Lost Victories: The War Memoirs of Hitler's Most Brilliant General

Book Description

Originally published in Germany in 1955, and in England and the United States in 1958, this classic memoir of WWII by a man who was an acknowledged military genius and probably Germany's top WWII general, is now made available again. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein described his book as a personal narrative of a soldier, discussing only those matters that had direct bearing on events in the military field. The essential thing, as he wrote, is to "know how the main personalities thought and reacted to events." This is what he tells us in this book.His account is detailed, yet dispassionate and objective. "Nothing is certain in war, when all is said and done," But in Manstein's record, at least, we can see clearly what forces were in action. In retrospect, perhaps his book takes on an even greater significance.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating insights into WWII by one of it's most active participants.......2007-08-29

Erwin Rommel is widely regarded as the best German general of the war by writers and historians in the West. This is, in large part, due to the fact that he is really the only general faced by Western Armies and there is a self-serving arrogance in claiming that the British and US forces `best the best' the Germans had. Among the Germans, however, Erich von Manstein is considered one of the top, if not the top, field commander of the war. I'm certainly not going to weigh in on that debate, but the memoirs of one of the most noted German officers of WWII can be regarded as nothing but fascinating. This is a must read for an serious student of WW II. You can't claim to be knowledgable about WWII without having read this memoir.

There are so many wonderful insights contained in this book that I can't possibly relate them all, I'll just give a few that particularly struck me as relevent. First, most of the book covers the war in the Eastern front, but in many ways the most interesting part of the book is the first several chapters describing von Manstein's role in the Polish campaign and the development of the plans for the invasion of France in 1940. The French defeat of 1940 is today considered to be one of the most catastrophic military defeats of all time, but how different would things have been if von Manstein (and others) were unable to force their view on the General Staff via Hitler? The details of the Sevastopol campaign are also enlightening, and von Manstein has some interesting insights into the Rumanian soldiers.

Second, von Manstein discusses at length the idea that Germany could have won the war even after Stalingrad if the decision had been made at that point to withdraw from large parts of the Soviet Union, go on the defensive, and use the superior German leadership and mobility to defeat one Soviet thrust after another. For a long time I accepted this as at least plausible, but now I doubt this to be true. The Soviets would have eventually ground the Wehrmacht into the ground. Much has been made about Hitler's decision to pursue the southern option in 1942 and defend Stalingrad to the last man in the winter of 1942/43 and that this was a strategic error. Von Manstein weighs in on this issue at length. My view about this has changed, and I challenge the reader of this review who disagrees with me to check out the book `Sunrise at Abadan' for a different view after reading von Manstein's memoirs. In particular, the Baku oilfields were critical to the Soviet war effort. Had they been occupied, the Soviet Union would have been knocked out of the war and Iran quickly occupied by Germany. This would have meant the loss of Abadan to the British and all their oil as well. The Germans lost the war when they couldn't break through to Baku, and Hitler may have wanted to hold onto Stalingrad in the winter of 42/43 to renew the attack in that direction in the spring/summer of 43. Fundamentally, the Baku oil fields and Iran were the decisive front in the war. Capture these and total German victory is assured, otherwise the combined economic and military weight of the allies ultimately ensures the defeat of Germany. In any case, von Manstein's views on this matter (how Germany could have avoided defeat after Stalingrad) are fascinating.

A third compelling aspect of this book is von Manstein's discussion of his relationships with and views of members of his staff and other German officers. For example, von Manstein discusses the issue of why Hitler refused to visit the soldiers at the front line. According to von Manstein the talk around the campfire was that Hitler was a coward. Von Manstein claims, however, that it was quite the opposite. Hitler didn't want to be weakened by seeing the solders and subsequently hesitating to make difficult decisions because he was in fact too sympathetic to their plight. I have no idea if there is any truth in this, but I was surprised by it.

My only negative comment is that this is not really a stand alone memoir, you have to know a great deal about the events to really get the most out of this book. This is not meant to be a complete or detailed history about any aspect of the war, only von Manstein's views and, from his perspective, the role that he played. As such, I can only recommend this to a serious student (for whom it is a must read).

Must read for people interested in the Eastern Front and WWII.......2007-08-19

This is one of the most interesting books I have read about WWII. Obviously it is biased by the author but I found it extremely interesting. Von Manstein, besides being one of history's most brilliant generals sheds some light on dealing with Hitler as well

Insightful.......2007-07-08

Very detailed book with many details not learned in normal history despite Holocaust references being conspicuously absent.

