Erich von Manstein
24 November 1887 (1887-11-24) – 9 June 1973 (aged 85)
Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein
Place of birth	Berlin, Germany
Place of death	Irschenhausen, Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany Federal Republic of Germany
Years of service	1906–1944
Rank	Generalfeldmarschall
Commands held	18th Infantry Division 38th Corps 56th Panzer Corps 11th Army Army Group Don Army Group South
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Sevastopol Siege of Leningrad Battle of Stalingrad Third Battle of Kharkov Battle of Kursk Dnieper Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Relations	Eduard von Lewinski
Other work	Served as senior defence advisor to the West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer

Erich von Manstein (November 24, 1887–June 9, 1973) served the German military as a lifelong professional soldier. Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Icking is a municipality in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in Bavaria in Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall German 18th Infantry Division (September 1939 &ndash November 1940) Redesignated German 18th Motorised Infantry Division (November 1940 Army Group Don was a short-lived German army group during World War II. Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Invasion of Poland (1939 precipitated World War II. It was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small German-allied In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II The Siege of Leningrad, also known as The Leningrad Blockade ( Russian: блокада Ленинграда ( transliteration: blokada Leningrada The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov ( The Battle of Kursk (Курская битва refers to a series of German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front of World War II The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross Eduard Julius Ludwig von Lewinski ( 22 February 1829 &ndash 17 September 1906) was a Prussian General. Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer ( 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967 was a German Statesman. Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Nazi Germany's armed forces (Wehrmacht). Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 During World War II he attained the rank of Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) and was held in high esteem by his fellow officers as one of the Wehrmacht's best military minds. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall

He was the initiator and one of the planners of the Ardennes-offensive alternative in the invasion of France in 1940. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries He received acclaim from the Nazi-German leadership for the victorious battles of Perekop Isthmus, Kerch, Sevastopol and Kharkov. The Isthmus of Perekop (Перекопський перешийок translit Kerch (Керч Керчь Keriç Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ Ancient Greek: Pantikapaion) is a city (2001 pop 157000 on the Kerch Peninsula Sevastopol ( see pronunciation below) is a port city in Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea Peninsula Kharkiv or Kharkov (Харків Харьков is the second largest city in Ukraine. He commanded the failed relief effort at Stalingrad and the Cherkassy pocket evacuation. The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the The Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket took place from 24 January 1944 until 16 February 1944 He was dismissed from service by Adolf Hitler in March 1944, due to his frequent clashes with Hitler over military strategy. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately

In 1949, he was brought on trial in Hamburg for war crimes, which convicted him of "Neglecting to protect civilian lives" and for using scorched earth tactics denying vital food supplies to the local population. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, which was later reduced to 12. Although claiming to not know about the Holocaust, von Manstein nevertheless showed a callous disregard for the plights of Jews, equating partisans and Jews and advocating harsh measures against both. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as After release from British prison in 1953, he became a military advisor for the West German Government. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (

Early life

Von Manstein was born Fritz Erich von Lewinski in Berlin, the tenth child of a Prussian aristocrat, artillery general Eduard von Lewinski (1829–1906), and Helene von Sperling (1847–1910). Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Eduard Julius Ludwig von Lewinski ( 22 February 1829 &ndash 17 September 1906) was a Prussian General. Hedwig von Sperling (1852–1925), Helene's younger sister, married Lieutenant General Georg von Manstein (1844–1913). The couple were not able to have children, so it was decided that this tenth, unborn child would be adopted by his uncle and aunt. When he was born, the Lewinskis sent a telegram to the von Mansteins which stated: You got a healthy boy today. Mother and child well. Congratulations. (von Manstein, E. : Soldat im 20. Jahrhundert, 5th Ed. , 2002, p. 10).

Not only were both Erich von Manstein's real and adopted father Prussian Generals, but his mother's brother and both his grandfathers had also been Prussian Generals (one of them leading a corps in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71). The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 In addition, he was closely related to Paul von Hindenburg, the future Generalfeldmarschall and President of Germany. Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg ( known universally as Paul von Hindenburg ( ( October 2, 1847 &ndash August 2 Thus, his career in the Prussian army was assured from birth. He attended the Lycée in Strasbourg (1894–99), a territory which had become part of the German Empire after the war of 1870–71. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification He spent six years in the cadet corps (1900–1906), in Plön and Groß-Lichterfelde and joined the Third Foot Guards Regiment (Garde zu Fuß) in March 1906 as an ensign. Plön (ˈpløːn is the district seat of the Plön district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and has about 13000 inhabitants He was promoted to Lieutenant in January 1907, and in October 1913, he entered the War Academy.

Middle years

World War

During World War I, von Manstein served on both the German Western Front (Belgium/France 1916: Attack on Verdun, 1917–18: Champagne) and the Eastern Front (1915: North Poland, 1915–16: Serbia, 1917: Estonia). World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Battle of Verdun was one of the most critical battles in World War I on the Western Front, fought between the German and French Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and primarily Eastern Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region In Poland, he was severely wounded in November 1914. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland He returned to duty in 1915, was promoted to captain and remained as a staff officer until the end of the war. In 1918, he volunteered for the staff position in the Frontier Defense Force in Breslau (Wroclaw) and served there until 1919. Wrocław (Breslau Vratislav Vratislavia or Wratislavia Yiddish: ברעסלוי) is the chief City of the historical region of Lower Silesia

Inter-war era

Von Manstein married Jutta Sibylle von Loesch, the daughter of a Silesian landowner in 1920. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar She died in 1966. They had three children: a daughter named Gisela, and two sons, Gero (b. December 31, 1922) and Rüdiger. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Their elder son Gero died on the battlefield in the northern sector of the Eastern Front on October 29, 1942. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Von Manstein stayed in the military after the war. In the 1920s, he took part in the creation of the Reichswehr, the German Army of the Weimar Republic (restricted to 100,000 men by the Versailles Treaty). The Reichswehr ( German for "National Defence" formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935 when it was The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. He was appointed company commander in 1920, and later battalion commander in 1922. In 1927, he was promoted to Major, and began serving with the General Staff, visiting other countries to learn about their military. In 1933, the Nazi party rose to power in Germany, ending the Weimar era. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The new regime renounced the Versailles Treaty and proceeded with large scale rearmament and expansion of the military.

