German general Hermann Balck (1897–1982) was considered to be one of World War II's greatest battlefield commanders. His brilliantly fought battles were masterpieces of tactical agility, mobile counterattack, and the technique of Auftragstaktik, or "mission command." However, because he declined to participate in the U.S. Army's military history debriefing program, today he is known only to serious students of the war.
Drawing heavily on his meticulously kept wartime journals, Balck discusses his childhood and his career through the First and Second World Wars. His memoir details the command decision-making process as well as operations on the ground during crucial battles, including the Battle of the Marne in World War I and his incredible victories against a larger and better-equipped Soviet army at the Chir River in World War II. Balck also offers observations on Germany's greatest generals, such as Erich Ludendorff and Heinz Guderian, and shares his thoughts on international relations, domestic politics, and Germany's place in history. Available in English for the first time in an expertly edited and annotated edition, this important book provides essential information about the German military during a critical era in modern history.
Major General David T. Zabecki, USA (Ret.), is the author or editor of many books, including the four-volume encyclopedia Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. He is an honorary senior research fellow in the War Studies Programme at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Lieutenant Colonel Dieter J. Biederkarken, USA (Ret.), was born and raised in Germany. He attended college in the United States and became an American citizen and a U.S. Army officer.
Table of Contents
List of Maps vi
Foreword Carlo D'Este vii
Preface ix
Introduction 1
1 1914 9
2 1915 33
3 1916 49
4 1917 55
5 1918 79
6 Retrospective on World War I 103
7 1919 115
8 1920 131
9 1921 137
10 In the Third Reich 151
11 World War II 167
12 Greece 199
13 Russia 217
14 1942 241
15 1943 277
16 The Gross-Deutschland Division 297
17 Commander in Chief, Army Group G 375
18 North of the Danube 411
19 Looking Back 443
Appendixes 455
Notes 475
Index 515
Photographs follow page 276
What People are Saying About This
Dennis Showalter
"A model translation of one of the leading memoirs from the German Army's mid-level command. Balck takes advantage of being the 'last man standing' to present his version of events and experiences. He makes a solid case between the lines of his narrative for the emphasis on offensive action that consistently informed his approach to tactics and operations."
From the Publisher
"A model translation of one of the leading memoirs from the German Army's mid-level command. Balck takes advantage of being the 'last man standing' to present his version of events and experiences. He makes a solid case between the lines of his narrative for the emphasis on offensive action that consistently informed his approach to tactics and operations." — Dennis Showalter, author of Armor and Blood: The Battle of Kursk: The Turning Point of World War II
