PanzerAce.net Forum: Opinions on Generaloberst Hermann Hoth

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I was wondering, what are everyone's opinions on Generaloberst Hermann Hoth?

He was popular with his troops, which gave him nickname ''Papa''. Hero of Vyazma-Bryansk pocket, where forces under his command captured hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops. Managed to get some 30 km close to Stalingrad Kessel with his reinforced 4.Panzerarmee. Later during Unternehmen Zitadelle he was in command of the greatest panzer formation ever assembled, and was in a position to achieve a victory at Prokhorovka if Hitler had not intervened and stopped the offensive altogether. One of the blamed for the outcome at Kursk and was relieved of command. Later he was in command of defense of Harz Mountains in Northern Germany and imprisoned after the war. He was released in 1954.

Opinions please.

Edited by leibstandarte - 14 July 2007 at 13:07

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leibstandarte SS-Sturmbannführer Forschungsoffizier Joined: 27 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1986	Topic: Opinions on Generaloberst Hermann Hoth Posted: 14 July 2007 at 12:25
	I was wondering, what are everyone's opinions on Generaloberst Hermann Hoth? He was popular with his troops, which gave him nickname ''Papa''. Hero of Vyazma-Bryansk pocket, where forces under his command captured hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops. Managed to get some 30 km close to Stalingrad Kessel with his reinforced 4.Panzerarmee. Later during Unternehmen Zitadelle he was in command of the greatest panzer formation ever assembled, and was in a position to achieve a victory at Prokhorovka if Hitler had not intervened and stopped the offensive altogether. One of the blamed for the outcome at Kursk and was relieved of command. Later he was in command of defense of Harz Mountains in Northern Germany and imprisoned after the war. He was released in 1954. Opinions please. Edited by leibstandarte - 14 July 2007 at 13:07
	In battle he was my comrade, during meal time my worst enemy. Now he's upseting stomaches in heaven. RIP Ian
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Panther44 SS-Untersturmführer Joined: 16 March 2005 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 830	Posted: 14 July 2007 at 16:58
	Didn't know that much about him, but from what you say and what the 'net' says he sounds like he knew his business and took care of his troops. Nothing more important to the men under his command then that. I think one of the more notable things I read on Hoth was that he managed to hold off three Russian Armies with a weakened Korps that allowed the 1st Panzer Army to escape the Caucasus. I read that he was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, of which he served six, for war crimes. Does anyone know the charges?
	"Ten tanks attacking over open ground posed no big problem for a well sited Panther." Horst Zobel, Commander 1st Battalion Panzer Regiment Muncheberg
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 01:07
	Here are some photographs of Generaloberst Hoth. K Edited by leibstandarte - 13 October 2007 at 14:34
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 01:10
	K Edited by leibstandarte - 13 October 2007 at 14:36
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 01:20
	K Edited by leibstandarte - 13 October 2007 at 14:37
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 01:27
	K Edited by leibstandarte - 13 October 2007 at 14:40
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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leibstandarte SS-Sturmbannführer Forschungsoffizier Joined: 27 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1986	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 03:54
	@Panther44 Hoth was accused of the following: Crimes against peace by waging aggressive war against other nations and violating international treaties. (Found not guilty because he was not a policy maker.) War crimes by being responsible for murder, ill-treatment and other crimes against prisoners of war and enemy belligerents. (Found guilty.) Crimes against humanity by participating or ordering the murder, torture, deportation, hostage-taking, etc. of civilians in occupied countries. (Found guilty.) Participating and organizing the formulations and execution of a common plan and conspiracy to commit aforementioned crimes. (Found not guilty because this charge was already covered by the other charges.)
	In battle he was my comrade, during meal time my worst enemy. Now he's upseting stomaches in heaven. RIP Ian
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 14:16
	Who charged Hoth? The Soviets? If that was the case, then it was probably a mock trial. K
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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leibstandarte SS-Sturmbannführer Forschungsoffizier Joined: 27 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1986	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 14:53
	@HvM Hoth was charged, found guilty and sentenced in front of US tribunal.
	In battle he was my comrade, during meal time my worst enemy. Now he's upseting stomaches in heaven. RIP Ian
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HvM SS-Sturmbannführer Joined: 12 January 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2640	Posted: 15 July 2007 at 14:57
	The Soviets could have pressed for the charges though, as was the case was the Erich von Manstein trial of 1949, which was motivated by a desire on the part of the British Attle government to appease the Soviets, adding on that the charges came from the Soviets. Basil Liddel Hart and even Winston Churchill gave money for Manstein's defense, and his defense lawyer was Jewish. I'm not saying Manstein was innocent and a saint, there are dark events in his record according to recently found information, but this places Hoth's and other German General's trials in a political context, in which the trials were not likely to be objective, or conducted with false charges. K
	*Tumbleweed alert! - Papa Wehr -*
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