On July 1, 1935, von Manstein was made the Head of Operations Branch of the Army General Staff (Generalstab des Heeres), part of the Army High Command (OKH). "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH was Germany 's Army High Command from 1936 to 1945 The Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH was Germany 's Army High Command from 1936 to 1945 During his tenure, he proposed the development of Sturmgeschütz, self-propelled assault guns that would provide heavy direct-fire support to infantry, relieving the mobile tank forces of this responsibility. Sturmgeschütz is a German word for " Assault gun " usually abbreviated StuG. In World War II, the resulting StuG series would prove to be one of the most successful and cost-effective German weapons.

He was promoted on October 1, 1936, becoming the Deputy Chief of Staff (Oberquartiermeister I ) to the Chief of the Army General Staff, General Ludwig Beck. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ludwig August Theodor Beck (29 June 1880 &ndash 21 July 1944 was a German General and the Chief of the General Staff of the Oberkommando des Heeres Von Manstein initially supported Beck in resisting the political influence of the Nazi Party in the army, at one point going so far as to issue a memorandum calling for an end to racial indoctrination in the army, but he soon changed tack. Later, von Manstein maintained that the OKH should refrain from interceding in political matters and even in matters of higher strategy, claiming that these matters were Hitler's responsibility. The General Staff's task, he argued, was to produce the operational planning necessary to realize Hitler's goals and no more. Beck was inevitably distressed by this and severed relations with von Manstein, dismissing him as "not a man of bad character, but a man of no character at all". On February 4, 1938, von Manstein was appointed commander of the 18th Infantry Division in Liegnitz, Silesia with the rank of Generalleutnant. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. German 18th Infantry Division (September 1939 &ndash November 1940) Redesignated German 18th Motorised Infantry Division (November 1940 Legnica (Liegnitz is a City on the Kaczawa river in Lower Silesia in south-western Poland. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people Please see " General " for other countries which use this rank General (genəˈraːl is presently the highest rank

World War II

Poland

Main article: Fall Weiß (1939)

On August 18, 1939, in preparation for Operation Fall Weiß, the German invasion of Poland, von Manstein was appointed Chief of Staff to Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group South. Fall Weiss ("Case White" German spelling Fall Weiß) was a German strategic plan for a war with Poland prepared before 1939 and Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fall Weiss ("Case White" German spelling Fall Weiß) was a German strategic plan for a war with Poland prepared before 1939 and The Invasion of Poland (1939 precipitated World War II. It was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small German-allied Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Here he worked along with von Rundstedt’s Chief of Operations, Colonel Günther Blumentritt in the development of the operational plan. Günther Blumentritt ( February 10, 1897 &ndash October 12, 1967) was a German general during World War II Von Rundstedt accepted von Manstein’s plan calling for the concentration of the majority of the army group’s armored units into Walther von Reichenau’s 10th Army, with the objective of a decisive breakthrough which would lead to the encirclement of Polish forces west of the Vistula River. Walter von Reichenau ( October 8, 1884 &ndash January 17, 1942) was a German Generalfeldmarschall. In von Manstein’s plan, two other armies comprising Army Group South, Wilhelm List’s 14th Army and Johannes Blaskowitz’s 8th Army, were to provide the flank support for Reichenau’s armored thrust towards Warsaw, the Polish capital. Siegmund Wilhelm List ( May 14, 1880 &ndash August 17, 1971) was a German Field marshal during World War II Johannes Blaskowitz ( 10 July 1883 - 5 February 1948) was a German general during World War II. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Privately, von Manstein was lukewarm about the Polish campaign, thinking that it would be better to keep Poland as a buffer between Germany and the Soviet Union. He also worried about an Allied attack on the West Wall once the Polish campaign started, thus drawing Germany into a two-front war. The original Siegfried line ( Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916-1917

Launched on September 1, 1939, the invasion began successfully. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In Army Group South’s area of responsibility, armored units of the 10th Army pursued the retreating Poles, giving them no time to set up a defense. The 8th Army prevented the isolated Polish troop concentrations in Łódź, Radom and Poznań from merging into a cohesive force. Łódź is Poland 's third largest city with population of 753192 in 2007 (lost its second rank to Krakow in 2007 Radom is a city in central Poland with 227309 inhabitants It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Poznań Lublin Voivodeship This article is about the city in Poland Deviating from the original plan that called for heading straight for the Vistula and then proceeding to Warsaw, von Manstein persuaded von Rundstedt to encircle the Polish units in the Radom area. Radom is a city in central Poland with 227309 inhabitants It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian The plan succeeded, clearing the bulk of Polish resistance from the southern approach to Warsaw.

France

Main article: Battle of France

On September 27, 1939, Warsaw formally surrendered, although isolated pockets of resistance remained. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. That same day, Hitler ordered the Army High Command, led by General Franz Halder, to develop a plan for action in the west against France and the Low Countries. Franz Ritter Halder ( June 30 1884 &ndash April 2 1972) was a German General and the head of the Army General This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt The different plans that the General Staff suggested were given to von Manstein and Gerd von Rundstedt and together they formalised an alternative plan for Fall Gelb (Case Yellow). Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries This plan received Hitler's attention in February 1940 and finally his agreement.

