This book, originally published in German in 1956, has now been
translated into English, unveiling a wealth of both experiences and
analysis about Operation Barbarossa, perhaps the most important military
campaign of the 20th century.
Hermann Hoth led Germany's 3rd Panzer Group in Army Group Center--in
tandem with Guderian's 2nd Group--during the invasion of the Soviet
Union, and together those two daring panzer commanders achieved a series
of astounding victories, encircling entire Russian armies at Minsk,
Smolensk, and Vyazma, all the way up to the very gates of Moscow.
This work begins with Hoth discussing the use of nuclear weapons in
future conflicts. This cool-headed post-war reflection, from one of Nazi
Germany's top panzer commanders, is rare enough. But then Hoth dives
into his exact command decisions during Barbarossa--still the largest
continental offensive ever undertaken--to reveal new insights into how
Germany could and in his view should, have succeeded in the campaign.
Hoth critically analyses the origin, development, and objective of the
plan against Russia, and presents the situations confronted, the
decisions taken, and the mistakes made by the army's leadership, as the
new form of mobile warfare startled not only the Soviets on the
receiving end but the German leadership itself, which failed to provide
support infrastructure for their panzer arm's breakthroughs.
Hoth sheds light on the decisive and ever-escalating struggle between
Hitler and his military advisers on the question whether, after the
Dnieper and the Dvina had been reached, to adhere to the original idea
of capturing Moscow. Hitler's momentous decision to divert forces to
Kiev and the south only came in late August 1941. He then finally
considers in detail whether the Germans, after obliterating the
remaining Russian armies facing Army Group Center in Operation Typhoon,
could still hope for the occupation of the Russian capital that fall.
Hoth concludes his study with several lessons for the offensive use of
armored formations in the future. His firsthand analysis, here published
for the first time in English, will be vital reading for every student
of World War II.
