OPPapers.com

Last 100 Days (First 5 Ch. Summary)

The Last 100 Days by John Tolan

Main Idea- In the last 3 months of WWII, Nazi’s and Fascist’s Regimes lost power which eventually led to the Cold War.

PART ONE—Floodtide East

Chapter 1

Jan. 1945
1.   Russians were pushing toward Berlin.
2.   General Arther Vanaman, (American) POW camp leader at Sagan (100 miles SE of Berlin) rallied allied POWs to prepare to make mass escape when Russians headed for Sagan

Chapter 2

Main Point:   Hitler’s armies retreat against Hitler’s wishes.   Hitler replaces his generals with people he can trust to follow his orders without question.   Remember, Prussia and Russia are enemies at this point!
1.   With the help of the Allies, the Russians have liberated much of Europe.
2.   Russian Generals:   Rokossovsky
                                    Chernyakhovsky
                                    Zhukov
3.   German Generals:   Guderian-German Commander of Eastern Front and Army Chief    
                                                    of Staff
                                    Reinhardt-Four Star German General ranked above Guderian
                                   
4.   Hitler’s replaced his Generals when his former Generals started retreating.
5.   Replacement German Generals:
    Rendulic:   Austrian military historian and talented leader assigned by Hitler to
                              Patch up the front line and restrain Russia.
            Himmler:   Head of Hitler’s SS.   Appointed by Hitler as commander of
                              Replacement army (Army Group Vistula.)   He blindly followed
                              any orders by Hilter.   Poor army leader and left open area that allowed
                              Russian General Zhukov to advance 100 miles toward Berlin. Pg. 7
            Schorner:   Bavarian who reorganized Hitler’s front to hold off Russians.   In
                              charge of Army Group Center.   Made changes within the ranks...