By late October, the bulk of the German Army was redeployed to the west. Von Manstein was made Chief of Staff of von Rundstedt’s Army Group A in western Germany. Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Like many of the army's younger officers, von Manstein opposed Fall Gelb, criticizing it for its lack of ability to deliver strategic results and the uninspired utilization of the armored forces, which may have come from OKH's inability to influence Hitler's planning. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Von Manstein pointed out that a repeat of the Schlieffen Plan, with the attack directed through Belgium, was something the Allies expected, as they were already moving strong forces into the area. For the French counter-plan see Plan XVII The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff 's early 20th century overall strategic The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Bad weather in the area caused the attack to be cancelled several times and eventually delayed into the spring.

During the autumn, Von Manstein, with the informal cooperation of Heinz Guderian, developed his own plan; he suggested that the panzer divisions attack through the wooded hills of the Ardennes where no one would expect them, then establish bridgeheads on the Meuse River and rapidly drive to the English Channel. Heinz Wilhelm Guderian ( 17 June, 1888 – 14 May, 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German For the political subdivision of France see Ardennes (department. The Meuse (in Dutch and in German: "Maas" in Latin: "Mosa" in Celtic:"Mus" (the rootword presumingly The Germans would thus cut off the French and Allied armies in Belgium and Flanders. Von Manstein's proposal also contained a second thrust, outflanking the Maginot Line, which would have allowed the Germans to force any future defensive line much further south. The Maginot Line (IPA, Ligne Maginot named after French Minister of Defense André Maginot, was a line of concrete Fortifications tank obstacles artillery This second thrust would perhaps have avoided the need for the Fall Rot second stage of the Battle of France (Von Manstein, 2004). During World War II, Fall Rot ( Case Red in German was the second phase of the conquest of France by the German Army begun on 5 June, 1940 The plan was after the event nicknamed Sichelschnitt (sickle cut).

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht originally rejected the proposal. For other uses of OKW see OKW (disambiguation. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht ( OKW) ( English: "High Command Halder had von Manstein removed from von Rundstedt's headquarters and sent to the east to command the 38th Army Corps. But Hitler, looking for a more aggressive plan, approved a modified version of von Manstein's ideas, which today is known as the Manstein Plan. The Manstein Plan was the primary War Plan of the German Army during the Battle of France in 1940. This modified version, formulated by Halder, did not contain the second thrust. Von Manstein and his corps played a minor role during the operations in France, serving under Günther von Kluge's 4th Army. Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. However, it was his corps which helped to achieve the first breakthrough during Fall Rot, east of Amiens, and was the first to reach and cross the River Seine. Amiens (amjɛ̃ is a city and commune in northern France, 120 km north of Paris. The Seine (sɛn in French) is a slow flowing major River and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie The invasion was an outstanding military success and von Manstein was promoted to full general and awarded the Knight's Cross for suggesting the plan. Please see " General " for other countries which use this rank General (genəˈraːl is presently the highest rank The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross

Barbarossa

Main article: Operation Barbarossa

In February 1941, von Manstein was appointed commander of the 56th Panzer Corps. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II He became involved in Operation Barbarossa, serving under General Erich Hoepner. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II Erich Hoepner ( September 14, 1886 &ndash August 8, 1944) was a German General in World War II. Attacking on June 22, 1941, von Manstein advanced more than 100 miles in only two days and seized two vital bridges over the Dvina River at Dvinsk. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Daugavpils (daugavpils) is the second largest City in Latvia.

Crimea and the Battle of Sevastopol

Main article: Battle of Sevastopol

In September 1941, von Manstein was appointed commander of the 11th Army. Its previous commander, Colonel-General Eugen Ritter von Schobert, had perished when his plane landed in a Russian minefield. Eugen Ritter von Schobert ( March 13, 1883 &ndash September 12, 1941) was a German General who served in World The 11th Army was tasked with invading the Crimea, capturing Sevastopol and pursuing enemy forces on the flank of Army Group South during its advance into Russia [Von Manstein, (2004)]. Crimea (kraɪˈmiːə or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Крим Автономна Республіка Крим Avtonomna Respublika Krym; Крым Sevastopol ( see pronunciation below) is a port city in Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea Peninsula

After the initial German breakthrough, the rest of the Perekop area had to be secured. After ten days of fighting, the Soviet line was overrun on 28 October. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine The Germans quickly seized control over the whole peninsula, and by 17 November, only the city of Sevastopol held out. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Sevastopol ( see pronunciation below) is a port city in Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea Peninsula

The attack on Sevastopol began October 30, 1941 but failed and on December 21, just as the Germans were preparing for their last push, the Soviets launched a spoiling attack, forcing them back. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Shortly thereafter the Soviet winter offensive began, producing the Wehrmacht's so-called "Winter Crisis. "

Just over a week later, on December 26, 1941, the Soviets landed on the Kerch straits, and on December 30, executed another landing near Theodosia. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cimmerian Bosporus redirects here For the ancient state see Bosporan Kingdom; for its rulers see Kings of Cimmerian Bosporus. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Only a hurried withdrawal from the Kerch straits, in contravention of Manstein's orders, by 46 Infantry Division under General Hans Graf von Sponecks command prevented a collapse of the eastern part of the Crimea, although the division lost most of its heavy equipment. Hans Graf von Sponeck or Hans Emil Otto Graf Sponeck ( January 12, 1888 – July 23, 1944) was a German General-Leutnant This situation forced von Manstein to cancel a resumption of the attack on Sevastopol and send most of his forces east to destroy the Soviet bridgehead. The situation was stabilised by late April 1942.

