Heinz Guderian is a famous colonel general who served in the German army. He is also known as a military theorist, the author of the book "Memoirs of a German General", dedicated to the German tank forces. Considered one of the pioneers of motorized warfare, the founder of tank building in Germany. For his outstanding achievements, he had several nicknames - Heinz the Hurricane and Fast Heinz.
Childhood and youth
Heinz Guderian was born in 1888. He was born in the town of Kulm. At that time it was in the territory of Prussia, now it is the settlement of Chełmno in Poland.
Heinz Guderian's father was a career officer, which affected the career of the hero of our article. His ancestors were landowners who owned land in the Warta area. Mother, Clara Kirhoff, was a hereditary lawyer.
In 1890, a brother named Fritz was born to Heinz Guderian. In 1901, both of them were accepted into the cadet corps for the children of the youngerage. In 1903, Heinz was transferred to a corps for older children, he left for the outskirts of Berlin. In 1907, having successfully passed all the necessary exams, he received a matriculation certificate.
Early career
After studying in the cadet corps, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian, this is the full name of the future officer, enters military service in the Jaeger battalion in Hannover. This takes place in 1907. At the time, he is being commanded by his father.
After a 6-month course at a military school, at the beginning of 1908 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Then, for about a year, Guderian served in the telegraph battalion, and after that at the military academy in Berlin.
During the war
When the First World War began, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was appointed head of the heavy radio station in the Fifth Cavalry Division.
In 1915 he becomes an auxiliary officer in the cipher service under the command of the Fourth Army. In November 1916 he received the Iron Cross First Class for diligent service.
The next year he is transferred to the Fourth Infantry Division, and from there to the headquarters of the First Army. Since February 1918, Heinz Guderian, whose photo you will find in this article, has been serving in the General Staff. The command highly appreciates his proposals, so by the end of the war he even leads the operations department in the occupied Italian territories.
In addition to the Iron Crosses during the First World War, he also received the Knight's Cross,Austrian commemorative military medal.
Peacetime
Defeated, the German army is in a catastrophic situation. Guderian manages to continue his service in the Reichswehr. This is now the name of the German army, limited in size and composition under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Guderian leads the Jaeger battalion, commands the 20th Infantry Regiment. Since 1922 he has served in Munich on a permanent basis. In April, he was appointed inspector for road transport in the War Department. By 1928, Guderian was already a tactical instructor at headquarters in Berlin.
His track record also includes the command of a motor transport battalion, the leadership of the headquarters of the motor transport troops. In the summer of 1932, Guderian came to the Soviet Union, to the Kama tank school, located in the Kazan region. In the USSR, he is with his immediate superior, General Lutz.
In 1934, Heinz headed the headquarters of the motorized troops, and in 1935 - already the tank troops. He convinces everyone around that in the future the military success of any army will directly depend on how successfully it will be able to use the potential of tank troops.
In September 1935, Guderian becomes commander of the Second Panzer Division, which is permanently located in the Würzburg area.
Tank Obsession
Of all road transport that can be used during the war, Guderian relies on tanks.
In 1937 he even published his own book called"Attention, tanks! The history of the creation of tank troops." In it, he describes in detail and in every detail how tank troops appeared, what are the most effective ways to use them.
In February 1938, Heinz Guderian, whose biography is described in this material, becomes the commander of the German tank forces. He establishes his headquarters on the basis of the 16th motorized corps. Becomes a commander with the rank of lieutenant general.
Attack on Poland
As you know, World War II began with the invasion of German troops into Poland. Guderian takes the most direct part in this, commanding the 19th motorized corps. For a successful operation, he is awarded the Iron Cross, First Class, and a month later, the Knight's Cross.
The next step in the plan of the German command was the invasion of France. Guderian carries it out at the head of the 19th Corps, which includes three tank divisions and a motorized infantry regiment, bearing the proud name "Grossdeutschland". These units are part of the army under the command of von Kleist, which carries out the main military operations in France.
Tactics
In these battles, Guderian actively uses the tactics of blitzkrieg, which remains true in most battles. At the same time, he most carefully coordinates all his actions with the directives coming from the command. Moving forward with his tanks, Guderian producessignificant devastation far beyond the expected front line, actively blocking enemy access to any communications, capturing entire headquarters.
So, for example, German troops manage to capture several French headquarters, in which officers believe that the Germans are on the west bank of the Meuse River, but in reality they have long since moved to the other side, depriving the French units of operational command and direct controls.
During many of these operations, Guderian acts capriciously, earning himself a reputation as a poorly managed commander, from whom you can expect anything. In May 1940, in the midst of an offensive operation, the commander of the group of troops, von Kleist, even temporarily removes Guderian from his immediate duties because he refuses to obey a direct order. The incident is quickly resolved, Heinz returns to combat positions.
According to the results of the French campaign, his actions are recognized as successful, Guderian receives the rank of colonel general. In November 1940 he became commander of the Second Tank Group of Forces.
Invasion of the USSR
It was at the head of the Second Panzer Group that Guderian invaded the territory of the USSR in the summer of 1941. The eastern campaign of the Army Group "Center" involves the capture of the Brest region from two directions at once - from the north and south.
