Nedrasov who fought as a sapper in the trenches of Stalingrad does not present a sweeping, patriotic novel of individual bravery, but rather a story of small episodes where individual soldiers flit in and out of the main characters life during the battle.  Some are brave, some are stupid, some seek to earn medals while others wait for their end. 

To Die for Germany, Heroes in the Nazi Pantheon by Jay W. Baird

It is easy for us today to remember the leadership of the Third Reich as almost comical characters; Hitler with his funny mustache, Goring, the fat man who wore make up and overdressed in gaudy uniforms with rings on his pudgy fingers, Goebbels with his deformed foot, etc.  It is easy to dismiss them until we remember that they were responsible for some of the greatest crimes in human history.  They led a nation that had been known for its science, philosophy, literature and music and turned it into a vast killing machine that had to be put down like a mad dog.  How was that transformation possible?  How could millions of ordinary people participate in such terrible crimes?

In May, 1945, Germany was a nation destroyed; the entire infrastructure from trains, to electricity to running water lay in ruins; the political system founded on the principals of National Socialism lay shattered as millions of Germans fled the advancing Red Army and the military was suffering the greatest losses of the war, up to 450,000 dead in one month.  The lack of fuel, ammunition and transportation meant that the Wehrmacht was doomed to fight with rifles and machine guns against thousands of tanks and planes on each theater. Despite these terrible realities, the German killers who had operated in the East were let loose on the German population and through intimidation and executions, they drove the population onward to the very end.  Finally, when the war did end, millions of former slave laborers were free from their guards and took to the streets.  Even with the best of intentions, they were driven to violence in the simple act of eating as there was no organization for their care.  And, many were filled with a hatred of all things German after seeing their countries and their families, not to mention their own personal experiences at the hands of the “Master Race”.

When we think of WWII in the Pacific, we tend to think of the great naval battles which involved mighty navies in ship to ship gun duels and epic air battles over many thousands of miles of ocean.  Yes, we remember some of the islands on which so much blood was shed, but for Americans, it seemed to be a great conflict between two great navies.

I have found in reading memoirs and novels of World War I that they vary in attitude from country to country.  There are few Italian novels/memoirs as most of the army was made up of peasants who were illiterate, while the British are mixed between the officers and enlisted men.  While the British enlisted man is fully capable of discussing the horrors of trench warfare, on the whole they reflect an attitude of respect for their immediate officers (due in large part to the accepted class structure) and a belief that their cause was valid.  On the other side, even the darkest German book reflects the deep bond held between the men during the most trying times.

It has been claimed that Field Marshall Erich von Manstein was the best strategic general to come out of World War II.  His development of the “Sickle Plan” which was adapted by Hitler led to the defeat of France in 1940, actions in the attempt to rescue the Sixth Army at Stalingrad while at the same time foreseeing the Soviet attempt to destroy Army Group South, his counter offensive which recaptured Kharkov and other actions, all fought while out numbered in men, tanks and aircraft, point to a military mind which was superior to many of his contemporaries.  While his excellence was acknowledged by many in the Wehrmacht, his arrogance and drive were also resented by many and those factors were key reasons why he never attained his goal, shaping the total military direction of the Germany war effort on the Eastern Front.  The final decision maker, Hitler himself, while acknowledging the brilliance of von Manstein, did not want so strong a personality around him and trying to influence him.