Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (Guderian)

Guderian, Heinz Wilhelm (Guderian), (1888-1954), Colonel-General Germanic army (1940), military theorist. Along with de Gaulle and Fuller was considered the ancestor of motorized means of waging war. Born June 17, 1888 in Kulm (now Chelmno, Poland). He graduated from military college (1907) and the Military Academy (1914). During the 1-st World War was on the staff positions, after the war - in the Reichswehr in 1922 - in car Troops. In 1935-38 commander of the Armored Division and the Army Corps.

During the Anschluss Guderian commanded the newly established 16-m hull perpetrators shot at Vienna, during which at least one third of the tanks got stuck in the road. In 1939, Guderian's panzer divisions participated in the invasion of Poland, has successfully carried out the tactics of blitzkrieg than earned the admiration of Hitler. In his books, "Warning - tanks!" and armored troops and their interaction with other types of forces "(1937) Guderian has a major role in the outcome of modern war, the massive use of tanks. In early 1940 he commanded a tank corps in France in June 1940 the commander of 2 nd Panzer Group (October 1941 - 2 nd Panzer Army). In December 1941, the defeat near Moscow Guderian was dismissed and certified in a reserve. March 1943 was the Inspector General of Armored Forces. Participants of the July 1944 plot several times tried unsuccessfully to win over Guderian. After an unsuccessful attempt on Hitler with Keitel Guderian and Rundstedt on Hitler's orders to investigate the cases of military officers who have been involved in the conspiracy. They were deprived of military rank and passed into the hands of the People's Tribunal, which meant certain death. As a reward for loyalty to Hitler appointed Guderian in July 1944 the Chief of General Staff of the Army, in this post he remained until March 1945. At the end of the war Guderian took a few timid attempts to convince Ribbentrop, Goering and Himmler in the need to stop fighting against allies of such recommendations to Hitler, he had abstained.
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. Guderian was taken prisoner by the Americans, but soon released
. In 50-ies. He advocated the restoration of pre-war borders and the military power of Germany as a bulwark against communism. Author's memoirs (rus. Lane. "Tanks - forward!", 1957). He died in Schwangau, Bavaria, 15 May 1954.

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Guderian (Guderian) Heinz Wilhelm (17.06. 1888, Kulm -15.5.1954, Schwangau, Bavaria) Military leader, theorist, Colonel-General (19.07.1940). Son Oberleutnant. He graduated from the Cadet. In February 1907 joined the 10 th Hanoverian Chasseurs Battalion, commanded by his father. In 1908, promoted to lieutenant. In 1914 he graduated from the Military Academy. Participant 1-st World War II, he served in the army sayazi and staff positions. 28.02. 1918 transferred to the General Staff, since October 1918 - the headquarters of Germany's war missions in the occupied territories Italy. Since November 1918 he served in the General Directorate of Frontier Forces East. Participated in the suppression of statements Communists. Since January 1920 the company commander Chasseurs Battalion in Goslar. 16.01.1922 transferred to the 7 th Battalion of the Bavarian car, and on 1 April - in the automobile department of the Military Forces of the Ministry of. From 01.10. 1924 - at the headquarters of 2-nd Division (Stettin). On 01.10.1927 he served in the military-transport section of the Office of the Army Military Ministry. It has been the secret tank training school "Kama" in the USSR. From 01.02. 1930 commander of the 3rd Battalion of the car (Berlin-Lankvits). Since the autumn of 1931 Chief of Staff Inspector General mobile forces on. Lutz. From 01.07. 1934 Chief of Staff of the Office of armored forces. On 15.10.1935 the commander of 2-Panzer Division in Wuerzburg.

In winter 1936-37 on the orders of Lutz Guderian wrote the book "Attention!" Tanks! ", Which brought him fame theorist of tank warfare. 04.02. 1938 after the cleansing of the higher Germanic appointed commander of the Army 16 Army Corps, consolidated the armor Germany. Supervised Motor Group (2-Panzer Division and SS regiment "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler during the Anschluss of Austria. During the occupation of the Sudetenland in the case Guderian (1 Panzer, 13th and 20 th motorized divisions) has been tasked with entering the line of demarcation. At the first stage in the corps headquarters was also in A. Hitler. From 20.11. 1938 inspector general of the mobile forces. Before the Polish company 22.8. 1939 Guderian was appointed commander of the 19 th Army Corps (3rd Tank, 2 nd and 20 th motorized divisions), which was part of the 4-th Army, General G. von Kluge, Guderian's tanks actions played a major role in the successful defeat of the Polish Army. 27/10/1939 awarded the Knight's Cross. During the French company from 01.06. 1940 commanded a tank group "Guderian". From 18.11. 1940. commanded the 2 nd Panzer Group. Since the beginning of the war with the USSR team Guderian joined the Army Group Center and was provided with the 24 th, 46 th and 47 th Tank Corps. His task was to cut the tank spearheads the Soviet defenses on both sides of Brest and go to the area Rostavl, Elnya, Smolensk. July 10-12, crossed the Dnieper. In late July, beat off a strong attempt to counter-offensive near Yelnia. 17.07. 1941 was awarded the Knight's Cross with oak branches.

05/10/1941 Group deployed in the 2 Panzer Army. After the defeat at Moscow 26/12. 1941 enlisted in the Reserve OKH. 01.03. 1943 appointed to the post of Inspector-General of armored forces, and held his end of the war. After the failure of the July 1944 conspiracy Guderian joined the Court of Honor and was one of the leaders of anti-Nazi persecution minded officers Germanic army. 21.07. 1944 was replaced by General K. Zeitzler as Chief of General Staff of the Army. Tried to make desperate attempts to stabilization of the front, but constantly ran into Hitler's unwillingness to retreat operation. In his memoirs, called the defeat of Hitler guilty of Germanic troops. During his leadership of Germanic troops in the East, they suffered a crushing defeat and were forced to leave Belarus, the Baltic states, and the war for the first time moved into the territory of Germany. 28.03. 1945 removed from his post and replaced by General G. Krebs. 10/05/1945 was arrested by U.S. troops, but soon released. Author of memoirs, "Memoirs of a soldier" (in Russian published in 1998).