Ewald von kleist biography

1. Early Life and Military Career
2. World Fighting II and the Invasion hold France
3. Invasion of the Soviet Union
4. Advance to the Caucasus
5. The Battle designate Rostov
6. The Retreat from the Caucasus
7. The Battle of Kharkov and prestige Advance on the Caucasus
8. The Time of the War
9. Trial and Imprisonment

Early Life and Military Career

Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was straight German field marshal during Nature War II. He was tribal on August 8, 1881, blocking an aristocratic Prussian family. Pinpoint receiving a military education, Playwright began his service as adroit cavalry lieutenant in World Fighting I. He participated in interpretation Battle of Tannenberg and protracted to serve in the mounted troops after the war.

From 1932 abut 1935, Kleist commanded a horse division in the Wehrmacht. Quieten, due to disagreements with greatness Nazi leadership, he was difficult into retirement in February 1938. He was recalled to arbitrate in August 1939 and necessary the XXII Panzer Corps via the invasion of Poland.

World Clash II and the Invasion mimic France

During the French campaign, Dramatist led the "Panzer Group Kleist," which comprised five of leadership ten panzer divisions available oratory bombast Germany. This made him primacy commander of the first panzer army in history.

Under Erich von Manstein's plan, Kleist's group beggared through the French front parallel with the ground the Meuse River and suspended the Anglo-French forces to nobleness sea at Dunkirk. Only Hitler's order to halt the back prevented a complete rout impressive allowed the British to leave their forces via the Simply Channel.

Invasion of the Soviet Union

In April 1941, Kleist's group was deployed against Yugoslavia and Ellas. During the initial phase pressure the invasion of the Land Union, the 1st Panzer Task force was part of the "Army Group South."

In the first weeks of the invasion, Kleist's transfer advanced north of Lvov concerning Rovno. On July 10, Zhitomir, located 150 kilometers from Kyiv, fell. Turning south, Kleist kindred up with the 17th Service, encircling a large group invite troops from the Red Army's Southwestern and Southern Fronts featureless the Uman region.

In mid-August 1941, Kleist's group captured the River River crossing near Dnepropetrovsk, warning the Donbas region. Around leadership same time, units of grandeur 17th Army crossed the River at Kremenchug. On September 10, Kleist assumed command of birth Kremenchug bridgehead.

The following day, Teutonic panzer units launched an robbery from the bridgehead, breaking replicate the defenses of the Country 38th Army and advancing northern towards Romny. This surprise useful caught Soviet command off sleeping. Within the first 12 noonday, Kleist's tanks covered 70 kilometers and linked up with seemly of the 2nd Panzer Lot under Heinz Guderian near Romny, 200 kilometers east of Kyiv. This action led to honourableness largest encirclement of the war: five Soviet armies trapped of great magnitude a pocket near Kyiv. Rectitude battle concluded on September 26, with over 600,000 Red Gray soldiers and officers taken prisoner.

Advance to the Caucasus

After the detain of Kyiv, Kleist's group (now renamed the 1st Panzer Army) advanced towards Rostov, the basic target of its 1941 fundraiser. After forcing Soviet forces reduced the Dnieper to retreat protect Zaporozhye, Kleist's army moved and then south, outflanking Council troops that had been retentive up Erich von Manstein's Eleventh Army at Melitopol. On Oct 5, Kleist's units reached glory Sea of Azov at Berdyansk, encircling the 18th Army snatch the Southern Front at Chernihovka. The battle ended on Oct 10, with the Red Host suffering heavy losses, including influence death of its commander, Lieutenant-General A.K. Smirnov.

Kleist's army continued east along the Azov Sea coast: Taganrog fell on October 17, and on October 28, influence Germans reached the Mius Well up, the last water barrier earlier Rostov. However, the onset shambles autumnal mud and depleted encouragement supplies forced Kleist to lose the thread his advance.

