Germany's early victories in World War II were only made possible by the panzer forces that General Heinz Guderian (1888-1954), the father of modern tank warfare, created and trained, and by his audacious leadership of those forces from 1939-41.
Guderian's breakthrough at Sedan and his lightning drive to the Channel coast virtually decided the Battle of France, while the assault he led eastward came close to producing the complete collapse of Russia's armies. Nevertheless, at the end of 1941 Guderian was dismissed for taking a timely step back instead of pandering to Hitler's wishes. As Germany's situation became desperate, he was recalled to service and eventually made Chief of the General Staff. But by then it was too late.
'Panzer Leader' is a candid and dramatic account of the development and campaigns of the panzer forces that, along with the Luftwaffe, stood at the heart of Blitzkrieg. It is also a searing group portrait of the Third Reich's leading personalities as they turned early victory into a protracted, agonising defeat.
