Hitler's Generals [Paperback]

Correlli Barnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1991

With few exceptions, historians of Germany's leadership during WWII have concentrated on Adolf Hitler. This remarkable study probes instead the relationship between Hitler and his generals--men such as Rommel, Beck, and Model. And Hitler's Generals investigates the mystery of how a generation of able commanders came to be seduced step-by-step by Hitler's false patriotism and cunning manipulation. 26 black-and-white photographs; 15 maps.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Correlli Barnett is the author of many distinguished books, among them The Desert Generals, The Sword Bearers and The Collapse of British Power. Since 1977 he has been Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre and a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge. From 1973 to 1985 he was also a member of Council of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Literature and of the Royal Historical Society. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Quill (Harper) (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688103839
• ISBN-13: 978-0688103835
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,911,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary collection of biographical sketches, November 24, 2003

By 

Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hitler's Generals (Paperback)

This is simply a must read for anyone interested in Germany and World War Two. A great companion to `Stalin's Generals' by Shukman(editor), this book tells the stories of every rank of Germanys command in WW II. Separate sections detail the `Anti-Nazi Generals', the `Desk Generals' the Fieldmarshalls the `Battlefront' commanders and the `innovators'. Every German general and military leader is mentioned. From Guderian, the man who created `Blitzkrieg' to Rommell the `Desert Fox to Paulus who surrendered Stalingrad as well as luminaries like Rundstedt and Kesselring.

These wonderful biographical sketches help one understand the diversity in command of Hitler's war machine. The generals ranged from the totally incompetent to dire hard Nazi's to professional soldiers like Rommell. A number of the Generals were captured or killed before the war ended and many were tried for war crimes. A wonderful book, very well written and one that allows you to jump from place to place since each sketch is authored by a separate expert.

Seth J. Frantzman

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Overview, November 19, 2001

By 

DL Simmons (New York) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Hitler's Generals (Paperback)

A couple of reviewers have expressed disappointment in this book because it didn't go more deeply into military strategy, but that is exactly the reason why a more general audience will find this book as interesting as I did. I found myself skimming over the esoteric (read boring) battle details and absorbing the personal ones because they were much more revealing of the men beneath the uniforms. Who would have suspected that the imposing von Rundsteadt once considered being an actor and loved to read mystery novels. This may not be the book for strict tactical historians, but it is a very interesting read for everybody else.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent biographical essays on top German commanders, April 3, 2005

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hitler's Generals (Hardcover)

Hitler's Generals is a collection of biographical essays on 26 of German top military commanders during the Third Reich. They ranged from political generals like Keital to one of the Great Captains of history, von Manstein. Each biographical essay was written by different author who appears to have a in-depth knowledge of their subject. They were able in very few words, gives us a pretty good insights of these German commanders who fought for the Third Reich, some willingly, some unwillingly. The indivdual essays were written on the individual. Anyone looking for in-depth military history lessons should look else where.

I was bit surprised by the latitude of some of these mini-biographies. Josef Sepp Dietrich, for example, appears to have a very much of a professional career, an interesting contrast to many accounts of him I have read in the past which painted him as Hitler's favorite "street thug" who knows nothing of military matter. It was interesting to note that Walter Gorlitz who wrote on General Alfred Jodl who was hung at Nuremberg forgot to mention that the German courts in 1953 exonerated Jodl, only Nuremberg defendant to be clear like that. Important omission considering that Gorlitz wrote rather sympathetically on Jodl. I found these mini-biographies to be insightful, interesting and entertaining reading material. A lot of information here without weighting you down with details.

An excellent book which gives you a quick study of top men Hitler relied upon to wage war in Europe.