Manstein in the Crimea: The Eleventh Army Campaign, 1941-1942 "There are a number of reasons why an extensive account of German operations in the Crimea would be of value. First, leading the German Eleventh Army in the Crimea was General der Infanterie, and later Generalfeldmarschall, Erich von Manstein. Credited with the creative responsibility for the German offensive plan used against the Anglo-French armies in May-June 1940, a plan that now bears his name, Manstein since the war has been recognized by many authorities as the most formidable strategist and field commander the Germans had, despite the greater press given to Rommel and Rundstedt ... [Second,] the campaign is interesting because of the various kinds of combat that occurred. As Manstein later said: 'It was a campaign which, in ten months of incessant fighting, included both offensive and defensive battles, mobile warfare with full freedom of action, a headlong pursuit operation, landings by an enemy in control of the sea, partisan engagements and an assault on a powerfully defended fortress.' Also, of all the German operations against the Soviet Union from 1941-1945, the conquest of the Crimea was one of the few that had a clear beginning and end, commencing on September 24, 1941, with an initial attack at Perekop and ending on July 1, 1942, with the fall of Sevastopol ... This will be a strict narrative, not designed to concentrate on Manstein's generalship, but rather to give a detailed description of all phases of the German operation"--Preface. |