Operation Trappenjagd, launched on May 8, 1942, aimed at expelling the Russian forces from the Kerch peninsula. Battle of the Kerch Peninsula (Unternehmen Trappenjagd was a World War II offensive by German and Romanian armies against the Soviet Crimean Front forces defending Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. After feinting against the north, the 11th army attacked south, and the Soviets were soon reduced to fleeing for the Kerch straits. The operation was completed successfully on 18 May. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine.

With months delay von Manstein turned his attention once more towards the capture of Sevastopol, a battle in which Germany would use some of the largest guns ever built. Along with large numbers of regular artillery pieces, super-heavy 600mm mortars and the 800mm "Dora" railway gun were brought in for the assault. Schwerer Gustav (English Heavy Gustav) and Dora were the names of the German 80 cm K (E Railway guns They were developed in The furious barrage began on the morning of June 7, 1942, and all of the resources of the Luftwaffe's Luftflotte 4, commanded by Wolfram von Richthofen, descended on their targets, continuing for five days before the main assault began. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force.

The outer defensive rings were breached by June 16, 1942, and on July 4, 1942 Sevastopol fell. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hitler, delighted at hearing the good news, phoned von Manstein and commended him as "The Conqueror of Sevastopol", informing him that he had ordered von Manstein's promotion to Generalfeldmarschall. Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall

Leningrad

Main article: Siege of Leningrad

After the capture of Sevastopol the German high command felt that any city could be taken with a determined enough attack, and von Manstein was seen as the right man to finally break Leningrad, which had been under siege from autumn the previous year. The Siege of Leningrad, also known as The Leningrad Blockade ( Russian: блокада Ленинграда ( transliteration: blokada Leningrada Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Von Manstein, with elements of the 11th Army, was transferred to the Leningrad front to lead Operation Nordlicht, which was hoped to be the final capture of the city, set to launch on September 15, 1942. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Operation Nordlicht ("Operation Northern Lights" refers to two German military operations during the World War II Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hitler was confident that with considerable amounts of artillery and the new Tiger tank this operation would finally break the determined Soviet defense; von Manstein, on the other hand, was more pessimistic, arguing that a simultaneous attack in the north by the Finns would be needed. The terms Finns and Finnish people ( Finnish: suomalaiset, Swedish: finländare) are used in English to

On August 27, 1942 the Soviets launched a spoiling attack against Georg Lindemann’s 18th Army in the narrow German salient west of Lake Ladoga. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Georg Lindemann ( 8 March 1884 &ndash 25 September 1963) was a German Cavalry officer and Field The 18th Army (German 18 Armee) was a World War II Field army. Lake Ladoga (Лáдожское Óзеро Ladozhskoye Ozero; Laatokka is a Freshwater Lake located in Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Von Manstein was forced to divert his forces in order to avoid catastrophe. A series of bitter battles ensued, in which von Manstein's smaller forces managed to outmaneuver the larger Soviet forces, which lost over 60,000 men over the course of the next few months. This meant, however, that the Germans were not able to execute a decisive assault on Leningrad, and the siege continued into 1943.

Stalingrad

Main article: Battle of Stalingrad

On February 17, 1943, under heavy security, Hitler flew in to Army Group South's headquarters at Zaporozh'ye, Ukraine; just 30 miles away from the front-line. The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Zaporizhia, also referred to as Zaporozhye (Запоріжжя translit Seen here, Generalfeldmarschall von Manstein is greeting Hitler on the local airfield; on the right are Hans Baur and the Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram von Richthofen

On November 21, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, Adolf Hitler appointed von Manstein commander of the newly-created Army Group Don (Heeresgruppe Don), consisting of a hastily assembled group of tired men and machines, and ordered him to lead Operation Wintergewitter (Winter Storm), the rescue effort by Hermann Hoth's 4th Panzer Army and auxiliary Romanian troops to relieve the 6th Army of Friedrich Paulus trapped inside Stalingrad. Hans Baur ( June 19, 1897 &ndash February 17, 1993) was German dictator Adolf Hitler 's pilot during his political campaigns Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the Army Group Don was a short-lived German army group during World War II. This article is about Operation Wintergewitter - Eastern Front. Hermann "Papa" Hoth ( 12 April 1885 - 25 January 1971) was an officer in the German Military from The 4th Panzer Army (German 4Panzer-Armee) was before being designated a full army the Panzer Group 4 ( Panzergruppe 4) a German Panzer Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The 6th Army was a German Field army which saw action in World War I and World War II. Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus ( 23 September 1890 &ndash 1 February 1957) was an officer in the German Military Wintergewitter, launched on December 12, achieved some initial success and von Manstein got his three panzer divisions and supporting units of the 57th Panzer Corps(comprising the 23rd Panzer Grenadier Division, and the 6th and 17th Panzer Divisions) within 30 miles of Stalingrad by December 20. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian 1leichte-Brigade 1leichte-Division 6Panzer-Division The German 1st Light Brigade was a mechanized unit established in October 1937 in imitation 17th Panzer Division was formed on November 1940 from 27th Infantry Division. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. However, the corps was halted at the River Aksay, and strong Russian forces eventually pushed them back. Aksay (Аксай is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Don River, 18 km north-east of

At this point, von Manstein pleaded for the 6th Army to attempt to break out of the city, but Paulus refused, since Hitler flatly refused to issue such an order, and instead ordered the 6th Army to stay in the besieged city. It is doubtful that the 6th Army had the strength to launch the offensive operations needed to break through the Soviet lines. The 6th Army was short of fuel for its tanks and trucks, and short of food for its soldiers. Some argue the defeat at Stalingrad was due to a mistaken decision by Hitler to refuse the 6th Army permission to break out. However, the Red Army had to devote a number of their own armies in order to contain the 6th Army—forces that otherwise would probably have been used to devastating effect at other points of the weakened German front. It remains debatable whether the fate of 6th Army was more beneficial or detrimental to the Eastern Front on a strategic level.

