessful 20 July   plot – an assassination attempt on Hitler that  was part of an intended military coup d’état,   Von Manstein was vacationing at a coastal  resort on the Baltic. Despite having had  

Interactions with three of the key plotters –  Claus von Stauffenberg, Henning von Tresckow,   and Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff,  While Von Manstein did agree that change was   necessary he refused to participate in the plot,  as he still considered himself bound by duty. He maintained, “Preussische Feldmarschälle meutern  

Nicht,” a statement indicating that Prussian  field marshals do not partake in mutinies. His apprehension about a potential civil  war also held him back. Though he didn’t   actively participate in the conspiracy,  he chose not to expose them. However,   this did not prevent the Gestapo  from monitoring Von Manstein’s house.

Realizing that Hitler had no intentions  of assigning him a new role, Von Manstein   acquired a property in East Pomerania in October  1944. However, his stay was cut short as he had to   evacuate swiftly when the area was invaded by the  Soviet forces. In the final weeks of January 1945,  

Von Manstein ensured the safety of his  family by moving them to the western   parts of Germany. Eventually, he gave himself  up to the British Field Marshal Montgomery,   leading to his subsequent arrest by  the British forces on August 23, 1945. As a high-ranking officer in the German  military, his capture was significant,  

And he was considered a valuable asset  for gathering information about Nazi war   efforts and operations. Von Manstein, like  many other German military leaders, faced   trial at the Nuremberg Trials. He was charged  with war crimes and crimes against humanity due   to his role in implementing brutal strategies  during the war, including the Commissar Order,  

Which directed the execution of Soviet political  commissars. According to his testimony he received   such order but refused to carry it out. During his trial, Von Manstein argued that   he had merely followed orders and had not been  directly involved in the atrocities committed  

By Nazi forces. During the trials he, he was  questioned about the concentration camps: “Did   you at that time know anything about conditions  in the concentration camps?” His response was:   “No. I heard as little about that as the German  people, or possibly even less, because when one  

Was fighting 1,000 kilometers away from Germany,  one naturally did not hear about such things.” His defense was not entirely successful, and  he was found guilty of war crimes. Von Manstein   was sentenced to 18 years in prison, but he  was released in 1953 due to health concerns.

Following his release, he went on to  counsel the West German government   about the re-founding of its military  force, the Bundeswehr. His war memoir,   Verlorene Siege (Lost Victories), published  in West Germany in 1955, became a best-selling   sensation. It was critical of Hitler and his  leadership approach. Despite its popularity,  

Historians took issue with Von Manstein’s  focus on the military aspects of the war,   overlooking the political and moral implications.  This selective focus was seen as an attempt to   absolve himself and the high command from  any accountability for the Holocaust. As time passed, Von Manstein became  the subject of a “military cult”,  

Lauded as not just one of Germany’s greatest  generals, but one of the best in history. He   was depicted as a military cult  figure and leading personality,   a general of almost mythical prowess, receiving  immense public and scholarly recognition. Erich  

Von Von Manstein passed away in Munich on the  night of June 9, 1973, following a stroke. Well, that’s it for today’s video. We hope  you like it. What do you think? Was Erich   von Von Manstein Hitler’s greatest general?  Leave your thoughts in the comments down below,  

Also don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that  notification bell for more History Inside video’s.