German strategy reading list

Discussions on books and other reference material on the WW1, Inter-War or WW2 as well as the authors. Hosted by Andy H.
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genstab
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Liddell Hart: The German Generals Talk

#16

Post by genstab » 04 Feb 2007, 18:20

There is another edition of this book that's half again as long- look for it under the British title "The Other Side of the Hill". Why the US edition "The German Generals Talk" was cut to 320 pages I don't know but the 1973 "Other Side of The Hill" (Cassell) has 488 pages- three extra chapters. There is an older British edition of the long one- 1951 I believe. I have that one but it's in storage with most of my furschlugginer books right now. Getting the full version is very worth your while.

Best regards,
Genstab

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Panzerspiel
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#17

Post by Panzerspiel » 05 Mar 2007, 01:23

All,
A few from my library that I'd like to suggest:

Two recent publications:

"Stopped at Stalingrad, The Luftwaffe and Hitler's Defeat in the East, 1942 - 1943" by Joel S. A. Hayward, University Press of Kansas, 1998. An interesting discussion of the strategy used in the 1942 campaign into the Crimea and the Caucasus and the impossibility of the quest for oil.

"The German Way of War" by Robert M. Citino, University Press of Kansas, 2005. A very readable discussion of the evolution of German military strategy from the Thirty Years War to the Third Reich.

Finally, two classics:

"On War" by Carl von Clausewitz, Pelican Classics, 1968.

"Strategy" by B. H. Liddell Hart, Frederick A. Praeger, second revised edition, 1968.
Panzerspiel


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#18

Post by jccalvin » 28 Aug 2007, 22:10

Hi:

The attached list is primarily on Stalingrad. Forgive the format--it was for research not a list. :)

John

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#19

Post by Andreas » 30 Oct 2007, 12:19

Here is a paper analysing Hitler's performance as a military leader:

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/acsc/97-0609h.pdf

All the best

Andreas

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Panzerspiel
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#20

Post by Panzerspiel » 30 Nov 2007, 01:32

All,
For the Eastern Front members out there, here are three more I've just finished reading:

Cecil, Robert "Hitler's Decision to Invade Russia 1941" David McKay Company, Inc., 1975.

Higgins, Trumbull, "Hitler and Russia, The Third Reich in a Two Front War 1937 - 1943", The MacMillan Company, 1966.

And finally, the most recent by the acclaimed author Bob Citino,

Citino, Robert M. "The Death of the Wehrmacht, The German Campaigns of 1942", University Press of Kansas, 1007.

I know this deals with campaigns but he does include a lot of material on the operational aspect of that fateful year for Germany 1942.
Panzerspiel

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Galahad
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Re: German strategy reading list

#21

Post by Galahad » 22 Mar 2008, 20:16

Here are two books that contain all sorts of interesting information on this subject:

1. The Life and Death of the Luftwaffe, by Colonel Wehrner Baumbach, Commander of Bombers. This came out originally in 1948 or so, and hasn't really been bettered for its analysis of the failures of the Luftwaffe, in organization, in production and in strategy at the operational and grand strategic levels. Baumbach was an operational bomber commander who got booted upstairs, and so was able to see things from the several perspectives. It's a perceptive and critical account that hits a lot of nails directly on the head.
2. Why the Germans Lose at War, by Kenneth Macksey. This is a most excellent book to read alongside of the aformentioned The German Way of War. It illustrates the strategic and grand strategic failings that overbalanced the many organizational and technical strengths of Germany.

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hucks216
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Re: German strategy reading list

#22

Post by hucks216 » 22 Mar 2008, 20:23

Hitler and His Generals: Military Conferences from Stalingrad to Berlin, 1942-1945 - The uncensored minutes of Hitler's military conferences from 1942 - 1945.

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Re: German strategy reading list

#23

Post by Panzermahn » 17 Apr 2010, 13:31

I would recommend Dr. Howard Grier's Hitler, Dönitz and the Baltic Sea 1944-45: Third Reich's Last Hope on Kriegsmarine Baltic strategy, Army Group North and subsequently Army Group Kurland strategy from 1944 to 1945

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Re: German strategy reading list

#24

Post by Panzerspiel » 17 Apr 2010, 15:53

All,
Here's some of my more recent reads, all recommended:

The Milk Cows, The U-Boat Tankers 1941-1945 by John F. White (Pen & Sword, 2009). I most detailed look at the 'fat' u-boats.

