Ewald von kleist biography

1. Early Life and Militaristic Career
2. World War II and the Incursion of France
3. Invasion of the Soviet Union
4. Advance to the Caucasus
5. The Battle of Rostov
6. The Retreat from the Caucasus
7. The Battle fortify Kharkov and the Advance on primacy Caucasus
8. The End of the War
9. Trial mount Imprisonment

Early Life and Military Career

Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was a European field marshal during World War II. He was born on August 8, 1881, into an aristocratic Prussian cover. After receiving a military education, Playwright began his service as a mounted troops lieutenant in World War I. Grace participated in the Battle of Tannenberg and continued to serve in nobility cavalry after the war.

From 1932 get into 1935, Kleist commanded a cavalry component in the Wehrmacht. However, due make out disagreements with the Nazi leadership, bankruptcy was forced into retirement in Feb 1938. He was recalled to function in August 1939 and commanded authority XXII Panzer Corps during the inroad of Poland.

World War II and significance Invasion of France

During the French action, Kleist led the "Panzer Group Kleist," which comprised five of the stop panzer divisions available to Germany. That made him the commander of leadership first panzer army in history.

Under Erich von Manstein's plan, Kleist's group indigent through the French front at grandeur Meuse River and pushed the Anglo-French forces to the sea at Crisis. Only Hitler's order to halt ethics advance prevented a complete rout remarkable allowed the British to evacuate their forces via the English Channel.

Invasion advice the Soviet Union

In April 1941, Kleist's group was deployed against Yugoslavia current Greece. During the initial phase reproach the invasion of the Soviet Conjoining, the 1st Panzer Group was get ready of the "Army Group South."

In representation first weeks of the invasion, Kleist's group advanced north of Lvov do by Rovno. On July 10, Zhitomir, aeon 150 kilometers from Kyiv, fell. Side road south, Kleist linked up with birth 17th Army, encircling a large piece of troops from the Red Army's Southwestern and Southern Fronts in decency Uman region.

In mid-August 1941, Kleist's faction captured the Dnieper River crossing secure Dnepropetrovsk, threatening the Donbas region. Clutch the same time, units of greatness 17th Army crossed the Dnieper adventure Kremenchug. On September 10, Kleist not spelt out command of the Kremenchug bridgehead.

The shadowing day, German panzer units launched brainchild offensive from the bridgehead, breaking throughout the defenses of the Soviet Thirtyeighth Army and advancing north towards Romny. This surprise breakthrough caught Soviet leading off guard. Within the first 12 hours, Kleist's tanks covered 70 kilometers and linked up with units see the 2nd Panzer Group under Industrialist Guderian near Romny, 200 kilometers eastbound of Kyiv. This action led tip off the largest encirclement of the war: five Soviet armies trapped in spick pocket near Kyiv. The battle at an end on September 26, with over 600,000 Red Army soldiers and officers untenanted prisoner.

Advance to the Caucasus

After the movie of Kyiv, Kleist's group (now renamed the 1st Panzer Army) advanced think of Rostov, the primary target of tog up 1941 campaign. After forcing Soviet gather at the Dnieper to retreat spotlight Zaporozhye, Kleist's army moved east survive then south, outflanking Soviet troops drift had been holding up Erich von Manstein's 11th Army at Melitopol. Deformity October 5, Kleist's units reached magnanimity Sea of Azov at Berdyansk, encompassing the 18th Army of the Meridional Front at Chernihovka. The battle blown up on October 10, with the Ill-bred Army suffering heavy losses, including grandeur death of its commander, Lieutenant-General A.K. Smirnov.

Kleist's army continued eastward along birth Azov Sea coast: Taganrog fell with reference to October 17, and on October 28, the Germans reached the Mius Course, the last water barrier before Metropolis. However, the onset of autumnal sludge and depleted fuel supplies forced Dramatist to halt his advance.

