Panzer Leader (Penguin World War II Collection)

This book gives an inside account of the whole Nazi regime. Who was who, what they thought and what they did.
This book is stunning reading, and should be on the bookshelf of everyone
for an understanding of the German War Machine.

After reading it thoroughly I must admit: one of my favourite books!
As an artillery liutenant, I enjoyed the hours spent in switching between the text and the maps of this book, and I really felt like being in the battlefield! The story is described both form the perspective of the general and of the private, both from the position of the political and of the military man.
Guderian is not only a good leader, but also a good writer: he might be properly awarded with a "buch-kampfabzeichen".

The book is written by one of the German Generals that was a key to Hitler's plans. The author is not a dynamic writer but gives a very bland view of the events. Technically very interesting and full of details that anyone interested in the German perspective of the period will interested in.

This is a very detailed account of General Guderian's life. It is well written, and I would consider it to be more of an historical work, than something one would read for entertainment. Validates one's preconceived notions of the German mind.

Doug

well written regarding strict actuall experiences f this general but careful avoids any mention of or personal feelings of the General in this book WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR (even though HE DUDNT ACTUALLY take part he WAS responsible)

The glaring drawback of this important account is the consistent overbearing personality of Guderian expressed plainly in every instance and
the exaggerated self importance and obsession with complete control over all events, and the reader.
Guderian repeatedly states the VITAL importance of his every decision and personal direction of the War, this attitude was common among Hitlers Generals, competitive if not complete conceit.
Guderian admits they were preparing to attack unarmed, undefended, unprepared enemies and that is why quick victory was expected.
Interesting maps but difficult reading to see past the imposing ego.

Another classic taken from Gustavo Urueña Arellano's library of 600 books. His Panzertruppen company in Colombia has "published" this book copyrighted by the Hutton Company, without permission, and with his trademark typos. Gustavo was just 4 years old when he claims he worked on this book with Heinz Guderian (possibly 3 years old if it took a year to publish). Now Colombia is just not a leader in narcotics production, but also has one of the most productive plagiarists of our time - Gustavo U. Arellano. The author is an award winning plagiarist (see his Facebook site for list of awards) who has produced many books that are written by others with his name or company now attached to them. His Maginot Line book is an outstanding work that has led to his recognition in the field of plagiarism. The author has skillfully copied sections from other books and complete articles from Wikipedia - errors and all -- but specializes in plagiarizing published books by known authors. See his other listings and see how many other works you can identify that he has plagiarized.
update:
Please Note: Gustav U. Arellano and his Panzertruppen Company specialize in plagiarism. Since I have already pointed out where he has reprinted books and articles written by others and claimed that they are his own work, he has slowly removed his name and his company name from the authorship of these titles, but he continues to market them. On the "READ ME" sections you will still find his company's claim to copyright. Most of the editions contain many typographic errors, they are all abridged editions (much material has been eliminated), and some include information taken from Wikapedia with the material all jumbled up.

UPNoten por favor: Gustav U. Arrellano y su Panzergruppen Company se especializan en plagiarismo. Desde que comprobé que ha reimprimido libros y artículos escritos por otros bajo su nombre, él a venido quitando poco a poco su nombre y el de su company de estos títulos, sin embargo, sigue vendiéndolos. En la sección READ ME (LÉEME), todavía se encuentra imprimido el derecho de autor bajo su nombre. La mayorí de sus ediciones contienen muchos errores tipográfico. La mayoría son ediciones abreviadas y algunas contienen información sacada de Wikipedia mezclada con segementos de los textos originales. DATE:

The architect of blitzkrieg stressed fast movement over static campaigns and believed that armament and firepower were perquisites for effective tank assault. These elements secured Germany dizzying victories in the early months of the Second World War when they were combined with air cover in support of attacking infantry.

We learn how German leadership underestimated Russian forces after quick victories in Poland and France. The war changed for Germany when Hitler paused at Dunkirk during the invasion of France and when he ordered Guderian to remove his forces from Moscow in an attempt to encircle Russian troops in the south. The vicious counterattacks that Russian troops launched had Guderian dispute Hitler's orders to remain in position. Arguments with Field Marshall Gunter von Kluge over these orders resulted in Guderian being relieved of command.

Hitler named Guderian the Inspector General of Armor after the Stalingrad debacle. His visits to various industrial sites throughout Germany have him meet important figures of the Third Reich as he tries to modernize equipment and increase production. The compelling descriptions of these meetings let the reader witness the macabre downward spiral of Adolf Hitler. We see how Hitler convinced generals to implement grandiose plans that were based on unrealistic expectations and how the unsuccessful assassination attempt on his life (July 1944) fueled his mistrust of the German General Staff. It included the execution of persons who were not involved with the failed plot.

