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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. In Guderian's story about the Court of Honor, what happened to the soldier, which gave the other soldier the chance to kill himself?

2. Who originated the term "Blitzkrieg"?

3. What was Hitler's reaction to the assassination attempt?

4. What did von Kluge attempt to do to Guderian?

5. During the planning of the Kursk offensive, Guderian had what major objection?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the July 20th plot?

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

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

4. What factors caused the German General Staff to adopt strategies for motorized and tank warfare?

5. What was the result of the July 20th plot?

6. Why was Guderian interrogated?

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

8. What war did the tradition of the German General Staff date back to?

9. How well did Himmler fare as the leader of Army Group Vistula?

10. What problem limited production in Germany in 1943?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

The July 20th assassination plot against Hitler ended with the killing of several top German military leaders, the light wounding of the Fuhrer, and the execution of most of the conspirators. The German officers who carried out the assassination attempt believed they could end the war by killing Hitler, but Guderian expressed doubt that Hitler's death would mean anything for Germany.

1) Explain the July 20th plot, including the people involved, the plan for the assassination, how the attack was carried out, and how successful the plan was.

2) Discuss the motivations of the conspirators and explain what they hoped to achieve through their actions.

3) Describe Guderian's attitude towards the assassination attempt, including a discussion of his criticisms of the methods used by the conspirators and their morals.

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This section contains 865 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample