Hitler's Heroes During Operation Barbarossa: Knight's Cross Generals on the Eastern Front, 22 June-5 December 1941 (Dixon Jeremy)(Pevná vazba)

This is a study of the officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the Knight’s Cross during the early period of Hitler’s assault upon the Soviet Union. This takes us from the great onslaught of Operation _Barbarossa_, through to Hitler’s decision to abandon his attempt to capture Moscow and adopt a temporary defensive stance due to the early onset of winter. Such was the scale of operations during these momentous first six months of the war on the Eastern Front there were endless opportunities for officers to display courage and leadership. This resulted in a total of 178 generals – twenty-six _Generalmajors_; fifty-six _Generalleutnants_, eighty-four full _Generals_, eleven _Generalobersts_ and one _Generalfeldmarschall_ – being awarded the Knight’s Cross in this period alone.One such recipient was _General der Artillerie_ Erich Marcks who personally directed the fire of his guns against enemy bunkers at very close range. On the day he was notified of his award of the Knight’s Cross he was seriously wounded and had to have his left leg amputated. Despite this he returned to service in March 1942 and was later awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves._General der Infanterie_ Ernst Schroth, the Commanding General of the XII Army Corps, was awarded the Knight’s Cross for his part in the attack on the Brest-Litvosk Fortress in June 1941\. Considered a staunch supporter of Hitler, he
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