We learn what Guderian thought about Hitler's failed attempt to secure victory over American forces in the Ardennes campaign. His daily conferences with Hitler resembled talking to a madman who was under the influence of various drugs. These encounters reached a boiling point when Guderian attempted to convince Hitler to focus on the defense of Germany instead of on the East.

The author speaks highly of Field Marshall Rommel and tactfully raises their disagreements over armor placement before and during the invasion of Normandy. He mentions three personalities that anyone with an interest in the Second World War should research. They are Colonel Werner Molders, Luftwaffe fighter pilot; General Erhard Raus, commander and author of Panzer Operations; and General Herman von Balck, an overlooked but highly competent Panzer commander.

One criticism is that the book lacked information about what life was like for Guderian as a prisoner; another involves how Guderian distanced himself from the atrocities that Hitler and many members of his regime committed against the Jews. It is difficult to understand how a general with the access to Hitler that Guderian had could say that he did not learn of these crimes until after the war.

Be warned all the material listed by Panzertruppen, Gustavo Uruena, Waffen SS is plagiarized by either copying all the material from the book, or an internet site like Wikipedia and sometimes mixing material (that is why much of it does not follow a logical progression). Sometimes the actual author's name is listed although if you check you will find that author's work is still copyrighted and this is a plagiarized copy. Save your money and find a legal copy or read much of the same material on Widipedia. What follows is a biography of the master plagiarist posted on Wikipedia which will let you know who you are giving your money to. Gustavo Arellano Urueña (1948 -), born in Bogota, Colombia, and a life long Nazi wannabe. Young Gustavo was a very poor student and could never understand what the term plagiarism meant. He studied electronic engineering at the Universidad Javeriana and Technology in Electronics and Communications in Technological Institute ITEC in the city of Bogota. Pensioner since 1998 he has spent the last fourteen years studying military history and especially that related to World War II and the German army. Since 1998 is the webmaster of a website (which has disappeared from the internet because of plagiarism) in which there are more than 2500 articles published on the subject mentioned above and has received condemnation for his plagiarizing by public and private entities as CNN in Spanish, the General Command of the Military Forces of Colombia; the Journal of the U.S. Air Force and others. Related issue has published more than 50 books he has plagiarized in digital format and has in his personal library with more than 600 books and magazines about the History of World War II. He has earned the title of Plagiarist of the Year for 2012 and Le Merde of the Decade awarded by his duped readers.

UPDATE:

Please Note: Gustav U. Arellano and his Panzertruppen Company specialize in plagiarism. Since I have already pointed out where he has reprinted books and articles written by others and claimed that they are his own work, he has slowly removed his name and his company name from the authorship of these titles, but he continues to market them. On the "READ ME" sections you will still find his company's claim to copyright. Most of the editions contain many typographic errors, they are all abridged editions (much material has been eliminated), and some include information taken from Wikipedia with the material all jumbled up.

Noten por favor: Gustav U. Arrellano y su Panzergruppen Company se especializan en plagiarismo. Desde que comprobé que ha reimprimido libros y artículos escritos por otros bajo
su nombre, él a venido quitando poco a poco su nombre y el de su company de estos títulos, sin embargo, sigue vendiéndolos. En la sección READ ME (LÉEME), todavía se encuentra imprimido el derecho de autor bajo su nombre. La mayorí de sus ediciones contienen información sacada de Wikipedia mezclada con segementos de los textos originales.
contienen muchos errores tipográfico. La mayoría son ediciones abreviadas y algunas

I found this to be a very detailed and interesting view of the German Army in World War 2, with an emphasis on the Eastern Front. It is of course a biographical history of Guderian and his path to eventually head the German Army. The development of the the German Panzers and their use and tactics can be directly attributed to Guderian's influence, and his presence is still felt today. I really enjoyed his portrayal of the German leadership and particularly Hitler. Although, he sidesteps the Holocaust and it is only mentioned once that I found. He doesn't seem to understand that his efforts to prolong the war have the side effect of the death of many thousands of people. However, his loyalty to his country and his leader drive him to the end. I would recommend this book if you have an interest in World War 2 in Europe and you will gain a new perspective on why Germany conducted the war as they did.

In this timeless classic, General Heinz Guderian narrates World War II from the little known German as opposed to the Nazi point of view. He describes the organization and training of the German armored corp that was destined to play such a critical role in the German war effort and provides a detailed view of operations in the Russian Theatre of operations. He also provides a frank and highly unflattering picture of the Nazi hierarchy.