Erich von Manstein the German soldier's choice for Chief of staff.......2007-06-10

Field Marshal Erich von Manstein was born in Berlin in 1887 as Erich von Lewinsky, he fought in WW1 and was injured in Poland in 1915. He may have had Jewish relatives. He served on the Staffs of a number of Army Groups. General Erich von Manstein (he was adopted by his mother's brother-in-law, General von Manstein) served as Commander of 56 Army Corps in March 1941 spearheading the dash for Lake Ilmen during the attack on Leningrad. September 1941 he commanded the 11th Army and conquered the Crimea, he was promoted Field Marshal. In 1942 he assumed command of Southern Army Group attempting to relieve Stalingrad, he defeated a Russian Army at Kharkov March 1943, for this he was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.
The title Die Verlorene Siege (Lost Victories) highlights von Manstein's disgust with Hitler over operations in the east, Hitler relieved von Manstein of command, he was not used in war operations again.
This book is an essential war diary for aspiring Military Commanders interested in dealing with large unit tactics.

Lost Victories is an interesting study of the German high command.......2007-04-28

Lost Victories is doubtless one of the best and most interesting studies of the German high command to be published and coming from one of Germany's greatest wartime military commanders in the most lucid language, it is an enthralling read from first to last. Indeed, it is one of the most readable war memoirs of any highly-placed commander of any belligerent in the Second World War; it is arguably the best. That said, the readability of the English-language edition has come at the cost of the excision of certain sections of the book.

In this instance I must echo the criticisms of others who have reviewed it. I do not think that the translator with the book's English-language editors or publishers should have taken it upon themselves (back in the late 'fifties when the English translation was published) to excise sections of the text to shorten the book, but left it whole and complete in translation as Manstein had written the text in the original German. And following on from this, the chapter on "Operation Citadel" should have been left entire and complete instead of excised from the English-language edition and a much shorter article on "Citadel" written by Manstein for the US Marine Corps Gazette inserted in its stead. I realise that these excised sections were so removed in order to increase the book's readability for publication in English-speaking countries, which readability, as I have said, is excellent; however, I would have preferred these deletions included as I believe that they probably would have given an even deeper insight into the character and attitudes of Manstein.

These criticisms aside, Lost Victories is still, I repeat, an exceedingly interesting book in which Manstein's excellent intellect with its great clarity and marvellous vigour shine through from beginning to end. It gives the reader a crystal-clear view of what the German Army's high command had become under National Socialism through Manstein's sharply-sensed and vivid though concise descriptions. Such descriptions include those of Hitler and his government's attitudes and general relationship to the German military and the converse relationship of the Wehrmacht's high command, as professional soldiers, to its National-Socialist masters, the leading personalities of these sometimes conflicting entities, and their interaction under the strain of conflict through the course of the European war up to Manstein's removal from command in 1944. All of which is riveting material for consumers of military history, and others. Indeed, I would recommend this book even for those who are not inclined as a rule to read military history, but would still like some understanding of the course of the Second World War from the German perspective (up to Manstein's dismissal) and of the interior history of the German military during Hitler's war.

The Battle Of Sicily: How The Allies Lost Their Chance For Total Victory

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The Battle Of Sicily: How The Allies Lost Their Chance For Total Victory
Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. , and Friedrich von Stauffenberg
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0517575256
Release Date: 1991-02-20

What to Do When Faith Seems Weak and Victory Lost

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This book gave me my breakthrough in receiving Christ !

What to Do When Faith Seems Weak and Victory Lost
Kennth E. Hagin
Manufacturer: Faith Library Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0892765011

Customer Reviews:

This book gave me my breakthrough in receiving Christ !.......1999-07-19

Kenneth Hagin's book equips you in 10 easy steps on having your prayers heard and answered ! It is a quick reminder of our faith in God and the foundation of His Word which grants us peace and joy. Through discipline of the mind and flesh we learn to resist the enemy. Nothing is impossible with the Lord as your strength. Kenneth Hagin writes in an easy style. The book gives good Bible references which are expounded in detail. At the end of the book I finally understood what it meant to rest in the Lord. So many of us today in the working world are expected to be self-reliant and highly independent but having read this book I now know how to be God focused in everything. His Word is the foundation that is built on rock. Expect a miracle !

