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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 happened to Guderian when the OKH was bombed?

2. What did Guderian want to speak to Hitler about during the events of Chapter 12?

3. Guderian claimed that Himmler has strange fantasies about the German people colonizing what area?

4. The tradition of the German General Staff dated back to the leadership of what nation?

5. What factor demoralized Rommel on the Western front?

Short Essay Questions

1. What problem limited production in Germany in 1943?

2. What major attack did Hitler order for Army Group Vistula during the events of Chapter 12?

3. How did Guderian quickly create an effective staff for his new command as Inspector-General of the Armored Troops?

4. What faults did Guderian credit for Hitler's declining capabilities?

5. What was the July 20th plot?

6. What personal danger did Guderian face in Chapter 12?

7. What problems did the German General Staff face in the inter-war period?

8. What kind of audience did Guderian seek in Chapter 12?

9. What rumor did Guderian hear about Field Marshal von Kluge on July 18th?

10. What special authority did Guderian seek from general Schmundt?

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

When he was reinstated in the army, Guderian was given the rank of Inspector-General of the Armored Troops. This was a very important position that gave Guderian the authority he had always sought, but it came late in the war and at a time when the organization of the armored troops was in a desperate condition.

1) Explain the reasons Guderian was reinstated into the army and given his new rank.

2) Summarize the responsibilities and authority Guderian gained in his new capacity.

3) Explain how Guderian was able to quickly assemble an effective staff.

4) Discuss the state of the German armored troops at the time Guderian assumed his new command, and discuss the changes that Guderian made to these forces in order to make them effective once again.

Essay Topic 3

After breaking through Belgium and Luxembourg, the German forces routed French and allied divisions, sending them fleeing North to the channel and south to the heart of France. The English expeditionary force was badly disorganized and compacted into a small area at Dunkirk, where they were slowly evacuated. Many military leaders wanted to launch a massive ground attack against these forces, but Hitler indulged Goering's desire to demonstrate the power of the German Luftwaffe by destroying the English from the air. This proved more difficult than planned, and most of the English army escaped.

1) Discuss the events that caused the English army to be cornered at Dunkirk.

2) Explain the opinions of Guderian and other military leaders about what should have been done to wipe out the English army.

3) Explain the reasons that caused Hitler to send only the Luftwaffe to attack this vulnerable position.

4) Summarize the Luftwaffe's attempts to wipe out the English.

5) Using information from the book and Guderian's personal insights, speculate how the war could have gone differently had ground forces been allowed to attack Dunkirk en masse.

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