Students desiring insights into military operations on the Eastern Front need to have an atlas showing the locations of Russian towns and geographic features. One can easily see the difficulties faced by German commander's navigation of this vast and extremely difficult terrain. These problems were compounded many times over by the early and severe winter that took such a toll on men and equipment alike. As difficult as these problems were they could have been overcome. One problem could not. The German soldier's worst enemy was their own high command!

Guderian shows how Hitler and his desk-bound commando's at OKW and OKH repeatedly interfered with operations, changed objectives, interfered with ongoing operations, issued insane orders and completely failed to supply their charges. The results are well known. Operations failed miserably and suffered huge numbers of completely unnecessary casualties. Finally, the German Army, like Napoleon's Army before, was driven from the field by better armed and numerically superior Russian forces. The results would be felt by Germany and the Western Allies for decades to come.

Guderian was a soldier's soldier who spoke his mind even to Hitler himself often at the risk of his own life. Today, in the aftermath of the Cold War we are left to wonder how the world would have been different had the Soviet Union been defeated and peace had been made with the West. Would it have been a better place or was the German general's reward for losing not having to live in a Germany ruled by the Nazi's? Regardless, when the great generals of history, Alexander, Napoleon, Lee, Jackson, Stuart, Rommel, and Patton etc. are listed, the name Heinz Guderian is certain to be included!

This book is an extremely detailed account of movements, units, personnel, and the commanders who played a role. I believe the book was lacking in the human perspective of the men who fought the war. More of a dry report at times. Nonetheless, it was a good read through the eyes of a man who fought on the German side during W.W.II. Heinz Guderian was a General in the Panzer Corps and led one of the Army Groups. He later became Inspector General of Armored Troops and then finally Chief of the General Staff. He was one of the greatest tacticians and leaders of the German military. Much like Patton, but more settled.

The Panzer Mark III and IV, which just started coming into production, were used in Poland. This was their trial for gaining the experience that will be needed in the future. General Guderian does not mention his thought as weather it was just to go into Poland at this point.

Guderian was hoping for peace early on, but Hitler was not obliging.

He had close contact with Hitler. Through much of the book he details meetings with Hitler. Many times arguments ensued. Early on, Hitler already distrusted his generals.

After conquering France, Germany was now a well oiled fighting machine. Hitler now hoped peace could be made with Britain.

Hitler now looked to the east and at conquering Russia, but blindly ignored their strength. Heinz believed fighting the Russians to be a huge mistake. He now started mistrusting Hitler much more, but under protest still followed orders.

Heinz was a God fearing Christian man, and went to extents to save relics and churches from looting and destruction. Although after finishing the lengthy read, "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" I question the man. Was there more that he could have done to stop the war. Was it just blind allegiance?

He tried desperately to convince Hitler to change tactics numerous times without avail. He was defenseless, still giving the 'Heil Hitler'. He was stuck between trying to save his men and obeying Hitler.

Heinz was relieved of command after the loss to Russia. He now realized the totalitarian dictatorship that he was under.

He was one of the great military planners. It is a good thing for the rest of the world that Hitler and his inner circle did not listen to him and his generals when it was necessary.

Many officers now talk of ousting the socialists government. Of course as we know, attempts failed.

As the "party" grew the leadership declined, along with the people of Germany.

For anyone who is intersted in armored warfare this is a must read, because Guderian is without a doubt a pioneer of 20th century armor tactics and the father of Germany's Panzer Forces. It was him and military thinkers like him that brought about the concept of mass armored formation as a separate military arm in oppose the spreading out tanks all over as infantry support. The book describes the development of the German Panzer Forces from infancy to full develoment as well its implementation during the WWII. The book is treasure of technical information from the most well knowned to the most obsecure tanks developed in Germany, analyzing both weakness' and strengths of different models. Guderian also gives a very detailed story of the German offensive in Russia of 1941 (until he was dismissed) and he picks up the story in 1943 after his reinstatement to active military duty and describes the events up to very end of the war. Even though the General was man integrity his view of the of the war (recorded at the end) is described from the German point of view and can't help to be a bit biased. Guderain's absolute defence of the honor of the German army leaves the reader a bit skeptical in view of what we know about German atrocities on the eastern front. However none of these faults (that's why i gave it 4 stars) takes away from the richness of information this text provides on development and implementation of massed armor forces for first time in history of warfare. If you are interested in the history of the German-Soviet conflict I would look for a more balanced source eleswhere and leave this book for the armor enthusiest or a reader of military biographies.

