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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What recommendation did Hitler make to Guderian, during their discussions, during the events of Chapter 12?
2. Guderian estimated the war could only continue for a few more weeks if what critical area was taken?
3. What did Guderian convince Himmler to do?
4. What problem did the German General Staff face after 1933?
5. During Germany's final collapse, Guderian sought an audience with Hitler and what other major leader?
Short Essay Questions
1. What rumor did Guderian hear about Field Marshal von Kluge on July 18th?
2. What major attack did Hitler order for Army Group Vistula during the events of Chapter 12?
3. How were the opinions about entering into war different for Hitler and for the General Staff?
4. What is the role of the "Court of Honor"?
5. What special authority did Guderian seek from general Schmundt?
6. Why was Guderian interrogated?
7. What factors caused the German General Staff to adopt strategies for motorized and tank warfare?
8. What problem limited production in Germany in 1943?
9. What defensive mistake did Rommel make in dealing with the allied landings at Normandy?
10. What was the July 20th plot?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Germany's war on the Eastern front quickly became a defensive battle after the stalled offensives of the first winter there and the disasters at Stalingrad and Kursk. However, Hitler failed to adapt to the demands of this style of warfare and the German army suffered significant setbacks as a result. The German army was never able to effectively defend against the advancing Russians.
1) Explain the strategic situation on the Eastern front when Germany went on the defensive.
2) Discuss the recommendations made by Guderian and other German military leaders for the defense of the Eastern front, and explain why Hitler refused to adopt these recommendations.
3) Describe some of the consequences of Hitler's mistakes on the Eastern front, including the loss of German divisions, vital resources, and strategic losses, such as the impact on morale and organization.
Essay Topic 2
As the war turned against Germany, Hitler began to make increasingly serious defensive blunders, often refusing to allow troops to withdraw to defensible positions or to retreat when overwhelmed by enemy forces. These decisions cost many Germans their lives and turned the course of the war irrevocably against Germany.
1) Identify and explain the events that caused Germany to go on the defensive.
2) Describe, based on the German army's doctrine and mentality, how ready the German forces were to fight a defensive war.
3) Use examples from the book to explain some situations were German military leaders recommended prudent defensive strategies, such as tactical withdrawals.
4) Explain or speculate as to why Hitler refused these recommendations, and explain the consequences of these decisions.
Essay Topic 3
Guderian's publication, "Tank Attack by Movement" was intended for military theorists and described the ways he believed armor should be used in warfare. His ideas were developed in an atmosphere that increasingly stressed the importance of armor, but Guderian codified the principles of armored tactics for the first time, and identified the major advantages of the tank as a war-fighting machine.
1) Explain what "Tank Attack by Movement" was, why Guderian wrote it, and who his intended audience was.
2) Discuss how Guderian believed tanks should be employed in warfare.
3) Summarize what Guderian believed to be the major advantages of tanks over other available forces.
4) Describe some of the differences between Guderian's approach to armored warfare and the classic approach used in WWI and endorsed by other military leaders of the time.
This section contains 907 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |