Discuss the Manstein plan. What made the Manstein plan of invading France through the Ardennes region so brilliant, as a surprise attack on the Western front?

Discuss Operation Sea Lion. Do Manstein's objections to the canceling of Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of Great Britain, make sense? What caused Hitler to cancel Operation Sea Lion?

Why did Manstein so vehemently object to the downgrading by Hitler of the role of the O.K.H.? Would a functioning O.K.H. and O.K.W. have helped the Germans to do better in their attacks on Great Britain and later the Soviet Union?

Discuss Manstein's morality. Early in the book, Manstein admits that generally the leading German generals feared starting a new world war. Yet, Manstein and his colleagues then pursued and tried to win this war. What values and loyalties determined Manstein's actions?

Discuss...