While Heinz Guderian's memoirs of his Second World War experience add an important volume in our understanding of the war and the Third Reich, one must never forget who was writing it. Guderian is at his best, and hopefully most trustworthy, when he sticks to battle plans and tactics. When he writes as the ultimate gambler of the French and Russian campaigns, one can almost smell the sweat and gunpowder from the battlefield. In this regard, "Panzer Leader" is a very enlightening and important book.

Unfortunately, there is much of the story that is simply not here. Guderian never shies away from presenting himself as the father of modern tank warfare, though he fails to credit the many other German officers of the panzer arm who worked tirelessly alongside him to bring the weapon into the modern age. He is quick to criticize those with whom he disagreed during the war, unwilling to acknowledge his own mistakes with any real regret or offer anyone else the lions share of accolades for German victories in which he played a part.

But most disturbing of all is Guderian's complete unwillingness to open up about the Wehrmacht's role in Eastern Front atrocities or his own corruption. Like many officers of the German Army, Guderian accepted bribes from Hitler, including a large estate in German-dominated Poland. Guderian constantly paints himself as the apolitical military technical specialist, but in fact in the aftermath of the July 20th bomb plot against Hitler (during which he was conveniently incommunicado), he stated to the German Army that every officer needed to be a National Socialist Officer. It was he who insisted that the Nazi stiff arm salute replace the traditional military salute. His actions reveal a man who was very much political.

As a war memoir it is enjoyable, even essential to the serious student, but must be read with a grain of salt. For a more detailed and honest portrait of Guderian check out Russell A. Hart's brief biography, "Guderian: Panzer Pioneer or Myth Maker?". Ronald Smelser and Edward J. Davies II's "The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture" details how generals like Guderian were able to rehabilitate themselves after the war largely through memoirs like this.

Heinz Guderian's account of the development of the German armor forces between the wars and the accompanying strategy is one of the major readings in anyone's understanding of armored warfare.

Guderian helped to develop the concept of blitzkrieg, a concept similar to Liddel Hart's of the massing armored forces in conjuction with air power and artillery. Guderian was the prime architect of the invasion of France and after being relieved by Hitler was then called back to service as Inspector of Panzer Forces in 1943.

Guderian's theories are still in effect today in slightly different manifestations and are mainly used by the US Army's Armored Warfare doctrine. As a witness to modern armor tactics in Desert Storm and the 3rd Infantry Divisions drive north into Iraq in 2003- complete with German style 'reconnaissance in force' forays, I'd go so far as to say the the Army's Armored operational doctrine is a direct descendent of both Guderian and Von Manstein.

Guderian's Panzer Leader is without a doubt, a required read for anyone interested in the military history of WWII.

All of the other reviews on this page concerning Guderian's role on the development of German tank warfare are both knowledgeable and factually correct. He was to German tank warfare strategy what Rommel was to tactics. Adding in Mannstein, it is remarkable how much competence and intelligence surfaced among the Panzer generals, especially when compared to their counterparts in the infantry.
What I found most interesting about this book, however, were the insights it provided about Hitler. There has been a tendency, both during and after the war, to downplay Hitler's intelligence and abilities, which leaves the question of "If he was so stupid, how did he get so far?" What Guderian makes clear is that Hitler was exceptionally intelligent. Because Guderian was at his side at key times during the war, he provides personal insights that would not otherwise be available.
Perhaps the most disturbing item in the book, which was news to me, was Hitler's plan to gather the people of Germany together in the center of the country at the end of the war, destroy all bridges and other transportation links, and allow them to die of disease and starvation, a disaster that (according to Guderian) was only averted by actions that he and Albert Speer took.

This is a great book by a brilliant strategist and soldier of WWII. Guderian tells his military life with straight forward bluntness that is typical of General's who have seen the face of war and combat first hand. His tactics of "Achtung Panzer!" and of defeating and defending against the Soviet Army during WWII is rivoting. A loyal soldier to Germany Guderian makes no apology for fighting for the "Fatherland" yet you can tell that he was no "loyal Nazi" either. He was just a soldier doing his duty as he saw best. But overall this is the type of General and Panzer leader that the allies feared, especially the Soviets. As a final comment, it would of been very interesting to see how the allies would of done at Normandy, if Guderian was there and if he would of had full authority to let the tanks and Panzergrenadiers loose at the allies after DDay. The allies are indeed fortunate they never had to go against Guderian or the soldiers under his command.

