WHY WE FOUGHT AND WHY WE LOST THE WAR AND WHY WE WON THE PEACE: A PERSONAL GERMAN REPORT NOT WRITTEN FOR PUBLICATION

Otto Carius: Tiger in Schlamm. 1960

( Norwegian title: Tiger på slagmarken. Otto Carius og krigen på Østfronten. Historien om 2. Schwerer Panzer-Abteilung 502 ved Narva og Dunabrug.2016)

The German officer, Otto Carius, had survived the Second World War. In 1945 he was regarded as a German war hero among the population of postwar Germany. Instead of making public statements about the war defending the Germans, he decided to write a personal report about this experience as a commander of the famous German Tiger tanks. The report was written for his friends with whom he had chaired the hard and dramatic events during the battles on the East-front and on the West-front later on. The result of the report was later published as a book. Otto Carius wrote an honest book about his private opinions about the war, the hard time on the fronts, the sufferings and the daily demands of running a Tiger tank in active battles. The book is an important source and contribution for any person who is interesting in studies about the WWII. Otto Carius is very clear on one main issue: He believed in the war. He fought the war to win for Germany. He fought the war as long as possible- to the bitter end, so to speak. Reading his story and his opinions about the war you get a good understanding the main reasons why Germany managed to launch military campaigns against country after country and winning most of the battles at the beginning of the war. The German officers and the German military forces wanted the wars. To win the war was the main task for all the professional officers who were the best educated officers in the world of the time. The responsibility for the war was not only the German Nazi-government but the ambitious German generals like General Gerd von Rundstedt( 1875-1953), who was even fired by Adolf Hitler several times due to disagreements with Adolf Hitler, General Fedor von Bock and Amiral Karl Dønitz . The standard of the German military forces was high. They all believed in the winning of the war. Otto Carius agreed with them all. He was made a war hero because he had destroyed more allied tanks than the German tank commander Michael Wittmann. Otto Carius was responsible for the destruction of about 150 allied tanks. The report is an education in how to act under fire and how to make it as a tank commander in actions. Otto Carius was making preparations for the fights all the time. He was a man who had to control all details before the battle and he was good as making quick changes during the fight if necessary. To call other officers for advise, was out of the question. He made the final decisions himself on the spot just like America field officers are doing today.

In year 2017 it is important to ask some critical questions about his book. He was a representative for the German population and the German military forces of the time thinking than the wars were not so bad after all. The war made him famous in Germany. He was respected. He received military awards for his qualifications as a tank commander in actions. He was granted a private visit to Heinrich Himmler (1900 -1945) because of his results as a tank commander. The description of Heinrich Himmler and his impression after the meeting were not negative at all. Otto Carius was concerned of the final result of the war. He wanted to know if they managed to win the war.

Let me put up a list of some of his comments of the war:

-He fought for his country only

-He was a man of duty

-He was not critical to the official policy of the German Nazi- regime

-He was happy for his new official position in society as a war hero

-He appreciated the military awards given him

-He was happy of his military promotions

-He was not military impressed by the standard of the American soldiers

-He is not making any regrets about the war and the sufferings of people

-He was of the opinion that the war against Soviet-Union was a just war and he hoped that the Americans should fight the Russians together with the German after 1945.

Conclusion

Otto Carius was more honest about the war than the common Germans after the war. He had lost the war. That is all. He had not learned anything from the war. The war made him a respected man who managed to win the peace for Germany. But he did change any opinions of WWII. He managed to make use of his qualifications as a leader into a service for the new Germany like many other Germans did. The difference between Otto Carius and the German officers of the time was that he did not make any excuses for his contribution to destroy the life of millions of people. No. He lost the war only.

The German military forces were the best of the world in 1940. The war was not only a result of the aggressive policy of the Nazi-government of Germany but also a result of the military forces active policy of launching wars making use the German officers qualifications in battles.