The Commodore and the Whale: The Lost Victories of Thomas Ap Catesby Jones

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The Commodore and the Whale: The Lost Victories of Thomas Ap Catesby Jones
Frank W. Gapp
Manufacturer: Vantage Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 053311697X

The Lost Victory: British Dreams, British Realities 1945-1950

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The Lost Victory
A HISTORY DREADFUL

The Lost Victory: British Dreams, British Realities 1945-1950
Correlli Barnett
Manufacturer: Pan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

On July 26, Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. The British looked forward to the New Jerusalem that Labour had promised. In this brilliant, savage and original book, Correlli Barnett shows the enormous double cost of New Jerusalem, and points out the destructive contradictions between mistaken strategies and their consequences.

Customer Reviews:

The Lost Victory.......2005-11-05

In this abridgement of his provocative "Decline and Fall" trilogy, Correlli Barnett describes the post-war Britain that many of us grew up in, and is now long gone. The current version, a successful market-driven economy, he cogently argues, was a real possibility after the war. In a hard hitting indictment he describes the foolishness and lack of moral courage of politicians on both the left and the right who sacrificed foreign loans, Marshal Aid, technical advantage and native entrepreneurial-ship on the altar of an impossible socialist dream. Fifty years later, and now the envy of Germany, France and the Scandinavian model, the land of Adam Smith is back on track. Barnett chronicles the slaying of three dragons on that road, a socialist command economy, organized labor and "The Establishment." Command economies have been consigned to the dustbin of history, trade unions have been rendered largely irrelevant by globalization, and the Establishment relegated to Merchant Ivory productions. Barnett is a brilliant and witty historian of those bitter times - and this book is an essential read for all students of the period.

A HISTORY DREADFUL.......2002-05-31

THIS BOOK IS A DREADFULLY BAD EXAMPLE OF HISTORY WRITTEN WITH A BIAS. IT IS SINGULARLY BAD IN THAT AT EVERY TURN THERE IS A PERVERSION OF THE FACTS. IT IS AS IF A MOSLEYITE HAD WRITTEN AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PERIOD IN QUESTION I.E. THE NAZIS ACTUALLY COME IN FOR PRAISE & THE GERMANS, AT CERTAIN JUNCTURES IN HIS ARGUMENT, ARE HELD UP AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO RUN HUMAN AFFAIRS. I SAY THAT THE POST-WAR BRITISH GOVERNMENT DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF MANAGING BRITAIN AFTER THE WAR GIVEN THE AWFUL CONDITIONS THEY INHERITED AFTER A CENTURY OF CONSERVATIVE & LIBERAL MIS-MANAGEMENT ( MADE MANIFEST BY THE TWO HORRIBLE WORLD WARS THAT ARE BARNETT'S MAIN POINTS OF REFERENCE )... IT IS TRULY SAD THAT A MAN LIKE BARNETT, WHO CAN CERTAINLY GRASP A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION, SHOULD SO ABUSE HIS TALENT. ONCE AGAIN IT SHOWS HOW EASY IT IS TO BE AN ARMCHAIR "HISTORIAN" RATHER THAN ONE WHO MAKES HISTORY.

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: How the Democrats Lost the 2004 Election

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terrible
Ken Libbey Has the Answers for Demos and Others....

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: How the Democrats Lost the 2004 Election
Kenneth R. Libbey
Manufacturer: MacLean and Clark, Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0966220617
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Book Description

Conditions favored a Democratic victory in the 2004 elections. None of the policies followed by the Bush Administration had produced the results promised. The job market and stock market remained sluggish despite repeated assurances that we had "turned the corner." A majority of Americans no longer supported the ill-conceived invasion of Iraq. Yet once again, Democrats failed to make their party label an asset and the election fell into a personality contest in which complex issues were trivialized. This book chronicles how the election slipped away from Kerry and the Democrats.

The book makes its contribution through a series of commentaries written throughout the 2004 campaign, beginning in December 2003. They have not been edited with hindsight, and as such they chronicle the ups and downs that Democrats felt over the year. Each essay took current events and put them in historical and philosophical perspective. An additional essay demonstrates the fallacy of using tax cuts to stimulate the economy.

