If you want to understand German military history in WW II, you absolutely must educate yourself on the life and campaigns of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the best field commander on any side if WW II. This book, describes von Manstein’s most famous and unfortunately most succusful campaign and I say unfortunately because his brilliance kept the German line from being rolled up South to North after the Soviets encircled Stalingrad. Had the Soviets been able to do this, the war could have ended a year earlier. But they were prevented by the brilliant operations of von Manstein who created Army Group Don out a handful of divisons to which he added every single straggler, rear echelon clerk, musician etc which he could find. Using his concepts of mobile warfare, he held the Soviets at bay. An astounding achievement given what he was up against. Von Manstein was the German staff officer who created the plan the German Army used to conquer France. He was a great general but refused to participate in the plot to kill Hitler or to kill Hitler himself which he had the opportunity to do on several occasions. So he is not at all a great man. His family will not release his papers because they will confirm what we already know: von Manstein was well aware of the atrocities being committed in Russia by the Germans and did nothing to stop it. ( )