Panzer Leader is the autobiography of Nazi Colonel-General (= US Army 4 Star) Heinz Guderian, who played an instrumental role in the development of Hitler's tank troops. This book is standard must reading for serious students of tank warfare, but should be read with caution and context when used as a source work of the Nazi Era.
Insights include the German Army General Staff's resistance to innovation such as putting radios into tanks, his description of the battles of Dunkirk and Moscow and his claim that Hitler lost both battles by ordering Guderian to halt, and his descriptions of prominent Nazi's including Goering, Himmler, and Hess.
My problem with this work is the rationale for his actions the head of a rubber-stamp commission that discharged soldiers from the German armed forces as a precursor for them being turned over to the SS for torture and murder after the July 1944 assassination attempt against Hitler. Contrary to his claims, he did little to prevent the SS purge.
Guderian falsely describes the Waffen SS as a professional military organization that was largely innocent if not unaware of the Holocaust. As Chief of the General Staff from July 1943 until late April 1945, he is either lying or wearing both actual and moral blinders.

Heinz Guderian was more or less the founder of the German Panzerwaffe, or Armored warfare theory. He contributed indirectly to the creation of a new type of warfare and directly to its implementation, namely the blitzkrieg. This theory, of combined arms fighting, would smash the defenses of Poland, Norway, France and almost Russia. It only failed in the latter example, despite a string of overwhelming victories, by the vastness of the country and the decision by Germanys supreme commander - Hitler. This is really what the book is all about. Don't get me wrong, it's truly an outstanding biography about the Second World War and a person that contributed to the rise and fall of Germany. Guderian was without doubt of one the most sympathetic and charismatic officers and individuals in the Wehrmacht. An old fashioned gentleman, schooled in not only the arts of war but of society as a whole by a small piece of land in northeastern Europe - Prussia. A devout catholic, his enrollment in the armed forces would propel him through ranks and fame throughout Prussia and Germany.
He was present when Hitler saw, and claimed, the capability of armored tactics and led his units during the invasion of Poland. His real success as a military commander though, would not come until the invasion of France and the penetration of the Ardennes and of course - the French battleline. During Barbarossa, the invasion of the Sovietunion, he led the Second Panzer Group (later to become the 2nd Panzer Army) to the very gates of Moscow.
His book takes from the beginning of the war to the last battle of Berlin, in which the dreams of the Third Reich comes to an end by the combined pressure of the allies and the Red Army. His telling of the fighting capabilities of the Wehrmacht and the enemy feels correct and informative. It's a gripping story as the war in the west and east unfolds. His insights in the problems that faced Germany, the ruthlessness of it politics and the sorrows of war bear a personal and resourceful objective view of events that torched Europe and the world. He reasons and analysis the war, the people involved and also the different countries with great respect and objectivity. Although it bear the same scars of war as many of his fellow generals (Manstein, Hausser, Speer) - that Hitler was responsible for the failings of the strategy and the innocence of the armed forces regarding the Jew-issue and the treatment of prisoners and the population in the occupied areas - it feels more genuine and understanding. His portray of Hitler doubtless makes one wonder what in fact could have happened, in the military field, if the German General Staff had been allowed to control their operations. It's a great book about the tactics and operations of the greatest conflict in modern history.
However, Guderian faces the same historic dilemma suffered by his comrades-in-arms in the German Army, SS or other branches of Germanys war machine. He cannot accept the collective guilt that, unavoidably, surrounds the members of a military that contributed to the destruction of Europe and the genocide of the Jew community. It doesn't really matter if you didn't commit any atrocities by yourself or the one closest to you. One that fails to intervene is in many ways just as guilty as the one committing the crime. You still share the guilt of what happened, regardless. I'm convinced that Guderian was in many ways the most sympathetic and understanding of the combatants in the war, but still I think he (like every other higher officer) knew or silently understood what was going on the home front and behind the battleline. He was a smart and educated man, who must have recognized the danger of the Jew prosecution and the infamous commissar-order. I would think that readers would be (even) more impressed if the fighting commanders or other (like Speer) took responsibility for what really happened.
Nonetheless, it is a great book for everyone interested in tactics and military history, written by a man in its midst. I highly recommend it.

General Heinz Guderian was one of the principle figures in
the development of the German Blitzkrieg. This book is his
memoires, written shortly after the war. He discusses the
resistance to his new tectical ideas, from more conservative
soldiers, and gives a description of the personalities in
the 3rd Reich. He has a rather lengthy discussion of his
campaigns in the war, which drags on too long for light
reading. But, it is livened up with anecdotes like Sepp
Dietrich in black face, and some indirect comments about the
general who got fired for marrying a hooker.