The Eastern Front, 1941-45, German Troops and the Barbarisation of Warfare, Second Edition, by Omar Bartov, (Palgrave, 2001). A scholarly study of three German combat divisions on the eastern front and what effect the war had on their performance and behavior.

Daring Young Men, The Heroism and the Triumph of the Berlin Airlift, June 1948 - May 1949 by Richard Reeves, (Simon and Schuster, 2010). Yes, its post-war but I liked it for the indeph and personal view of what life was like in Berlin after the war and the state of the badly deteriorated relations between the Russians the western Allies.

Hitler's Panzers, The Lightening Attacks That Revolutionized Warfare by Dennis Showalter, (Berkley Caliber, 2009). At times a frustrating read as Professor Showalter's writing style makes it difficult, at times, to determine what his opinion and thoughts are on a given topic.

Organized Labor of the Reich by J.R. Angolia and David Littlejohn, (R. James Bender Publishing, 1999). An excellent and well illustrated look at the entire labor movement, its uniforms, badges, flags and operations in Germany in the 1920's to the last days of the war in 1945.

Yalta by S. M. Plokhy, (Viking 2010). A scharlorly look at the give and take at the Yalta Conference in the Crimea in February 1945. Gives much interesting personal and behind the scenes look at the preparations and the personalities of the participants.

Happy reading!,
Panzerspiel

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Helgis
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Re: German strategy reading list

#25

Post by Helgis » 07 Jan 2011, 14:05

Hello everyone. I´m new to this forum, but want to recommend a book I recently read about the German blitzkrieg tactics. It´s written by Niklas Zetterling, original title Blixtkrig! As far as I know, it is only available in swedish and norwegian so far, but according to Amazon some of his other book are also translated to english. Hopfully this will be done for this one as well. A link to the swedish edition: http://www.adlibris.com/se/product.aspx?isbn=9151851067

The book presents an interesting view about the development of the German war philosophy/doctrine from late 1800 to WW2. In the authors mind, the development of the blitz tactics is not a revolutionary new "invention" of the 1930s, but rather a natural continuation of their strategies going back to before WW1, but with modern weaponry. As far as I can see, the book has thorough and reliable references.

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Panzerspiel
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Re: German strategy reading list

#26

Post by Panzerspiel » 07 Jan 2011, 17:46

All,
Some new reads, all recommended, from Panzerspiel's bookshelf:

"The Retreat, Hitler's First Defeat" by Michel Jones (Thomas Dunne Books, St. Michael's Press, 2009, pp 328, maps, illustrations, index). The story of Army Group Center's defeat in front of Moscow in December 1941 told through the diary's, notes and recollections of the soldiers.

"Hitler's Engineers" by Blaine Taylor (Casemate Publishers, 2010, pp 272, illustrations, bibliography). The story of the accomplishments of Dr. Fritz Todt and his Organization Todt and his controversial successor Dr. Albert Speer. A good, thoughtful read of both men, especially the latter.

"How to Win On the Battlefield" by Rob Johnson, Michael Whitby and John France (Thames & Hudson, pp. 256, an interesting book which uses military engagements across history to illustrate 25 key tactics used by the greatest generals.

Good reading!
Panzerspiel

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Re: German strategy reading list

#27

Post by Sheldrake » 07 May 2013, 01:21

Here are some books and papers I have found interesting:-

The Hitler Directives and OKW war diaries are good because they include information about what was said at the time by Hilter and Jodl. Sometimes you read things which reveal something new. E.g. its obvious when you read Hitler's directive in July that 1) The preparations for Op Jubilee at Dieppe fulfilled its purpose of drawing troops away from the eastern front far better than anyone usually admits and 2) The operation itself was mounted long after the concentration of shipping had given away the rough bounds of the operation.

There were a lot of interviews immediately post war with surviving German military commanders. They do carry a certain amount of bias. (E.g. Normandy was all the fault of Allied air superiority and the failure of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine and no I knew nothing about atrocities...

There is a list of the interviews here:- http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Germany/HB/index.html
David Isby collected of these and published some interesting sets " The German army at D day, Defending the break out,
A lot of these are now a available online via Fold3.com

There are some interesting post war analysis CARL, in particular by the US and Canadians.

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Stephanie625
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Re:

#28

Post by Stephanie625 » 17 Feb 2014, 23:14

Morden wrote:Here is link to very interesting on-line sources of combined arms library (US Army):

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/csi.asp

Whether seeking information here for strategic or operational tactics, I can't access the page at all. I know the dash after www is a period, but is there anything else wrong or outdated with this link?

Thanks,
Stephanie


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