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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. The revolt in what occupied city was put down with brutal violence by October 2nd?

2. Which of the following does Guderian NOT cite as a reason for Hitler's declining capabilities?

3. What was the German General Staff's opinion towards entering the war?

4. Following the allied breakout from Normany, German forces retreated to what region?

5. Guderian claimed that Hitler became obsessed with which of the following after Stalingrad?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the role of the "Court of Honor"?

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

3. Describe the political structure of Germany during the war, according to Guderian.

4. What defensive mistakes did Hitler constantly make during the allied advances in Europe?

5. How were the opinions about entering into war different for Hitler and for the General Staff?

6. What problem limited production in Germany in 1943?

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

8. What happened when the Russians invaded German-allied Romania?

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

10. According to Guderian, how did Hitler come to power?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Coming from an unimportant family and rising out of the junior officer corps, Guderian did not have a long-standing relationship with Hitler. However, Guderian's natural talents eventually caused him to be drawn into the Fuhrer's inner circle. Guderian developed strong feelings about Hitler as a leader and his influence on the war and the German people.

1) Trace the course of Guderian and Hitler's relationship through the end of the war. Describe how Guderian was first introduced to this leader and how he gained Hitler's confidence.

2) Explain in detail the major conflicts that occurred between these individuals.

3) Discuss what Guderian believed to be Hitler's most important strengths and weaknesses.

Essay Topic 3

As the situation worsened for Germany, Hitler became increasingly distrustful of his generals and began to chastise them for minor acts of disobedience. This trend began soon after the close of the Polish campaign and increased in severity until the end of the war.

1) Discuss the beginnings of Hitler's distrust for his generals. Cite Guderian's first hints Hitler was unsatisfied with his generals.

2) Explain some of the issues Hitler disagreed with his generals on, including defensive positions, strategic goals, and tactical withdrawals.

3) Describe some of the consequences of Hitler's distrust for his generals, including but not limited to the diminishing effectiveness of the German war-machine, the promotion of incompetent generals, and the assassination attempts against Hitler himself.

(see the answer keys)

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