For years I had known about Generaloberst Heinz Guderians achievements or at least I thought so. After reading his wonderfully written memoirs, I understood why the Eastern Front became so fragile and ultimately lost by German forces. Guderian sheds a lot of light on incidents reported during the war but ultimately fabrications by Soviet propaganda.

But the book doesn't just focus on the Eastern Front, though that does play a large majority in the books length. The Western Front is spoken on aswell as the ranks Guderian soared through during the war. And at the end, Guderian speaks on the leading personalities of the Third Reich. This book shows a lot of detail on the mind of Hitler, as Guderian was quite frequently with Hitler and also arguing situations with Hitler [which only a rare few did so]. Other personalities spoken about include: Himmler, Goebbles, Speer and Goering.

Panzer Leader is perhaps the most detailed account on the formation of the Panzer Armies that blitzed their way through Poland, France, Africa and Russia before slowly being halted by overpowering numbers, corrupt leadership and ultimately, lack of supplies.

This is a book for anyone who has studied that great and costly war, but still lacks some key info on the conditions which led to victory and defeat. Guderian truely belongs among the greats.

If you're thinking about reading this book, you've probably already aquired an interest in WWII from the german point of view. I guess it's true that this book is a must read, being the memoirs of such an important participant as Guderian. I would like to say, however, that it can be quite boring at times. Sometimes, reading this book is like reading a log. To me, there were just too many uneccessary details, like where the HQ was located on this and that date. I would not recommend this book unless you're a serious historian. I've actually stopped reading books like this, myself. I like to read history, but if I'm going to do it in my spare time, it better be stimulating. I didn't really expect this book to be entertaining, but I thought it would be stimulating in other ways to read what Guderian thought. Unfortunately there was too little of that, and too much of irrelevant details. Personally, I liked von Mellenthin's Panzer Battles better than this book. At least, he tries to come up with some lessons learnt from the operations he covers, and he doesn't present more details than what is neccessary to make his point.

In this excellent account of World War II from the perspective of the German, Guderian succeeds in gripping the attention of the reader and fascinating him or her until the final page.

As you read Guderian's description of the 1940 campaign in the West, you can almost feel the disappointment of the Germans as the high command practically allowed the British escape at Dunkirk. The author's depiction of the campaign in Russia is no less enthralling; you can almost see the German soldiers trudging through the mud and snow and feel the loss of hope as time passes and winter progresses.

Not only does this well-written work provide a detailed description of the campaigns that the colonel-general served in, but also vivid pictures of the men that drove the Third Reich into destruction, including of course, Hitler, Goering, Himmler, and Keitel, among others. Guderian gives the most detailed insight into the figure of Adolf Hitler. He takes measures to show what particular events and actions taken by the supreme command led to certain failure, making this book a must-read for those interested in Nazi Germany's rise and fall.

I highly recommend this read to anyone interested in the Second World War.

Panzer Leader

Author-General Heinz Guderian

Da Capo Press

Written/First Published 1952

Paperback 528 pages. 22 black/white photos.

37 sketch maps.

This book is a history and rough diary of the life of the German General Heinz Guderian. He served in the Great War and World War II. He authored the book Achtung! Panzer. He ended his career as Inspector-General of Armored Troops and served as Chief of the Army General Staff.

This book is titled Panzer Leader. I think an alternative title should be 'How I could have won the war myself if only Hitler, Rommel and all the other generals let me.....'

Guderian seems to have irritated almost all of his peers in one way or another but never explains why.

The book does give quite a lot of detail into the areas in which he was while conducting the war and also goes into the tactical areas the new armored warfare that developed under his tutelage. He was a firm believer in attacking all the time and encircling the enemy with armor. He did not like the turretless assault gun concept and believed that it wasted a good tank chassis.

The book also details his meetings with the upper command staff, which often included Hitler. He had many interesting meetings with Hitler that are quite remarkable to read.

Guderian denies any bad press he ever received and some of it is just unbelievable.

For example, when his command staff stayed at Tolstoi's Yasnaya Polyana estate, Guderian denies later Russian claims that furniture was burned for heat and other things vandalized. "No stick of furniture was burned, no book or manuscript touched". This is a strong denial from a busy General who obviously had time from commanding his troops to see that every stick of furniture was well cared for.

On the whole, this was an interesting book. The authors comments and insight into the other commanders and operations is fascinating and his knowledge of the art of armored warfare almost unequaled at the time.

Another book for my WWII fan. He loves this book. Tonight he told me that he has read this book a number of times, and still finds it fascinating. He really likes obscure books about WWII. I highly recommend this book for the WWII fan in your life.

