    erich von manstein (24 november 1887 â 9 june 1973) was one of the most prominent commanders of the wehrmacht, nazi germany's armed forces during world war ii. attaining the rank of field marshal, he was held in high esteem by both the axis powers and the allies as one of germany's best military strategists and field commanders. born into an aristocratic prussian family with a long history of military service, manstein joined the army at a young age and saw service on several fronts during world war i. he rose to the rank of captain by the end of the war and was active in the inter-war period helping germany rebuild her armed forces. during the invasion of poland at the outbreak of world war ii, he was serving as chief of staff to gerd von rundstedt's army group south. hitler chose manstein's strategy for the invasion of france, a plan later refined by franz halder and other members of the okh. anticipating a firm allied reaction should the main thrust of the invasion take place through the netherlands, manstein devised an in
1887_births 1973_deaths Field_marshals_of_Nazi_Germany German_Protestants German_anti-communists German_military_personnel_of_World_War_I German_military_writers German_untitled_nobility Knights_1st_class_of_the_Friedrich_Order Knights_of_the_House_Order_of_Hohenzollern Military_personnel_referenced_in_the_Wehrmachtbericht Nazi_war_crimes People_from_the_Province_of_Brandenburg Prussian_Army_personnel Recipients_of_the_Hanseatic_Cross_(Hamburg) Recipients_of_the_Knight\'s_Cross_with_Swords Recipients_of_the_Order_of_Michael_the_Brave,_2nd_class Recipients_of_the_clasp_to_the_Iron_Cross,_1st_class Writers_from_Berlin