Hitler's Commanders: Officers of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, the Kriegsmarine, and the Waffen-SS

Despite huge odds against them, Hitler's commanders--the elite of the Wehrmacht--almost succeeded in conquering Europe. Now in an expanded edition that includes biographies of the generals of Stalingrad and a new chapter on the panzer commanders, this book offers rare insight into the men who ran Nazi Germany's war machine. Going beyond common stereotypes, Samuel W. Mitcham and Gene Mueller recount the compelling lives of a varied group of army, navy, Luftwaffe, and SS men, including their early life, their military exploits during the war, and their post-war career, if any. Weaving in dramatic stories of tank commanders, fighter pilots in aerial combat, and U-Boat aces, the authors bring the battlefields of World War II to life.

About the Author :
Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr., (retired) was professor of history at Henderson State University, Georgia Southern University, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and a visiting professor at West Point. Gene Mueller (retired) was professor of history at Lewis & Clark University, Henderson State University, and Texas A&M.

Review :
Hitler's Commanders is an engaging introduction to the leaders of Germany's war machine during World War II. Mitcham and Mueller, by exploring the lives, personalities, ambitions, and careers of the Third Reich's military leaders, reveal that these men actually consisted of a diverse group of soldiers rather than just fanatical Nazi robots in lockstep with the Führer. Bringing to light the careers of lower-ranking and lesser-known Wehrmacht officers makes for compelling reading and sheds valuable light on the complexities of the German military command during World War II. --Steven Carter, Henderson State University In this book, the distinguished historians Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. and Gene Mueller analyze a selection of Nazi Germany's commanders through a series of concise and insightful biographies. The book describes a surprisingly broad gamut of German officers, especially regarding their competence and loyalty to Nazi ideology. This study contributes to our understanding of the commanders' individual personalities and processes of decision-making. --Michael Perri, Texas A&M University, Texarkana Mitcham and Mueller, retired history professors who both taught at Henderson State University, have put together an encyclopedic collection of brief profiles of the careers of the lesser-known German military men--true Nazis, skeptics, and patriotic soldiers who tried to focus on the battlefield and ignore the horrors that Hitler unleashed on Europe. This new edition adds a chapter on the men who led the panzer (tank) troops. Every branch of the German military eventually confronted what one officer called the 'unholy disorder of Hitler's leadership.' The Fuehrer constantly micromanaged his commanders' tactics, leaving them hamstrung in pivotal confrontations, like the battle of Stalingrad, one of the most ignominious defeats in military history. Some men followed his dubious commands to the letter; others knew that defying Hitler could cost a man his career if not his life. A sterling introduction for anyone interested in how the men who fought for Hitler ticked. -- "Publishers Weekly" The authors take a brief but probing look into the lives and careers of little-known officers of the Third Reich. The emphasis is more on personalities than on battlefield accomplishments, and Mitcham and Mueller go deeper than the usual Prussian-gentleman-or-Nazi-beast categorization. -- "Publishers Weekly"