Inside the Nazi War Machine: How Three Generals Unleashed Hitler's Blitzkrieg Upon the World

by Bevin Alexander

The men, the minds, and the military tactics of Nazi Germany that would challenge the world to war.

In 1940, as Nazi Germany spread its wings of war, France stood secure in the knowledge that they possessed the largest, most formidable, and best-equipped army in Europe. France also had a stalwart ally in Britain and the support of Holland and Belgium. But they were all about to face a new kind of enemy who fought a new kind of war.

In this book, expert military strategist Bevin Alexander examines the groundbreaking martial concepts developed by three brilliant generals- Erwin Rommel, Erich von Manstein, and Heinz Guderian. Their plan was to unleash the power of the tank, grouping them into juggernauts that would slam into-and through-enemy lines, as aircraft supported them and ground forces swept in behind them. It was the Blitzkrieg. And it alerted the world that the deadly might of Germany could no longer be ignored...

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military History, Military Fiction, Audiobook, War

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 19, 2010

About the author

Bevin Alexander is an American military historian and author. He served as an officer during the Korean War as part of the 5th Historical Detachment. His book Korea: The First War We Lost was largely influenced by his experiences during the war.

Bevin has served as a consultant and adviser to several groups due to his military expertise, including work for the Rand Corporation, work as a consultant for military simulations instituted by the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, and as director of information at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. .

He was formerly on the president’s staff as director of information at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., and is a retired adjunct professor of history at Longwood University, in Farmville, Virginia.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have been stronger without the introductory author interview that plays up how he, unlike all other military historians, talks about strategy and tactics. The actual text, however, reads very much like any other military history, and discusses strategy and tactics in roughly the same depth as they are discussed in any other history. A secondary annoyance is how perfectly Mr. Alexander knows what would have happened if things had been done differently, and how regularly he takes people to task because they didn't make the decision that he knows would have led to better results. Since the rest of us are not gifted with 20/20 counterfactual vision, his constant recourse to it feels a bit unsporting.

Also, the title doesn't have much to do with the price of tea in China. On the other hand, it's a very readable account of the German Western offensive of 1940. Not a bad read before you go out to watch Dunkirk, although Atonement would be better.

[Claude Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Inside the Nazi War Machine: How Three Generals Unleashed Hitler's Blitzkrieg Upon the World author Bevin Alexander delivers a more than serviceable history of the Battle of France during WWII. As Alexander points out, it was a great victory and an even greater lost opportunity. He focuses on the conflict within the German command structure (including Hitler) which ultimately produced the infamous “Stop” order. It was that order which allowed the “Miracle of Dunkirk” to take place. Alexander doesn’t ignore the French as he examines the reasons for their total ineptitude.

His primary attention is reserved for the three German stars of the battle: Army Group commander Gerd von Rundstedt, Panzer Corps commander Heinz Guderian and Panzer Division commander Erwin Rommel. Alexanders’ contention is made clear in his secondary title; How Three Generals Unleashed Hitler's Blitzkrieg Upon the World. The heart of this history is his assertion that the actions, and insubordination, of these three generals, was at the core of the German success. He also spends time on the premise that the failure to destroy the British Expeditionary Force, and all the repercussions from that act, was due to the timidity of significant elements (including Hitler) of the German command. Alexander accomplishes this with an easy writing style that’s fit for the hardcore WWII buff or someone just interested in one of the most successful offensives in the history of warfare.

I read this as an audiobook. The narrator, Ray Porter, was very good.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sophisticated man-read offers thoughtful analysis, brow-raising historic interpretations, and a crisp delivery. The author presents lots of military strategy, a menu of artillery and tank names, plenty of guttural German words and phrases, and generally lavishes a banquet of war red meat upon the testosterone-laden reader. I loved it. Yet the work is efficient, well research, and pretty much sticks to the cold facts. This was less about war story-telling and more about an analytic historical interpretation, in uniform. He shows how it is that Nazi Germany brilliantly managed to crush France in stunning short order (thanks in part to a totally lame French military) and could have taken down the British army and dominated three continents, were it not for one utterly incompetent German commander: Adolf Hitler. According to the author, Hitler’s incompetence was thorough and astounding, almost to the point of disbelief. He made repeated epic blunders, failed to listen to his professional generals, and single-handedly took total victory from the grasp of a small cadre of brilliant German generals. The victory over France came only because these generals, like Rommel, disobeyed orders from German High Command and used innovations and strategies that were among the most dazzling and successful in the history of warfare. One of the reasons Hitler failed to hear his generals and lost opportunity was because he was obsessed with destroying the Soviets and wiping out Jews. I’ve never hear a more stinging condemnation of Hitler. And it leaves open the imponderable question of what would have happened had he not been quite so flawed.

[Riaz Rizvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful book on strategy, competition and cooperation. It details how German Panzer Commander Guderian's blitzkrieg strategy was resisted and misunderstood by German, French and British conventional military commanders. The book helps unmask the hindsight revisionist view where German might was far superior to Allied forces. Instead we see that a German force of 60,000 men with what seemed on paper to be *inferior* weaponry (weakly armed and armored Panzer tanks and aging Stuka dive bombers) routed a 3 million strong French and British army. The German high command could not fathom Guderian's strategy and indeed he and Rommel had to subvert orders to defeat the French, and they would have destroyed the British Army at Dunkirk and ended the Western European conflict had it not been for Hitler's inability to understand the strategy. I think it is directly relevant to business because it helps you understand how people can just not see a great strategy before their eyes despite evidence. It is also relevant because there is a direct trail from blitzkrieg to modern business strategies like Jeff Sutherland's Scrum and John Boyd's OODA loops.
To me it shows how people inhabit different reality filters. And even though we live the same real-life situation, people who belong to a separate reality filter see a different world and respond to events that in hindsight seem irrational when a bold new strategy they don't understand takes the world by storm.
Furthermore I believe the book also helps show why a new more effective reality filter is hard to adopt even when someone writes a book to lay it out in black and white. (Guderian wrote a famous book called Achtung Panzer! before the war which described his new strategy).