This book is crucial. For anyone interested in WWII, strategic thinking, modern warfare, the Third Reich, [German] history, military tactics, panzers, anything in between, and much more beyond, you will not regret reading this. Albeit it does require some patience and maturity, those who read Panzer Leader from beginning to end will be glad they did so. I speak of patience because Heinz allotted many pages to his units (#s, actions, and such) and maturity because throughout such "drabble" one must retain the bigger picture for the memoir to take proper effect.

Bear in mind that this book was written by the man who very much gave birth to the Wehrmacht as we know it, and who essentially could have won the war for Germany had Hitler been more mindfull (and less pilled up on amphetamines). Heinz was also the only German officer to openly/angrily stand up to Hitler, in front of other 'key' staff members nonetheless. It's not difficult for one to grasp how significant an act that was, apart from the fact that he consistently disagreed with Adolf in private.

Although he did not participate in the attempted assassination of July '44, Heinz was indeed a true German patriot and soldier, fighting for his people and his nation with the purest intentions one could have in such a position. As a proud German decendent, I admire him in many aspects of life and am thankful that this work was penned and has been preserved through the years. Dank Heinz, und Ruhe gut.

Check it out...

A brilliant and mesmerizing account of Germany at war, and definitely the best book I've ever read on WW2. Readers with a particular interest in Germany leaders' mindset during the irresistible Soviet surge will be walking on air page after page.

Not only one of the most remarkable military tacticians of the history, Guderian was also gifted with a fantastic writer's talent - a bit like his French homologue, Charles de Gaulle. You will feel literaly in the middle of the Nazi strategic conferences on how to pursue the conduct of war. The second half of the book describing the Hitler's madness in details is absolutely stunning.

Panzer Leader is an incredible read, giving you the insider look on every military decision / personality / strategy of the third reich. A classic!

An excellent edition of this book, essentially Guderian's post-war rationalization of his leadership. Certainly a side of the command structure/tensions within the Reich that is not often seen from such a highly-placed level. Well supported with maps, photos.

A fine autobiography of one of the great captains in military history. One of the "holy trinity" (along with Fuller and Hart) of modern combined arms warfare, Guderian not only mastered the military arts, he also writes extremely well.

Expertly laid out. Provides in depth views into the problems developing an armored force withing the Reich's beaurocracy. I have a profound respect for this man's genious. He even confronts Hitler over troop realignment and Panzer R&D, which led to his unpopularity in the Reichschancellory. I guess it is good Hitler and his cronies made life difficult for Guderian, or things may have gone another way.

For students of miltary history interested in the development of armor as a stand-alone weapon, this book is invaluable. However, its value far surpasses that of an account of the evolution of mechanized force; the insight it provides into the inner workings of the Third Reich and Hitler are of unparalleled value for anyone interested in understanding why Hitler, and not the German Army, lost the Second World War

The book is written by one of the German Generals that was a key to Hitler's plans. The author is not a dynamic writer but gives a very bland view of the events. Technically very interesting and full of details that anyone interested in the German perspective of the period will interested in.

I got this book to understand how the Nazi blitzkrieg was so successful. This the book did, detailing how Guderian came up with the concept (borrowing from others) and how he fought with his doubting superiors to employ his tactics. He describes the initial assault on Russia but is replaced before the fateful Stalingrad offensive.
As the book finishes, with his reinstatement, you begin to understand the depth of his allegiance to Nazism. He knows that if only Hitler had listened to his good ideas, German would have defeated all. Hitler made them stop and let the Dunkirk evacuation take place - otherwise Britain would have fallen. On the Russian front he barely mentions the "Commissar Orders" which allowed - or mandated - the murder of POWs found to be closely tied to the Russian hierarchy and even regular soldiers deemed to be "Bolsheviks", leading to the slaughter of perhaps millions. All this was done on the Eastern front by troops under his command, but only a passing mention of the Commissar Orders is made.
At the end, you have the impression that Guderian was hardcore Nazi who regrets that Hitler was not up to the task of succeeding in conquering the world.
Minor point: his hand-drawn maps are almost unreadable.

Heinz Guderian was one of the band of notorious Nazi generals who, due to the exigencies of the Cold War, had his war-criminal past swept under the rug by the victorious Western Allies. Instead of being executed or sentenced to life at hard labor for his crimes, he was given full pardon and was allowed to write this self-aggrandizing paean to himself in collaboration with a similarly self-aggrandizing British author named Basil Liddell Hart, a sickly ex-British army officer who spent the last half of his life trying to take credit for everything regarding the evolution of armored warfare short of the invention of the wheel. Because of the disconcerting circumstances surrounding Guderian's even being allowed to write his memoirs in anything other than a defense deposition, I've broken this review into two parts labeled "The Acceptable" and "The Bad".

