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 enlarge | Authors: Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein, Anthony G. Powell, B. H. Liddell Hart, Martin Blumenson
Publisher: Zenith Press
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 76102
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 524
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 0760320543
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.531343092
EAN: 9780760320549
ASIN: 0760320543
Publication Date: August 22, 2004
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| Customer Reviews:
 A "must read" WW2 strategy book January 12, 2008
It is a "must read" strategy book by the one of the best WW2 German generals. It is not the full memoirs. Still it is a 5 star (great) reading.
Must Read for Serious Student of World War II January 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Lost Victories is an excellent first-person memoir of some of the critical battles of the Second World War. Its primary focus is on the Eastern Front in Russia and the Ukraine; von Manstein speaks some about the attack on France in 1940 and opines on what might have been done with England thereafter, but for the most part, his command was in the East.
This is not a starter treatment of the Second World War, and it will appeal only to those readers who are looking for an in depth discussion of certain topics. It is not a comprehensive treatment of the war -- von Manstein naturally only discusses theaters in which he was involved directly, and the book generally focusses on military matters, leaving political topics for others. It also proceeds in some detail, occasionally even providing a division-by-division account of battles. That was sometimes more than I wanted, and I found it possible to skim some of the more detailed parts without sacrificing the overall discussion, however.
Those readers who seek a deeper understanding of the military conflict in the East will be rewarded. I found two features of the book particularly compelling. The first is the lengthy discussion of the Stalingrad endgame (the German Sixth Army was already encircled by the time von Manstein arrived on the scene). The second is the author's discussion of Hitler's strengths and (mostly) defects as a supreme military commander. There is a chapter devoted to this discussion, but the comments and impressions that von Manstein sprinkles throughout the other chapters are even more telling.
I had two small critcisms. First, the book would be more enjoyable with more and better maps, so that those of us who don't have a deep familiarity with the geography of southern Russia and the Ukraine can better place the action. There are a few maps, but they aren't always well-placed in the book and they often don't include all of the key locations.
Second, I wanted more discussion of Operation Citadel (Battle of Kursk), which was one of the critical engagements of the war. I think that von Manstein's actually wrote an in-depth discussion of this battle, but that the editors of this edition chose to replace it with a shorter discussion that the author wrote later for a magazine. That would explain why this chapter is uncharacteristically brief and why its style seems out of place with the others.
Overall, this is a fascinating read, and it has enriched my understanding of the war on the Eastern Front.
By Far The Best Memoir From German General In WWII January 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Lost Victories is superior to Guderian's Panzer Leader and also better than 'Panzer Battles'. The early chapters on the planning and evolution of the Polish and French campaigns is remarkable. Manstein accomplished the near impossible at Sevastopol and almost the impossible at Kursk where (as was often the case) his carefully laid plans were perverted by the powers above. His firm stance against getting German armies sucked into city fighting beginning with Warsaw were tragically forgotten by Stalingrad. His theories about mobile defence, attacking on the other side of a river to defend a bridgehead etc... were revolutionary for their time. It may have been a different story in Normandy in 1944 if Manstein had been in charge rather than the hodge podge of commands which included the discredited Rommel and the over the hill Rundstedt. One of the main reasons the Germans were defeated is that experienced, brilliant generals like Manstein were eventually replaced by yes man that far from strengthening Hitler's position hastened his downfall.
 He was right there December 31, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
On the subject of German military strategy in World War II, I think you'd have difficulty finding a more authoritative source than Field Marshal Erich von Manstein.
He was the brain behind the 1940 Ardennes offensive that gave Germany a quick victory over France. Manstein covers a lot of ground, and his
insights on strategy and army politics are well appreciated, even though he does cover familiar territory.
His description of the Battle of Stalingrad and his own abortive attempt to "rescue" the entraped Sixth Army in the city is nonpareil.
But pay close attention to the details as he rattles off the names of each army and division he "commits" to battle (the accompanying diagrams aren't always helpful and could have be much better).
He clearly lays out the German strategic position in southern Russia and how the Wehrmach's position was becoming more precarious as the Soviets retook Stalingrad.
Manstein pulls no punches as he discusses Hitler's role as commander in chief and the latter's blunders.
This is not an introductory book on the German military campaigns of the Second World War. A more advanced reader can appreciate it on its own, or it can be read as a companion piece to more general works on the war.
One must always look for self-serving statements that give military figures credit for more than they deserve or that make them look like sages. I found little of that sort of thing here, for he deserves his reputation as Germany's ablest general.
Interesting memoirs of a very brilliant commander October 21, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
To anyone who knows anything about World War II, Field Marshal Eric von Manstein remains one of the great captains to emerged from that war into military history. I would easily ranked him among the top three military commanders of World War II.
This memoirs that he wrote after the war proves to be interesting, somewhat insightful, somewhat devious in nature but informative overall. It is interesting and a very insightful experience to read a book written by one of the greatest military commanders of the 20th century. Von Manstein's book deals almost strictly with his military career and accomplishments. Like many memoirs written after any war, there is a certain elements of self-serving interest written in. And as some previous reviewers wrote, he totally ignored his role with the atrocities committed by his troops and his compliance with many of Hitler's orders against the Soviet commissars and liquidation of Jews in his areas of operation. I suppose that would be asking too much since many of the memoirs I read in the past, by Americans or British commanders, grossed over or ignored their own actions or inactions with notorious behaviors within their area of operation.
Now that I wrote that, it should be understood that this book with should read with a very open mind and with a good understanding of Second World War and the role Germany played in it. There are a lot of things written in this book that will give you a clue behind the mind of a great commander, and a lot of things that is not written in this book that will tell you about the man himself.
I read that his family still refused to release his personal papers and there is probably a very good reason for such action. No doubt, von Manstein's reputation as World War II's great capatains might be tainted if the whole story were ever told.
Overall, I strongly recommended this book as long as you go into it with eyes wild open. Remembering that what he wrote may not be what he exactly means, goes a long way in understanding one of the greatest military commanders of the 20th century.
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