Why the Germans lose at war the myth of German military superiority

The German armed forces suffered crushing defeat in the last century. Kenneth Macksey examines the reasons behind these catastrophic military failures: the random fortunes of war, or the inevitable result of a particular structure, leadership and history? A nation with few natural defensive boundari...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Macksey, Kenneth
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: London Mechanicsburg, PA Greenhill Books Stackpole Books 1999
Series:Greenhill military paperbacks
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The German armed forces suffered crushing defeat in the last century. Kenneth Macksey examines the reasons behind these catastrophic military failures: the random fortunes of war, or the inevitable result of a particular structure, leadership and history? A nation with few natural defensive boundaries, Germany traditionally had to struggle to survive, and developed an aggressive and militant outlook. Its great strengths were the brilliance of individual generals and military thinkers, the innovative development of the military forces, and the skill and tenacity of the fighting men. Set against all this was a short-term war policy, a tendency to underestimate the enemy and believe its own propaganda, and the politicisation of the military staffs. These and many other factors were to lead Germany from nineteenth-century success, and dreams of world domination, to twentieth-century defeat. Kenneth Macksey s other books include Guderian: Panzer General, Rommel: Campaigns and Battles, and the alternate history Invasion: The German Invasion of England, July 1940.
Item Description:Originally published: From triumph to disaster. London : Greenhill Books, 1996
Physical Description:240 p. ill 24 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index
ISBN:1853673838