Customer Reviews:

terrible .......2005-06-01

This guy recyles old pre election columns
and gives it post election title like he will
provide an analysis. Save your money. It contains nothing but pre election hopes

Ken Libbey Has the Answers for Demos and Others...........2005-04-28

Endorsement of Ken Libbey's book,
Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory:
How the Democrats Lost the 2004 Election

With the 2006 elections closer than we may wish to acknowledge, Ken Libbey's advice to Democrats in his book, Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: How the Democrats Lost the 2004 Election, is remarkably applicable.
This book is a well written, clear and concise analysis of what the Democrats and the managers of the Kerry campaign did and did not do that cost John Kerry the presidency. Libbey has an astute grasp of the underlying currents that direct the
political flow of the Republican and Democratic parties.

We recommend this book to members of all political parties in the U.S. who are concerned about--among other issues--the national debt, the national economy, social justice, and foreign policy, and hope for a regime change in the U.S. with the
2006 and 2008 elections.

We also recommend Libbey's weekly internet column.

Faye McKay-Clegg
James L. Clegg, Jr.

Lost Victories: The Military Genius of Stonewall Jackson

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Monday Morning Quarterbacking.
Superb
Lee Bashing
Lee Bashing
How technology is related to strategy

Lost Victories: The Military Genius of Stonewall Jackson
Bevin Alexander
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0781810361

Customer Reviews:

Monday Morning Quarterbacking........2007-09-15

In "Lost Victories" author Bevin Alexander advances the proposition that Stonewall Jackson was the only military genius who could have brought victory to the Confederacy, had his initiatives not been thwarted by the limited visions of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. The main idea is that Jackson saw that the only way the South could win was through a bold invasion of the North. He begins his story with descriptions as to how advances in arms, primarily in rifles and cannon, switched the advantage from the attack to the defense. The narrative then leads the reader through many of the major battles of Virginia and Maryland as it explains the troop movements for which the various generals were responsible. During the descriptions of the battles, Alexander points out the many mistakes made by leaders on both sides. Toward the end he argues that, had Jackson been at Gettysburg, it is likely that he would have prevented that battle from being fought and would have guided the fighting to land favorable more to the Southern cause.

This book makes a good effort in establishing its point. It is well written, although, at times, it drifts into minutiae over which units were where it the line, etc. The reader is left with an appreciation for Jackson's admirable talents in the military arts. I tend to be suspicious of second guessers who tell us how much better things could have been done. Lee's actions are open to critical analysis while Jackson's dreams have not undergone the test of battle. Maybe Lee and Davis did blow it by not following Jackson's advice, but I remain unconvinced. I am glad, however, that I read Alexander's brief.

Superb.......2004-08-12

This book clearly and accurately details the genius of Stonewall Jackson. Alexander's conclusions are not really all that mind-bending, and quite resonable when further examination is done. He is hard on Lee, but only as pertaining to Jackson. All-in-all, a book that is anything but conventional, but remarkable in it's logic.

Lee Bashing.......2004-06-14

To hear Bevin Alexander tell it, Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was the only general in the Army of Northern Virginia who knew which end was up. All the others were incompetent.

Further, not only was 'Stonewall' better than any of them, he had the infallible secret of Southern victory in his head. If only Lee and Davis had _listened_, he would have ended the war in 1862 or '63, with the Confederacy triumphant.

These are strong claims. Does Alexander establish them? No.

Alexander goes over Jackson's career in the Civil War Between the States, recounting what happened at various times and giving some of Jackson's ideas on how to fight and what targets to attack. He also claims that many of the ideas that are commonly asserted about Jackson are just wrong: e.g., that Jackson failed to perform during the Seven Days Battles. (Bevin gives evidence that it was A. P. Hill's impatience, and Lee's mistaken estimate of Union intentions that kept the Army of the Potomac from disaster).

This is very interesting stuff, and earns the book three stars. I recommend it to all students of the War for Northern Independence of Southern Aggression. But he provides no arguments for his larger points.

Alexander confuses his own visions with evidence. He'll present one of Jackson's ideas (invade Maryland, manuver north of Washington, cut the rail lines from the capital to Baltimore). Then he'll speculate about what would happen (Washington DC starves, loses the will to fight the war, and surrenders). Then he treats the speculation as a certainty. Repeat endlessly, and you have the substance of the book's claims.

So this book is worth reading, but can't be taken too seriously.

Lee Bashing.......2004-06-14

To hear Bevin Alexander tell it, Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was the only general in the Army of Northern Virginia who knew which end was up. All the others were incompetent.