[Chet Slonina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three strategically brilliant generals- Erwin Rommel, Erich von Manstein, and Heinz Guderian, set Europe on its hind legs as the new World War bring participants from a stagnant trench warfare era to a mechanized juggernaut that out performs superior forces with cunning, bravery and guts. The Blitzkrieg was a blow that the Allies were not accustomed to and the lack of France to engage, the lack of true commitment as portrayed by the "Phoney War" and the superior engagement of German tanks and aircraft led Germany to a undeniable superiority at the start of WW II Safe to say that it set back all thoughts to and easy finish for the Allies as well as an inflated ego for the Germans as the United states was not yet officially in the in the battle. An excellent read for history buffs to give you a good basis of a dominating force of military prowess.

[Robin Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used the audio edition which was a good production. This is a well written account of the start of World War 2 in the West. This includes the details on the strengths and weaknesses of the German advance. I found this account very readable and understood the detailed information on the military action. A certain amount of names are discussed some of whom may be less familiar, but this does not detract from the action. Plenty of action described here.

[Joe Oaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book on the three major generals who changed modern warfare.
Most interesting part of the book was the end and Mr. Alexander's hypothesis on what may have happened if the generals were allowed to crush and capture the BEF and French army at Dunkirk. Really made me think. Could have changed history.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the Nazi defeat of France. Explores the main generals that contributed to the German victory. The book proceeds from the thesis that a handful of innovative German generals could have won the war, but Hitler was an inept fool. While there are a few good insights, the book does not deliver all that it promises. It does not stand apart from most other histories of the period.

[Georgiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but somewhat spoiled by a whole lot of snark and hyperbole.

[TJ O'Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. The topic has been covered a lot of course, but here the concentration is on Mannstein, Guderian, and Rommel.
Yes, these guys did everything right and the Allies did everything wrong in response. Yes, a brilliant plan. But sometimes you get also need to get lucky!
This brings up the choice of title, which is misleading. This solely concentrates on May-June 1940 timeframe. Things got a bit harder to the Wehrmacht after that.

Also: note to publisher: it is superfluous to put the swastika THREE times on the cover. We get it, Nazis and all, but you over did it.

[Michael Van Kerckhove · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many of the WWII narratives I've experienced (books, film, TV) have the Germans well established in Europe, or at most they summarize things. I loved getting a better sense of how and why they got there--from French military inadequacies to Hitler's lack of vision. This book gives a solid close-up look at the Battle of France with the chapter on Dunkirk taking on its climax. Something for everyone: plenty of weapons names and descriptions, strategy, people stories, etc. A valuable part of of my WWII book shelf.

[Hans Hessmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente livro! Mostra a estratégia alemã utilizada para atacar Holanda, Bélgica, Luxemburgo e por fim a França, forçada a se render após 43 dias do início do conflito. O livro relata em detalhes as ações de três oficiais alemães, idealizadores da Blitzkrieg: Erich von Manstein, Heinz Guderian e Erwin Rommel. Mostra como suas decisões, muitas vezes contrariando ordens diretas do alto comando alemão, causaram a rápida destruição do exército francês e a retirada apressada do que restava da Força Expedicionária Britânica por Dunquerque.
Claro que os próprios franceses também contribuíram para a sua própria derrota devido a inabilidade e falta de iniciativa de seus comandantes, o excesso de burocracia e a fixação por uma guerra estática, resquício da Primeira Guerra Mundial.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book details the invasion of France during World War II and how three Generals Rommel, Guderian and Von Manstein devised and executed the plan which destroyed the Belgian French and British armies despite stubborn resistance from their own command. The book also details how Hitler and several other German Generals reluctance to believe in their ideas of tank warfare allowed for Dunkirk and many soldiers to escape to Britain to fight again. Good novel though a little tough to follow all the various German, French and British units.

[Tom Kurtz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor. Too much detail with too few maps to follow the information.

Conclusion goes off into rather expansive speculation about how Germany would have dominated Europe and western Asia and the US would remain isolated in west if Hitler was not timid and had allowed the three generals to capture the BEF at Dunkirk, essentially leading Britain to sue for peace to get the soldiers back. Author argues the generals were good, Hitler was small and narrow minded and led to his own defeat. Agree, but the speculation is too much.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle to high command level account of the 1940 France campaign told with highlights on the German generals who's tactics came to light and the difference between allied static fighting and use of armour vs. the fluid German tactics and of course the delays around Dunkirk. Not a bad book, in fact it's hard finding good books on 1940 being as the events (except for the Battle of Britain are over shadowing by the bigger events later in the war.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent audio book on a portion of the History of WW2. In some points of the audio book, veers off from other facts/statements/research done on WW2. I believe the latter & not what's in this book. But the difference in information is not of significance, but of slight. It did mention Keilmannseig, which I believe is a relative on my fathers side.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book includes detailed descriptions of tactical maneuvers, which are often fairly technical, but overall it is a very intriguing account of the Battle of France. I found the chapter on Dunkirk and the epilogue of "what ifs" especially fascinating.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I took away from this book was if Hitler would have let his Generals run the war It could have turned out different.

[Petr1108 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Great audio book.
It gives an excellent view of the total surprise that Nazi generals created.
At the end, there is an analysis what might have happened, if Hitler had a vision.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Pretty much points out how Hitler screwed up the beginning of the war.