Prophet of Blitzkrieg SIR,—The review by General S. L. A.
Marshall of Captain Liddell Hart's Memoirs in the June II issue was interesting but, unfortunately, somewhat• inaccurate. Marshall's one 'quibble' is hardly a quibble at all, since Liddell Hart did not advocate the things which Marshall claimed he did, nor did the war proceed exactly as the reviewer suggested.
First, Liddell Hart, alone among the radical ex- ponents of armour, noted the continued importance of infantry. He even coined the term 'tank marines.' It is difficult to overlook this crucial point.
Secondly, Liddell Hart foresaw the ensuing situa- tion which would happen when both sides had the modern weapons of mobility based upon the inter- nal-combustion engine and the ability to use. them. In that case he predicted that the defence would tend to become stronger than the attack and this is what happened. It is really incomprehensible how any military analyst can overlook this matter, which be- came the storm centre of much heated controversy after Liddell Hart's series of three articles in the London Tunes in October 1937.
Thirdly, Marshall gives one the impression that the great initial drives by the Germans with their blitzkrieg were by unaccompanied armour. In all of the accounts which I have read this was certainly not true.
Fourthly, although not really an inaccuracy, Marshall stated, in order to support his point, that the advance from Normandy to the Elbe provided no exception to the idea of an unaccompanied tank drive. This is rather interesting, since the war went far beyond the confines of Western Europe; there were, in fact, a few battles Of interest in Russia.
It might also, be noted that the number of book titles published in this country (the United States), as Compared with almost any Western European country, is sufficient explanation for there being no American Liddell Hart.
ROBERT F. WALL LItS
357 South Main Street, Conn., USA
Previous page