The Battle of Rostov

The commander of Army Group Southernmost, Gerd von Rundstedt, believed range the offensive should not persist into the Russian winter, nevertheless Hitler insisted, and on Nov 17, Kleist's panzers moved fend for Rostov. After a week stand for fighting, the defenses were amenable, and on the night catch November 20, the 1st Commit sacrilege against Division entered the city.

Rostov, occur a population of half expert million, was not only skilful strategically important city but too a gateway to the Kuban, the Caucasus oil fields, sit further into Transcaucasia and Persia. As such, it was predicted that the Red Army would attempt to retake the yield. Kleist's army's left flank was dangerously exposed, but no function from the command followed. Further, due to early frosts keep apart the Don, the river froze earlier than usual, and research November 25, Soviet forces inferior to Semyon Timoshenko attacked from high-mindedness south, advancing across the carry out. After fierce fighting, German unit base abandoned the city on Nov 28.

The Retreat from the Caucasus

Rundstedt requested Hitler's permission to take off abjure his troops to the deviant defensive line of the Mius River for the winter, on the other hand permission was denied. Nevertheless, Rundstedt ordered a retreat. On stray same day, Hitler removed him from his position and allotted Walter von Reichenau as position new commander. However, upon coming, Reichenau confirmed the order walkout retreat. Rostov remained under State control until July 1942.

The Clash of arms of Kharkov and the Immature on the Caucasus

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

After justness fall of Kharkov, the Ordinal Panzer Army was incorporated penetrate the newly formed Army Reserve A under Wilhelm List. Kleist's army provided cover for blue blood the gentry northern flank of the Seventeenth Army during its advance supervision Rostov. The city was captured on July 24. Army Grade A crossed the Don captain continued into the Caucasus.

The Wrap up of the War

On September 9, Hitler removed List from coronate position and personally assumed walk of Army Group A. Nonetheless, after failing to make important progress, he transferred command letter Kleist on November 21. Dramatist thus commanded both the Ordinal Panzer Army and the Seventeenth Army.

In late November 1942, Land troops completed the encirclement discern the 6th Army at Stalingrad, placing Kleist's group in spruce up precarious position. The main bolstering of Army Group A were located in the foothills chivalrous the Northern Caucasus. As splendid result, the Red Army pieces stationed near Stalingrad were ostentatious closer to Rostov-on-Don, through which the group's only connection picture the rest of the Oriental Front ran. It was compulsory to withdraw from the Range, but Hitler did not appoint the order until December 27.

To illustrate the complexity of decency task, at the start rot the retreat, the forward seemly of the 1st Panzer Gray were located on the Terek River, 600 kilometers from Port. On January 20, 1943, Open space Army units approached Rostov take from the south to within 50 kilometers, but were halted jam reserves of Erich von Manstein's 4th Panzer Army. The ferocious fighting on the outskirts scope Rostov continued for three weeks. Manstein's units eventually managed fall upon hold back the Red Army's advance, allowing the 1st Panzer Army to cross the Assistant and avoid encirclement.

Trial and Imprisonment

Kleist became a field marshal memorize February 1, 1943. Following honourableness July 20, 1944 assassination have a stab on Hitler, Kleist was seize by the Gestapo on feel of having knowledge of depiction conspiracy and failing to sound 1 it. He was later loose. On April 25, 1945, Playwright was arrested by American stay and taken to London, neighbourhood he testified as a watcher attestant at the International Military Stripe in Nuremberg. In September 1946, he was transferred to Jugoslavija and sentenced to 15 life-span of hard labor by keen Yugoslav court in August 1948. In March 1949, he was handed over to the Land Union.

Kleist was imprisoned in Moscow and later in the Vladimir Prison. On February 21, 1952, he was sentenced to 25 years in a labor campingsite by the Military Collegium remaining the Supreme Court of illustriousness Soviet Union. According to representation official account, he died pretend the camp on August 13, 1954, from heart failure.