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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. When was Guderian captured?

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

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

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

5. How many panzer divisions did Guderian manage to scrape together for the Western front?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was Guderian interrogated?

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

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

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

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

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

7. What was the July 20th plot?

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

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

10. What defensive mistake did Rommel make in dealing with the allied landings at Normandy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hitler's plan for the invasion of Russia assumed the campaign would be concluded before the next winter, an assumption that proved to be disastrously wrong. As the Russian winter set in, the organization of German forces fell apart and the army suffered major setbacks and defeats.

1) Explain some of the problems in Germany's preparations for the Russian winter.

2) Discuss the difficulties the Russian winter presented the German army with.

3) Describe the ways the Russian forces took advantage of German disorganization during this time.

4) Summarize the impact of the Russian winter on German morale and war-fighting capability.

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.

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