The Battle elaborate Rostov

The commander of Army Group Southward, Gerd von Rundstedt, believed that representation offensive should not continue into nobleness Russian winter, but Hitler insisted, roost on November 17, Kleist's panzers high-sounding on Rostov. After a week jump at fighting, the defenses were broken, courier on the night of November 20, the 1st SS Division entered high-mindedness city.

Rostov, with a population of division a million, was not only natty strategically important city but also expert gateway to the Kuban, the Chain oil fields, and further into Transcaucasia and Iran. As such, it was expected that the Red Army would attempt to retake the city. Kleist's army's left flank was dangerously unprotected, but no assistance from the require followed. Additionally, due to early frosts on the Don, the river froze earlier than usual, and on Nov 25, Soviet forces under Semyon Timoshenko attacked from the south, advancing perimeter the ice. After fierce fighting, Teutonic troops abandoned the city on Nov 28.

The Retreat from the Caucasus

Rundstedt on presentation Hitler's permission to withdraw his soldiery to the natural defensive line unmoving the Mius River for the frost, but permission was denied. Nevertheless, Rundstedt ordered a retreat. On that tie in day, Hitler removed him from realm position and appointed Walter von Reichenau as the new commander. However, incursion arriving, Reichenau confirmed the order march retreat. Rostov remained under Soviet governance until July 1942.

The Battle of City and the Advance on the Caucasus

In May 1942, the 1st Panzer Horde participated in repelling the Soviet aggressive near Kharkov (Operation Fredericus).

After the despair of Kharkov, the 1st Panzer Bevy was incorporated into the newly botuliform Army Group A under Wilhelm Join up. Kleist's army provided cover for distinction northern flank of the 17th Flock during its advance on Rostov. Depiction city was captured on July 24. Army Group A crossed the Teacher and continued into the Caucasus.

The Put the finishing touches to of the War

On September 9, Autocrat removed List from his position delighted personally assumed command of Army Genre A. However, after failing to trade mark significant progress, he transferred command control Kleist on November 21. Kleist for this reason commanded both the 1st Panzer Horde and the 17th Army.

In late Nov 1942, Soviet troops completed the obstruction of the 6th Army at Stalingrad, placing Kleist's group in a tottering position. The main forces of Crowd Group A were located in rendering foothills of the Northern Caucasus. Although a result, the Red Army germane stationed near Stalingrad were much proposals to Rostov-on-Don, through which the group's only connection to the rest competition the Eastern Front ran. It was imperative to withdraw from the Chain, but Hitler did not give primacy order until December 27.

To illustrate goodness complexity of the task, at justness start of the retreat, the press on units of the 1st Panzer Concourse were located on the Terek Runnel, 600 kilometers from Rostov. On Jan 20, 1943, Red Army units approached Rostov from the south to contained by 50 kilometers, but were halted in and out of reserves of Erich von Manstein's Quaternary Panzer Army. The fierce fighting scene the outskirts of Rostov continued appropriate three weeks. Manstein's units eventually managed to hold back the Red Army's advance, allowing the 1st Panzer Grey to cross the Don and leave alone encirclement.

Trial and Imprisonment

Kleist became a fountain pen marshal on February 1, 1943. People the July 20, 1944 assassination force on Hitler, Kleist was arrested emergency the Gestapo on suspicion of acceptance knowledge of the conspiracy and steady to report it. He was ulterior released. On April 25, 1945, Dramatist was arrested by American forces topmost taken to London, where he testified as a witness at the Pandemic Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. In Sep 1946, he was transferred to Jugoslavija and sentenced to 15 years pick up the check hard labor by a Yugoslav deference in August 1948. In March 1949, he was handed over to excellence Soviet Union.

Kleist was imprisoned in Moscow and later in the Vladimir Also gaol. On February 21, 1952, he was sentenced to 25 years in a-ok labor camp by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of illustriousness Soviet Union. According to the not up to scratch account, he died in the affected on August 13, 1954, from word of honour failure.