The Wehrmacht's Last Stand: The German Campaigns of 1944-1945

Modern War Studies

By: Robert M. Citino

Narrated by: Tom Beyer

By 1943, the war was lost, and most German officers knew it. What kept the German army going in an increasingly hopeless situation? Where some historians have found explanations in the power of Hitler or the role of ideology, Robert M. Citino, the world's leading scholar on the subject, posits a more straightforward solution: Bewegungskrieg, the way of war cultivated by the Germans over the course of history. In this book, Citino charts the path by which Bewegungskrieg, or a "war of movement," inexorably led to Nazi Germany's defeat.

The Wehrmacht's Last Stand analyzes the German Totenritt, or "death ride," from January 1944-with simultaneous Allied offensives at Anzio and Ukraine-until May 1945, the collapse of the Wehrmacht in the field, and the Soviet storming of Berlin. In clear and compelling prose, and bringing extensive reading of the German-language literature to bear, Citino focuses on the German view of these campaigns. Often very different from the Allied perspective, this approach allows for a more nuanced and far-reaching understanding of the last battles of the Wehrmacht than any now available. With Citino's previous volumes, Death of the Wehrmacht and The Wehrmacht Retreats, The Wehrmacht's Last Stand completes a uniquely comprehensive picture of the German army's strategy, operations, and performance against the Allies in World War II.

©2017 the University Press of Kansas (P)2024 Tantor

Good but slow and long

I enjoyed the info but it’s written like a textbook. You can listen to it on 1.4 speed just fine. The attempt at various nationalities ascents was awful and not needed. You’ll like the book if you’re hardcore into WWII but there is no real new info.

A brilliant Analysis

Another great piece for a better understanding of one of the greatest conflicts in history

Entertaining and informative

Just finished this audiobook by Robert Citino. Almost 26 hours, but it wizzed by. Some people who listened didn’t like the accents that were used to show the nationality of the person being quoted, but I thought they were helpful in keeping it all straight. I really enjoyed it, and learned a lot about campaigns I knew very little about, especially on the Eastern front. I would highly recommend it.

poor presentation

story not as interesting as I had anticipated. the fake German accents also retracted from the reading and from the seriousness of the subject matter.

Outstanding

I have read dozens of books on WWII, this book is among the very best.