The Evolution of Blitzkrieg Tactics: Germany Defends Itself Against Poland, 1918-1933

by Robert M. Citino

This study provides a tactical, strategic, and operational view of the interwar German army as a fighting organization. The book describes in detail the process by which the Reichswehr attempted the accomplishment of its principal task--that of defending Germany's borders, particularly those along the eastern frontier, from the end of the First World War until the formation of the Hitler cabinet in January 1933.

Genres: History

223 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

Robert M. Citino is an American history professor, scholar and writer currently teaching at the University of North Texas. He specializes in German military history and has earned acclaim by writing several historical books on the subject. He has appeared as a consultant on the History Channel several times on the subject of World War II and German military tactics.

Reviews

[Martin Samuels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather mis-titled, this book really focuses on the deployment and training manoeuvres of the German and Polish armies between the end of the First World War through until the end of the Weimar Republic. This is an often-overlooked period and Citino usefully brings out the extreme sense of vulnerability to a Polish strike felt by the German authorities. The book is heavily based on the reports of US military attaches and internal German governmental papers, available in the US National Archives but previously little considered.

Although Citino has a tendency to include somewhat too much narrative and description of the munutiae of German deployments and manoeuvres, this nonetheless is a valuable contribution to the literature and gives an interesting side light into the driving factors behind the development of the tactical approaches displayed in 1939.