These are strong claims. Does Alexander establish them? No.

So this book is worth reading, but can't be taken too seriously.

How technology is related to strategy.......2003-09-13

The key to understanding the Civil War is the technology. The Civil War was the first to make universal use of the rifle (compared to the age old musket). This increased the effective range from about 50 yards to 400 yards, thus eliminating the key defensive weapon--the cannon--which had a range of about 100 yards. The result was that virtually every offensive action in the Civil War, by either side, lost.

The much maligned Union generals (McClellan, Meade, Burnside, and Hooker) all reacted to one degree or another by hesitating to make any movement whatsoever.

The underlying hypothesis of "Lost Victories" is that Jackson is the one general in the war who figured out that the only way to win is to use the South's vast advantage in manueverability to gain positions which required the Union onto the attack.\

The detailed descriptions of the many battles leading up to Chancelorsville (recounted elsewhere endlessly) are here used to demonstrate the truth of the hypothesis that frontal attacks were always suicidal.

Less successful is the author's attempt to demonstrate that Jackson had figured out the answer. the only time he was permitted to try (Chancelorsville), he was killed (by friendly fire) before the battle was over. While there is an argument (well made here) that the battle would have been won by the South had Lee only continued with Jackson's battle plan. Nonetheless, the fact is it was not.

The epilogue consists of a lengthy speculation as to whether Jackson could have repeated his early success at Chancelorsville, and ultimately avoided Gettysburg and won the war.

A good argument, but the author completely ignores the western (Mississippi) front, the overwhelming Union advantage in manpower, and the ultimately decisive imbalance of material resources (wouldn't Jackson have run out of food, clothing and bullets, just like Lee, regardless of his strategic brilliance).

Customer Reviews:

Lost Victories.......2007-07-05

Not as good as I had hoped.Too much information for me. I didn't finish the book because I lost interest.

Excellent autobiography even if its slightly bias.............2004-06-23

I found Eric von Manstein's autobiography to be highly enlightening and insightful in its presentation. Eric von Manstein is considered by anyone who knows anything about World War II as one of the war's finest military commanders, on par with history's great captains. Von Manstein's accomplishments easily put - Patton's for example, to sad shame. As much as our American egos get ruffled at such statement, its pretty clear that von Manstein was the brain behind many of the greatest German military accomplishments in that war. It was therefore, quite interesting to have his take on how he developed the "sickle" plan which led to the fall of France in 1940, or his Crimean campaign and his effort to restored the Eastern Front after Stalingrad. His concept of mobile defensive warfare often ran countered to Hitler's rather entrenched warfare mode. The difference led to the dismissal of the field marshal.

I would say that only thing that held this book back was the usual old trap that most authors fall into when they write about their own career. The bias memory kicks in from time to time even for the great von Manstein as some of his errors were gross over and even acts that got him in trouble at Nuremberg war crime trials were overlooked.

But in retrospect, the book proves to be interesting, informative and well written by one of World War II's greatest military commanders who is almost totally unknown in our nation.

A good firsthand account from an important general.......2003-09-19

This book will be valuable to a military historian and possibly even to officers in the current military. What I found most interesting was Mansteins firsthand accounts of the decision-making process that Hitler and the commanders of the Wehrmacht went through; their urgency to invade France in 1939. If you're interested in the personal experiences during the way, Manstein talks about places he stayed in France during the offensive of 1940, experiences with the people on his staff, and conditions he himself endured in Russia.
Also interesting is the conflict he depicts between hitler and the army chief of staff. He does much to argue how the outcome of the war could have been much different had Hitler left military decisions up to his generals.
All in all, for me, there were parts with so much tactical detail I got a bit bored and skipped ahead, but if that is what you are looking for, this book is excelent for you.

Excellent First Person Account.......2003-08-01

This is a good read and there is alot of interesting information in this book. But also get: "Stalingrad: Memories and Reassessments", which has a rebuttal of a large part of this book by a Stalingrad survivor.

A good read.......2003-01-04

This book was a very good read, but I wouldn't believe everything he says either. However, if you're interested in
the Russian Front Campaign and the events surrounding the disaster the Germans never recovered from at Stalingrad, this book will put a lot of those events into perspective.

Again the Goose Step: The Lost Fruits of Victory

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Again the Goose Step: The Lost Fruits of Victory
Delbert Clark
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill, 1949
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZRPMI

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