Operation Saturn, a massive Red Army offensive in the southernmost part of the front, aimed at capturing Rostov and thus cutting off the German Army Group A, which was still withdrawing from the Caucasus, forced von Manstein to divert his forces to help hard-pressed Army Group A, in its retreat to Ukraine, thus avoiding the collapse of the entire front. Operation Saturn was a Red Army operation on the Eastern Front of World War II that led to battles in The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Rostov-on-Don (Росто́в-на-Дону́ Rostov-na-Donu rɐ'stof nə dɐ'nu is the city and the administrative center of Rostov Oblast and the Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The attack also prevented the 48th Panzer Corps (comprising the 336th Infantry Division, the 3rd Luftwaffe Field Division, and the 11th Panzer Division), under the command of General Otto von Knobelsdorff, from joining up with the 57th Panzer Corps as planned. Otto von Knobelsdorff ( 31 March 1886 &ndash 21 October 1966) was a German General who commanded armored Panzer Instead, the 48th Panzer Corps held a line along the River Chir, beating off successive Russian attacks. General Hermann Balck used the 11th Panzer Division to counterattack Russian salients. Hermann Balck ( December 7, 1893 &ndash November 29, 1982) was a General in Nazi Germany 's Wehrmacht during But the Romanian, Italian, and Hungarian armies on the flanks were overwhelmed, and the 48th Panzer Corps was forced to retreat. As a result, the remnants of the 4th Panzer Army retreated, as its northern flank was exposed by the loss of the Don.

Kharkov Operation

Main article: Third Battle of Kharkov

By early February, the German forces began to regroup. The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov ( Von Manstein's Army Group Don combined with Army Group B and was made into the new Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd), which was led by von Manstein. Army Group Don was a short-lived German army group during World War II. Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. On February 21, 1943, he launched a counteroffensive into the overextended Soviet flank. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The assault proved a major success; von Manstein's troops advanced rapidly, isolating Soviet forward units and forcing the Red Army to halt most of its offensive operations. By March 2, tank spearheads from Hoth's 4th Panzer Army and Army Detachment Kempf met, cutting off large portions of the Soviet Southwest Front, and by March 9, the Wehrmacht had inflicted a heavy defeat on the Soviets at Krasnograd and Barvenkovo. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Krasnohrad (Красноград is a city in Kharkiv Oblast ( province) of Ukraine. An estimated 23,000 Soviet soldiers were killed and a further 9,000 were captured. Additionally, 615 Soviet tanks and 354 guns were captured.

Von Manstein then pushed forward, his effort spearheaded by Paul Hausser's 2nd SS Panzer Corps, recapturing Kharkov on March 14, after bloody street-fighting in what is known as the Third Battle of Kharkov. Paul "Papa" Hausser ( October 7, 1880 &ndash December 21, 1972) was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high The IISS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured Corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World Kharkiv or Kharkov (Харків Харьков is the second largest city in Ukraine. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov ( In recognition for this accomplishment, von Manstein received the Oak Leaves for the Knight's Cross. The 2nd SS Panzer Corps then captured Belgorod on March 21. The IISS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured Corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World Belgorod (Бе́лгород is a city in western Russia, situated on the Seversky Donets river just 40 km north from the Ukrainian border at. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Von Manstein proposed a daring action for the summer nicknamed the "backhand blow", which was intended to outflank the Red Army into the Sea of Azov at Rostov, but Hitler instead chose the more conventional Operation Citadel aimed at crushing the Kursk salient. The Sea of Azov (Азо́вское мо́ре - Azovskoye more; Азо́вське мо́ре - Azovs'ke more, Azaq deñizi is the world's shallowest sea linked Rostov-on-Don (Росто́в-на-Дону́ Rostov-na-Donu rɐ'stof nə dɐ'nu is the city and the administrative center of Rostov Oblast and the The Battle of Kursk (Курская битва refers to a series of German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front of World War II History KurskOld2jpg|thumb|200px|Pre-1917 view of Kursk]] Archaeology indicates that the site of Kursk was settled in the fifth or fourth century B

Citadel

Main article: Battle of Kursk

During Operation Citadel, von Manstein led the southern pincer, and despite losses, he managed to achieve most of his initial goals, inflicting far more casualties than he sustained. The Battle of Kursk (Курская битва refers to a series of German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front of World War II In his memoirs, Marshal Georgy Zhukov, who led the Soviet defense at Kursk, praised von Manstein. But due to the almost complete failure of the northern sector's pincer led by Günther von Kluge and Walther Model, chronic lack of infantry support and an operational reserve, as well as Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, Hitler called off the offensive. Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader Otto Moritz Walter Model ('modəl (24 January 1891 – 21 April 1945 was a German general and later field marshal during World War II. The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis Von Manstein protested, asserting that the victory was almost at hand as he felt he had achieved local superiority, and that with a little more effort, he could crack the Soviet defenses before they could bring up their reserves. After the failure of Citadel, the Soviets launched a massive counterattack against the exhausted German forces.

A German victory in the sense of annihilating the surrounded Soviet forces required both the completion of the encirclement (that is the linking of the northern and southern German pincers) and holding the encirclement long enough to overcome the encircled Soviet forces. Even if the first had been accomplished it does not follow that the second would automatically follow. The German forces post-Stalingrad were never able to force the Soviets into significant retreats, except for temporary reversals like Kharkov. After halting the German offensive at Kursk, the Soviets had enough strength to launch immediate counterattacks.