The blitzkrieg tactics on Soviet territory is a resounding success. Guderian operates by quickly breaking through the enemy's defense lines fromsubsequent coverage with tank wedges. German troops are advancing at a rapid pace. Minsk and Smolensk were captured. The Red Army on the Western Front in 1941 suffers a crushing defeat, largely due to the decisive actions of Guderian. In July, he already receives the Oak Leaves for the Knight's Cross.
Change of Course
However, at this point, Hitler decides to drastically change the plan of the entire campaign. Instead of continuing a swift attack on Moscow, he orders Guderian's panzer groups to turn around and strike in the direction of Kyiv. At this time, another part of Army Group Center is advancing on Leningrad.
Guderian is forced to comply with the order, although he himself considered it more promising to move forward on Moscow. The Soviet troops of the Bryansk Front are making an attempt to defeat the Guderian group with the help of a sudden flank attack. This is happening as part of the so-called Roslavl-Novozybkov operation. The Soviet troops manage to create a real threat to the Germans, but Guderian, using only part of his forces, stops the blow, continuing to fulfill the main task assigned to him by the command.
In mid-September, in the Kyiv region, he manages to connect with the First Tank Group of the Army "South", which at that time was commanded by von Kleist. As a result of this maneuver, the entire Southwestern Front of the Red Army finds itself in the so-called Kiev Cauldron, which Hitler achieved with his unexpected maneuvers.
At the same time, in the Moscow direction, the German army is losing its frisky offensive pace,which later becomes one of the key reasons for the failure of the Barbarossa plan. Guderian even believed that the main reason. After the start of the offensive against Moscow, Mtsensk and Orel are captured, but Tula never surrenders.
At this stage of the offensive, disagreements begin between Field Marshal Kluge, who commands Army Group Center, and Guderian. Kluge opposes his career advancement, as he does not want to have an unruly commander next to him. When Heinz leads the tanks out of a dangerous position, disobeying orders, he is again removed from command. This leads to large losses in people and equipment.
Reserve
At the end of December 1941, Guderian was sent to the reserve of the High Command from the front line.
Only in February 1943, after the defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad, he was returned to the front. He receives an appointment as an inspector of armored forces. Guderian manages to establish mutual understanding with the Minister of Supply and Armaments Speer. Thanks to this, the number of produced tanks increases many times over. In addition, their design is subject to changes that Guderian himself develops, regularly visiting shooting ranges, factories and test sites.
In May 1943, at a meeting on Operation Citadel, Guderian again clashed with Kluge, even challenging him to a duel. There was resentment in him for being removed from command in the 41st. The duel never took place, as Guderian himself later recalled, Kluge was its initiator, but againstHitler spoke. The Fuhrer sent a letter to the Field Marshal, in which he expressed regret over the disagreements that arose between his officers, calling for a peaceful solution to all problems.
In 1944, after a failed assassination attempt on Hitler, the faithful Guderian was made Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. In March of the 45th, he was already in conflict with Hitler, who was trying to interfere in the management of tank units. Guderian again finds himself in disgrace, he is removed from his post and sent on forced leave.
Defeat in war
After the surrender of the German troops, Guderian is captured by American troops in Tyrol. He was brought to Nuremberg, but at the famous trial he only acted as a witness.
The Soviet side sought to bring accusations of war crimes against him, but the allies did not agree with them. In particular, he was blamed for the execution of captured Red Army soldiers in the 41st year. At the same time, it was not possible to find direct orders from Guderian. The accusation was based on the fact that the general could not have known about them.
Guderian did not deny the knowledge, explaining this as the revenge of German soldiers for the executions that were arranged for German tankers. Red Army soldiers often confused them with members of the SS due to their dark uniforms. And in 1946, Guderian was placed in a prison in Allendorz, later transferred to Neustadt. In 1948 he was released.
For some time he was a military adviser in Germany.
Family
Heinz Guderian's personal life was successful. In 1909 he metMargarita Gerne, they got married, but their parents felt that both were too young for marriage. The wedding took place only in 1913.
The next year, the first son of Heinz Guderian, Heinz Günther, was born, and four years later, Kurt. Both served in the armored forces during World War II. Heinz was promoted to major general.
Guderian himself died in 1954, at the age of 65, from liver disease.
Proceedings
Heinz Guderian's books were of great importance for the development of all tank forces. He is considered one of the best German military theorists of the time.
Heinz Guderian in the book "Memoirs of a German General" talks about the creation and development of tank troops. These memoirs of Heinz Guderian describe the preparations for the largest operations of the German command. This is an important historical document in which the general shares his knowledge and experience.
Many quotes from Heinz Guderian are still studied by the modern military.
Be worthy citizens of your people today! Do not give up and do not refuse to help your fatherland in such a difficult time for it! Gather all your physical and spiritual strength and give them to the cause of the restoration of the homeland, everyone must work where his fate has thrown him, which is equally difficult for all of us. No, even the blackest work is shameful if it is done with all your heart and with clean hands. Don't be discouraged if you find it difficult. If we work together for the good of our people, the sun of success will rise for us too, and Germany will againwill respawn.
So he inspired his compatriots in his other book of memoirs - "Memories of a Soldier".
