Chapter 2 original order

This book is a personal account of a soldier, in which I deliberately avoid discussing political issues, or matters not directly related to military aspects.In this connection it may be worth quoting a passage from Captain Lidhart: The German generals of this war were the best products of their profession alike in every respect.If their vision can be more relaxed and their understanding deeper, their achievements may be even better.But if they become philosophers, they are no longer soldiers. I try not to make retrospective views on things, and describe my experience, ideas and decisions based on the actual situation at that time.In other words, I do not write books with the attitude of a historical researcher, but describe everything as an actual participant.But while I have tried to be as objective as possible about what happened, and about the people involved, and the decisions they made, my personal opinion is subjective.Nevertheless, I hope that my account will be of considerable use to historians, for even they cannot rely solely on archives and documents to obtain the truth of the matter.A necessary thing to know is how the main characters thought at the time and how they reacted to the situation. The answer to this question is difficult to find in archives or war logs. If found, it is never complete.

In describing the formation of the German offensive in the West in 1940, I violated the legacy of Col. Gen. V. Seeckt that staff officers should be unsung heroes.I feel that I am now free to take this action because this issue has long been the subject of public discussion without being caused by my own actions.In fact, it was my former Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal Rundster, and our Chief of Operations, Gen. Blumentritt, who first told the story of this project to Liedhart (with whom I had no meeting). In this account of military issues and events, I have also occasionally included some personal items, because I believe that even in war there is a human element.The lack of human touch in the later chapters of the book is due to the fact that at this stage I was so overwhelmed by my responsibilities that I had no time for them.

My post in the Second World War has led me to describe everything roughly from the point of view of the higher generals.However, I wish to state in particular here that the decisive factor throughout the war was the self-sacrifice and bravery of the German soldiers, combined with the competence and sense of responsibility of the commanders at all levels.It is these qualities that enable us to win.It is these qualities alone that enable us to stand against a formidable foe with overwhelming odds. As I write this book, I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to Field Marshal Lundster, who was my Commander-in-Chief in the first stages of the war, for always having his complete confidence in me.In addition, the same thanks go out to all the ranks of my command and those who have worked with me in the various commands.This is especially true of my Chief of Staff and officers of the General Staff, who constantly assist and advise me.Finally, I would like to thank the people who helped me write and publish this memoir.

Manstein