Dnieper Campaign

Main article: Battle of the Dnieper

In September 1943, von Manstein withdrew to the west bank of the river Dnieper, inflicting heavy casualties on the Red Army. For the rocket see Dnepr rocket. For other uses see Dnieper (disambiguation. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya From October to mid-January of 1944, von Manstein stabilized the situation on the South Front. However, The Soviets established a salient from Kiev, and were within reach of the crucial town of Zhitomir. Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Zhytomyr (Житомир ( Zhytomyr) Житомир ( Zhitomir) Żytomierz is a historic City in the North of the western half of Ukraine The Germans launched a successful counteroffensive, in which 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and 2nd SS Division Das Reich, together with 1st, 7th, 19th, and 25th Panzer Divisions and 68th Infantry Division (part of 4th Panzer Army), wheeled around the flank of the Russians in front of Zhitomir. The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ( SS-LAH) founded in September 1933 was Adolf Hitler 's personal Bodyguard Regiment. The SS Division Das Reich (germ 2SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich) was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during The German 1st Panzer Division ( 1 Panzer-Division) was an armored division in the German Army during World War II. The 7th Panzer Division was a German armored formation which participated in the Battle of France. The German 19th Panzer Division was created from the 19th Infantry Division and was formed on 1 November 1940. The 25th Panzer Division was a German Tank unit during World War II. The 4th Panzer Army (German 4Panzer-Armee) was before being designated a full army the Panzer Group 4 ( Panzergruppe 4) a German Panzer Several notable victories were won, at Brussilov, Radomyshl, and Meleni, under the guidance of General Hermann Balck; but due to the lackluster judgment of Colonel General Rauss, the new commander of 4th Panzer Army, the Kiev salient could not be eliminated. Hermann Balck ( December 7, 1893 &ndash November 29, 1982) was a General in Nazi Germany 's Wehrmacht during In late January 1944, von Manstein was forced to retreat further westwards by the Soviet offensive. In mid-February 1944, he disobeyed Hitler's order and ordered 11th and 42nd Corps (consisting of 56,000 men in six divisions) of Army Group South to break out from the "Korsun Pocket", which occurred on February 16–February 17, 1944. Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. The Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket took place from 24 January 1944 until 16 February 1944 Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Eventually, Hitler accepted this action and ordered the breakout after it had already taken place.

Dismissal

Von Manstein continued to argue with Hitler about overall strategy on the Eastern Front. Von Manstein advocated an elastic, mobile defense. He was prepared to cede territory, attempting to make the Soviet forces either stretch out too thinly or to make them advance too fast so that they could be attacked on the flanks with the goal of encircling them. Hitler ignored Manstein's advice and continued to insist on static warfare. Because of these frequent disagreements, von Manstein publicly advocated that Hitler relinquish control and leave the management of the war to professionals, starting with the establishment of the position of commander-in-chief in the East (Oberbefehlshaber Ost). Hitler, however, rejected this idea numerous times, fearing that it would weaken his hold on power.

This argument also alarmed some of Hitler's closest henchmen, such as Göring and the SS chief Himmler, who were not prepared to give up any of their powers. Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member Heinrich Luitpold Himmler ( 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945 was a Nazi German politician and head of the Schutzstaffel (SS. Himmler started to question von Manstein's loyalty openly and insinuated that he was a defeatist unsuitable to command troops. Von Manstein's frequent arguing combined with these allegations resulted in Hitler relieving von Manstein of his command in March 1944. Instead, on April 2, 1944, Hitler appointed Walther Model, a firm supporter, as commander of Army Group South. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Otto Moritz Walter Model ('modəl (24 January 1891 – 21 April 1945 was a German general and later field marshal during World War II. Nevertheless, von Manstein received the Swords for his Knight's Cross, the second highest German military honour. For other meanings please see Iron Cross (disambiguation The Iron Cross ( was a Military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia

After his dismissal, Von Manstein entered an eye clinic in Breslau, recuperated near Dresden and then retired. Although he did not take part in the attempt to kill Hitler in July 1944, he had been contacted by Henning von Tresckow and others in 1943 about the plot. Henning von Tresckow Henning Hermann Robert Karl von Tresckow ( January 10 1901 &ndash July 21 1944) was a Major General in the While von Manstein did agree that change was necessary, he refused to join them as he still considered himself bound by duty. (He rejected the approaches with the statement "Preussische Feldmarschälle meutern nicht"—"Prussian Field Marshals do not mutiny. ") He also feared that a civil war would ensue. Though he didn't join the plotters, he did not betray them either. In late January of 1945, he collected his family from their homes in Liegnitz and evacuated them to western Germany. He surrendered to British Field Marshal Montgomery and was arrested by British troops on August 23, 1945. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar

Postwar

Trial

During the Nuremberg trials in 1946, von Manstein was only called as a witness for the defense. The Nuremberg Trials were a series of trials most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political military and economic leadership of Nazi Germany after Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Von Manstein was subsequently interned by the British as a prisoner of war in "Special Camp 11" in Bridgend. Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in the Country Borough of Bridgend in Wales. Later, because of pressure from the Soviets, who wanted him extradited to stand trial in the USSR, the British accepted their indictments and charged him with war crimes, putting him on trial before a British Military Tribunal in Hamburg in August 1949. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In part, because of the Soviet demands in the Cold War environment and respect for his military exploits, many in the British military establishment, such as Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery and the military strategist B. H. Liddell Hart, openly expressed sympathy for von Manstein's plight and, along with the likes of Sir Winston Churchill, donated money for the defense. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart ( 31 October 1895 &ndash 29 January 1970) usually known before his knighthood as Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Churchill saw the trial as yet another effort of the then ruling Attlee government to appease the Soviets. Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967

