Panzer Leader

With scant regard for careerist ambition, Guderian, in a nominally lower position had done enough to establish his military fame for all time to fill the place in history with all men of action. Guderian’s attitude may be inbred with unrepentant militarism, but his basic assumptions wre a necessity to military service. His brusque honesty which many a time brought him in conflict with his superiors and with Hitler and his pugnacity that made his such a dynamic military reformer and commander, are revealed in his book with fullness of detail, vigour and frankness of comment. He had the amazing aptitude of making the impossible possible with his ability to create surprise and the speed of action that allows the enemy no chance of recovery. The book is an unpretentious self-exposition of a specialist mind. Guderian did not question the cause which he and his troops were serving. He considered it as fulfillment of duty and assumed that his country’s cause was just. It would not have been possible for Germany to have the opening run of victory in the Second world War but for the Panzer forces that Guderian created and trained. Then came the decline of German’s power after the failure at Stalingrad with devastating consequences and America’s entry into the war which threatened their downfall. Thus the victories that Guderian had made possible proved more fatal and the man who had made history had to face dismissal for taking a timely step-back instead of pandering Hitler’s illusions. When Germany’s situation became critical, Guderian was called back t service and was made the chief of the General Staff when it had become hopeless. Thus the ill-fated General swallowed the full bitterness of the dregs. Contrary to the opinion of the readers of his honest memoirs, it will not be wrong to say that Guderian did make history on a great scale.