First, The Acceptable: Guderian, the arrogant, pompous, self-possessed son of a Prussian Army officer sat out the First World War in a staff job. After the war, he found a place in the notorious Freikorps, a gang of German thugs who are regarded as the forebearers of the Nazi Party. This led him to a life dedicated to his "leader" or "Fuhrer", Adolph Hitler. Due to his pathetic submission to his idol Hitler (a posture that would lead him to take an eager part in the trials and brutal executions of his fellow German generals who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1944), Guderian was allowed into the inner circles of the Wehrmacht. So his selective accounts of the development of the German Army in the interwar period have some value, though much less now that the period has been covered extensively by real historians. That's about it for The Acceptable.

Now for The Bad. Like his collaborator, Liddell-Hart, Guderian gives himself credit for all but single-handedly developing some magical theory of operations for the Wehrmacht's armored branch. The blurb on the back of my paperback copy of "Panzer Leader" goes so far as to declare him to be "Hitler's foremost expert on tank warfare". Tank warfare in the WWII period was an ever-evolving science, the product of the ideas and experiments of hundreds, if not thousands, of officers and theoreticians around the world. Guderian was just one of those involved, but you'd never know it to read his egocentric account.

The victories of the Wehrmacht in the Polish and Western campaigns were due largely to the aerial supremacy achieved by the Luftwaffe, but, ever the self-promoter, Guderian claims it was the mechanized ground forces, most noticeably his, that tilted the balance in Germany's favor. Guileless historians have been mindlessly parroting him ever since. He spent both campaigns safely traveling the secured areas behind the leading Wehrmacht elements, visiting various headquarters and having his photograph taken at every opportunity while leaving his staff to conduct the business of running his division's and later, Panzer Group's, operations. His focus was always on himself, even at the expense of the men under his command. A glaring example is his insistence that all vehicles in his units be decorated with a large white "G" in total disregard for the obvious security implications--an incredible display of egotism and stupidity that opposing intelligence officers must have welcomed with gratitude and glee.

But worst of all was his part in the Wehrmacht's activities on the Eastern Front. The unit which Hitler placed at his disposal in 1941, Panzer Group 2, was the lead element of Einsatzgruppe B, the German "security" unit tasked with murdering the Jews--every man, woman, and child--of Byelorussia. Guderian has nothing to say about the Einsatzgruppen, despite the fact that they operated in the immediate rear of his command. The Einsatzgruppen killed their victims by shooting them. Most were only wounded by the heavy-caliber rifle bullets that Guderian's rear-element troops blasted in and through their bodies, and died slow, agonizing deaths in the pits where they fell or were thrown. The children, who were saved for last, were an especially difficult target, as they tended to run around in hysterical terror after seeing their parents and relatives ripped apart and dropped into writhing heaps before their eyes. There are reports that many of the smaller children had to be shot again and again before they would stop trying to struggle to their feet.

After the war, much of the German Army would feign ignorance of this gruesome, wanton slaughter, but Guderian doesn't even bother, knowing that his history of allegiance to Hitler and everything Nazi is a matter of public record. His account of the activities of his command during the period of the first mass murders of Jews in Byelorussia is a representative example of his indifference and hypocrisy. In the course of a short, randomly selected sequence from chapter 6, "The Campaign in Russia, 1941", Guderian refers to some of the German army and air force officers who paved the way for, aided, and protected the Einsatzgruppen as "the gallant Colonel Molders" (p.139), "the brave commander" Ritter von Weber (p.144), "the brave SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Klingenberg" (p.148). The whole book reeks of, in Guderian's estimate, "brave" and "gallant" German officers, not one of whom had the courage or moral fortitude to raise a finger to stop or even protest the atrocities being committed under their commands.

So, to wrap up, there is some factual material in "Panzer Leader", though it's being superceded by scholarly research not marred by blind Cold-War acceptance of blowhard accounts like Guderian's. The Germans taught the world a lesson it should never forget with their despicable and cowardly behavior, and there were none more despicable and cowardly than the German generals like Guderian who ran for the nearest Western Allied unit they could find in order to throw up their hands in surrender and beg for undeserved mercy once the going got tough.

well written regarding strict actuall experiences f this general but careful avoids any mention of or personal feelings of the General in this book WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR (even though HE DUDNT ACTUALLY take part he WAS responsible)