In court, von Manstein's defense, led by the prominent lawyer Reginald Thomas Paget, argued that he had been unaware that genocide was taking place in the territory under his control. Reginald Thomas Guy Des Voeux Paget Baron Paget of Northampton, PC, QC, ( 2 September 1908 &ndash 2 January 1990) also Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group It was argued that von Manstein didn't enforce the Commissar order, which called for the immediate execution of Red Army Communist Party commissars. The Commissar Order (Kommissarbefehl was a written order given by Adolf Hitler on 6 June 1941, prior to Operation Barbarossa. Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title (комисса́р used in Russia after the Bolshevik revolution and in the Soviet Union According to his testimony at the Nuremberg trials, Volume 20, pp. The Nuremberg Trials were a series of trials most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political military and economic leadership of Nazi Germany after 608–609 (August 10, 1946) [1], he received it, but refused to carry it out. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He claimed that his superior at the time, Field Marshal von Leeb, tolerated and tacitly approved of his choice, and he also claimed that the order was not carried out in practice. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb ( September 5, 1876 - April 29, 1956) was a German Field Marshal during World War II

However, von Manstein did issue an order on November 20, 1941: his version of the infamous "Reichenau Order" [2], which equated "partisans" and "Jews" and called for draconian measures against them. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Walter von Reichenau ( October 8, 1884 &ndash January 17, 1942) was a German Generalfeldmarschall. Hitler and Field Marshal von Rundstedt commended the "Reichenau Order" as exemplary and encouraged other generals to issue similar orders. Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Von Manstein was among the minority that voluntarily issued such an order. It stated that:

"This struggle is not being carried on against the Soviet Armed Forces alone in the established form laid down by European rules of warfare.

Behind the front too, the fighting continues. Partisan snipers dressed as civilians attack single soldiers and small units and try to disrupt our supplies by sabotage with mines and infernal machines. Bolshevists left behind keep the population freed from Bolshevism in a state of unrest by means of terror and attempt thereby to sabotage the political and economic pacification of the country. Harvests and factories are destroyed and the city population in particular is thereby ruthlessly delivered to starvation.

Jewry is the middleman between the enemy in the rear and the remains of the Red Army and the Red leadership still fighting. More strongly than in Europe they hold all key positions of political leadership and administration, of trade and crafts and constitutes a cell for all unrest and possible uprisings.

The Jewish Bolshevik system must be wiped out once and for all and should never again be allowed to invade our European living space.

The German soldier has therefore not only the task of crushing the military potential of this system. He comes also as the bearer of a racial concept and as the avenger of all the cruelties which have been perpetrated on him and on the German people. "

. . .

"The soldier must appreciate the necessity for the harsh punishment of Jewry, the spiritual bearer of the Bolshevik terror. This is also necessary in order to nip in the bud all uprisings which are mostly plotted by Jews. "

(Nuremberg trials proceedings, Vol. 20, pp. 639–645 [3])

The order also stated: "The food situation at home makes it essential that the troops should as far as possible be fed off the land and that furthermore the largest possible stocks should be placed at the disposal of the homeland. Particularly in enemy cities a large part of the population will have to go hungry. "(ibid. ) This also was one of the indictments against von Manstein in Hamburg; not only neglect of civilians, but also exploitation of invaded countries for the sole benefit of the "homeland", something considered illegal by the then current laws of war. The law of war (also law of armed conflict, LOAC) is Law concerning acceptable practices relating to war

The order additionally stated that "severe steps will be taken against arbitrary action and self-interest, against savagery and indiscipline, against any violation of the honor of the soldier" and that "respect for religious customs, particularly those of Muslim Tartars, must be demanded. " (ibid. ) The evidence for this order was first presented by prosecutor Telford Taylor on August 10, 1946, in Nuremberg. Telford Taylor ( February 24, 1908 - May 23, 1998) was a US Lawyer best known for his role in the Counsel for the Prosecution Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Von Manstein acknowledged that he had signed this order of November 20, 1941, but claimed that he didn't remember it. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This order was a major piece of evidence for the prosecution at his Hamburg trial.

While Paget got von Manstein acquitted of many of the seventeen charges, he was still found guilty of two charges and accountable for seven others, mainly for employing scorched earth tactics and for failing to protect the civilian population (Src. A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method (possibly more often referred to as a tactic but this is not entirely correct as there is a difference between : Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives), and was sentenced on December 19, 1949, to 18 years imprisonment. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This caused a massive uproar among von Manstein's supporters and the sentence was subsequently reduced to 12 years. However, he was released on May 6, 1953 for medical reasons. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Von Manstein, one of the highest ranking generals in the Wehrmacht, claimed ignorance of what was happening in the concentration camps. In the Nuremberg trials, he was asked "Did you at that time know anything about conditions in the concentration camps?" to which he replied "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. I knew from prewar days that there were two concentration camps, Oranienburg and Dachau, and an officer who at the invitation of the SS had visited such a camp told me that it was simply a typical collection of criminals, besides some political prisoners who, according to what he had seen, were being treated severely but correctly. " [4])

Von Manstein's adjutant Alexander Stahlberg reported to Bryan Mark Rigg (author of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers) the following: Stahlberg pressed von Manstein about the huge numbers of Jews being slaughtered, von Manstein fixed him with a stare. "Do you really believe that?" the Field Marshal said. Stahlberg said he did. "Well, if this really happened," Manstein said, "they're only Jews. " [5]

Senior adviser

von Manstein in the mid 1950s

Called on by the West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, von Manstein served as his senior defense advisory and chaired a military sub-committee appointed to advise the parliament on military organization and doctrine for the new German Army, the Bundeswehr and its incorporation into NATO. Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer ( 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967 was a German Statesman. The Bundeswehr ( German for "Federal Defence Force") is the name of the unified Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany The North Atlantic Treaty He later moved with his family to Bavaria. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 His war memoirs, Verlorene Siege (Lost Victories), were published in Germany in 1955, and translated into English in 1958. In them, he presented the thesis that if the generals had been in charge of strategy instead of Hitler, the war on the Eastern Front could have been won.

