Hitler's New Command Structure and the Road to Defeat: A Study through Field Marshals Kesselring, Rommel and Model

Andrew Sangster · Pier-Paolo Battistelli · Pier Paolo Battistelli

Nov 2024 · Pen and Sword Military

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As the war progressed Hitler did not need obedient bureaucrats like Keitel, failures like Paulus and was paranoid about having military leaders who were loyal. The three field marshals in this book were amongst the best. Field Marshal Kesselring gained a reputation in Italy as an expert in defense, and his Allied code name was The Emperor. Kesselring was diplomatic, charming, known as Smiling Albert, but convicted as a war criminal which may not have happened had it not been for the bitter partisan war. Field Marshal Rommel is surrounded by myths which need disentangling. He possessed exceptional qualities of command and leadership, with personal courage and determination, but had problems caused by two major reasons. The first was his relentless ambition, which prevented him from self-criticism and self-evaluation. The second was his meteoric rise in command, and like many other commanders driven by ambition. Field Marshal Model when on the battlefield led his men so well it is surprising that little is known of him. He fought defensive battles in a way hardly matched by any other German general. He had the immense capability of keeping his nerve, but his skills as a commander, were not matched by the sort of personality which may have given him a similar status as with Rommel, and not helped by challenging Hitler. Model had a reputation of being so tough even Hitler claimed he would not want to serve under him, he was known as the Frontschwein (front-line pig).

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Dr Andrew Sangster holds his doctorate in Modern European History as well as degrees in Law, Theology, History and English. He has written several biographies including Lord Alan Brooke, Beria, Franco, Göring, Goebbels, Himmler, a history of France 1936–46 and an account of the main European Secret Services before 1939. Dr Pier-Paolo Battistelli gained an MA in the University of Perugia, and he was awarded a PhD from the University of Padua, based on a thesis on the German-Italian military partnership during the Second World War. He is active as translator, a military history consultant, and author of a number of Second World War history related books. Dr Pier-Paolo Battistelli and the Revd. Dr Andrew Sangster have worked together for some 12-14 years in researching lost evidence and trying to find the truth behind historical accounts, have attempted to be objective and make their works as readable and interesting as possible. Dr Pier Paolo Battistelli gained an MA degree in the University of Perugia, Italy, and was awarded a Ph.D. degree at the University of Padua, Italy, with a thesis on the German–Italian military partnership during WWII. Dr. Battistelli is active as a translator, a military history consultant, and author, publishing a number of books on different subjects of history related to WWII.