CasaJB’s Reviews > The Memoirs of Field Marshal Keitel: Chief of the German High Command 1938-1945 > Status Update

(cont5) ... in a fight to the finish. East Prussia had been held only so long as he had kept his headquarters at Rastenburg; but the front had collapsed there as soon as he failed to support it by his presence. The same fate would lie in store for Berlin; that was why he would neither modify his resolution nor break his pledge to the army and to the city's population."

(cont4) ...and would keep the people from panicking. This was unfortunately now the pre-condition of success for the operations presently in hand for the relief of Berlin and for the battled that would follow for the city itself. One factor alone would offer any hope of realising this success, which was still possible: that was the people's faith in him. He would therefore personally direct the battle for Berlin ...

(cont3) who lost unexpectedly large numbers of prisoners to us."

One of various passages on Hitler's decision to win the now-called Battle of Berlin:
"My renewed attempt to move him to leave Berlin was categorically rejected. Only this time he gave me his explanation in perfect calm: he explained that the very knowledge of his presence in Berlin would inspire his troops with a determination to stand fast, ...

(cont1) ...weak and increasingly extended defense forces. Field-Marshal von Bock wanted to use the reinforcements allocated to him for the counter-offensive - some of them still in the process of being moved up - to defend the area where the danger of a Russian break-through to the west seemed most imminent; but the Führer, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, insisted on the counter-attack's being launched in such ...

(cont) ... Army Group Centre - suffering fearfully in the terrible cold - not been blocked by the merciless and uncompromising opposition, by the iron will of the Führer, the German Army would inescapably and inevitably have suffered in 1941 the fate of [the French in] 1812."

"The spring offensive began in the Poltava region at the very last moment, before the deep Russian penetrations could break through our ...

Just some more examples, certainly nowhere close to exhaustive:

"It would be a travesty of truth, however, if I failed to stress at this juncture that the way in which we averted disaster can only be attributed to the willpower, steadfastness and unrelenting severity displayed by Hitler throughout. Had the narrow-minded and selfish emergency plan thought out by the tired and apathetic front line generals of ...

(cont 2) "... dallied longest at the Opera, with whose internal architecture he was more familiar with than the French guide, and which he knew and wanted to details of whose existence the Frenchman did not even dream. Then, with enormous reverence he paid a visit to Napoleon's tomb."

I'm reminded of Carolyn Yeagers "The Artist Within the Warlord: An Adolf Hitler You've Never Known", which I also highly recommend.

(cont) for military operations, among many other examples of Hitler's brilliance and just plain goodness, there is also the below excerpt on a visit to Paris after the armistice with France (which by the way Keitel notes "The preamble was Hitler's idea and flowed from his pen alone."):

"After looking out over the city from Montemartre, we visited Arc de Triomphe and the other main points of interest. The Fuehrer ...

As someone familiar with one of the greatest men in history, I am not surprised by all of the wonderful information on Adolf Hitler, but just thought I'd note in case for those ignorant. In addition to notes on Hitler's innovation, immersion, expertise and creativity in military matters, his deference to perceptions of his generals' accomplishments (in spite of Hitler being ultimately and intimately responsible ...