Never having been a member of the Nazi party, he had no trouble in West Germany, unlike some of the Reich's more notorious Hitler supporters. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Because of his influence, for the first few years of the Bundeswehr, he was seen as the unofficial chief of staff. Even later, his birthday parties were regularly attended by official delegations of Bundeswehr and NATO top leaders, such as General Hans Speidel who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied ground forces in Central Europe from 1957 to 1963. The North Atlantic Treaty Hans Speidel ( 28 October 1897 - 28 November 1984) was a German general during World War II and during the Cold This was not the case with pro-Nazi Field Marshals such as Milch, Schörner, von Küchler, and others, who were disregarded and forgotten after the war. Erhard Milch ( March 30, 1892 &ndash January 25, 1972) was a German Field marshal who oversaw the development of the Ferdinand Schörner ( 12 June, 1892 - July 2, 1973; also Schoerner) was a General and later Field Marshal ( Generalfeldmarschall Georg Karl Friedrich Wilhelm von Küchler ( May 30 1881 &ndash May 25 1968) was a German Field marshal during

Erich von Manstein suffered a stroke and died in Munich on the night of 9 June 1973. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. He was buried with full military honors. His obituary in The Times on June 13, 1973, stated that "His influence and effect came from powers of mind and depth of knowledge rather than by generating an electrifying current among the troops or 'putting over' his personality. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. "

The Four types of Officer

Von Manstein is commonly credited with the description of the four types of officer: the lazy, stupid type, who do no harm; the intelligent, hard working type, who make good staff officers; the lazy, intelligent type who are the best strategic leaders; and finally the stupid, hard working type, who must be dismissed immediately as they will lead to disaster. This sentence was made by Generaloberst Kurt Freiherr von Hammerstein-Equord in Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Hammerstein oder der Eigensinn, Suhrkamp, 2008

References

• Barnett, Correlli (ed. ) [1989] (2003). Hitler's Generals (reprint ed. ). Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3994-9.
• Carver, Sir Michael (1976). Field Marshal Richard Michael Power Carver Baron Carver GCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, MC ( 24 April 1915 - 9 December The War Lords: Military Commanders Of The Twentieth Century. Boston: Little Brown & Co. ISBN 0-316-13060-5
• Engelmann, Joachim (1981). Manstein, Stratege und Truppenführer: ein Lebensbericht in Bildern. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag. ISBN 3-7909-0159-8
• Glantz, David M. (2002). David M Glantz (born 11 January 1942 in Port Chester, New York) is an American military historian and the editor of The Journal of Black Sea Inferno: The German Storm of Sevastopol 1941–1942. Spellmount Publishers. ISBN 1-86227-161-5
• Galntz, David M. (1993), "Vatutin" in Stalin's Generals, New York: Phoenix Press, pp. David M Glantz (born 11 January 1942 in Port Chester, New York) is an American military historian and the editor of The Journal of 291–292, ISBN 1-842-125133 
• Liddell Hart, B. H. [1948] (1999). Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart ( 31 October 1895 &ndash 29 January 1970) usually known before his knighthood as The Other Side of the Hill (2nd ed). Pan Books. ISBN 0-330-37324-2.
• von Manstein, Erich (2002). Soldat im 20. Jahrhundert (in German). Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5214-5
• von Manstein, Erich; Powell, Anthony G. ; Hart, B. H. Liddell; Blumenson, Martin [1955] (2004). Lost Victories: The War Memoirs of Hitler's Most Brilliant General. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-2054-3
• von Mellenthin, Friedrich W. (1956). Panzer Battles. New York: Ballantine Books.
• Megargee, Geoffrey P. (2000) Inside Hitler's High Command. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0700610150.
• Muller, Rolf-Dieter and Uebershar, Gerd R. [1997] (2002) Hitler's War in the East: A Critical Assessment. 2nd ed. , New York: Berghahn. ISBN 978-1571812933.
• Paget, Baron Reginald Thomas (1957). Manstein: His Campaigns and His Trial. London: Collins.
• Stahlberg, Alexander (1990). Bounden Duty: The Memoirs of a German Officer, 1932–1945. London: Brassey’s. ISBN 3-548-33129-7
• Stein, Marcel (2007). The Janushead: Field Marshal Von Manstein, A Reappraisal. Solihill, West Midlands, England: Helion and Company. ISBN 1906033021.
• Wood, James A. Captive Historians, Captive Audience, The German Military History Program, 1945–1961. The Journal of Military History, 69/I (January 2005), pp.  123–147.
• The British records of the Manstein Trial are now housed in the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, at King’s College, London.
• Von Manstein's whole testimonial at Nuremberg is spread out over three files at the Yale Avalon project: [6], [7] (contains von Manstein's order of November 20, 1941), and [8]. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• Obituary of Manstein by The Times published on June 13, 1973 [9]

External links

• (Fritz) Erich von Manstein / von Lewinski at Achtung Panzer!
• Erich von Manstein: His Life, Character and Operations – A Reappraisal by Jörg Muth at Axis History Factbook
• Chronology. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.
• Erich von Manstein – ein unpolitischer Soldat?—A critical assessment of von Manstein by Michael Schröders (in German).
• The New York Review of Books: How Wrong Was Churchill? by Noel Annan
• Erich von Manstein's Counterattack by F. Noel Gilroy Annan Baron Annan, OBE ( 25 December 1916 &ndash 21 February 2000) was a British military intelligence officer author W. Weatherbee, Jr. —Encompass: A Journal of Military History Vol. I No. 1; February 2004.
• Kursk Reconsidered: Germany's Lost Victory by George M. Nipe, Jr. —World War II Articles 1998
• The Crimean Campaign—1942 by Victor Nitu; worldwar2. ro
• The Crimean Campaign at wehrmacht-awards. com