Field Marshal Albert Kesselring was one of Germany’s most capable military strategists. Originally a Bavarian Army officer, he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 and became Goering’s deputy, commanding air fleets during the invasion of France and the Battle of Britain. In 1941 he was appointed C-in-C South, sharing the direction of the North African campaign with Rommel. As C-in-C in Italy in 1943-1944 his brilliant defense of the peninsula became legendary. In 1945, after the Ardennes offensive failed, Kesselring replaced von Rundstedt as C-in-C West. In his memoirs Kesselring describes his military training, his service in World War I, his work in the Reichswehr, his role in the founding of the Luftwaffe, and all aspects of his command in World War II. Concluding with Kesselring’s account of his trial and imprisonment for war crimes, these memoirs give a full picture of the whole military experience of one of Germany’s great commanders.

Kenneth Macksey joined the Royal Armoured Corps in 1941, saw action in Normandy in 1944 and Germany in 1945, and after World War II spent more than twenty years as an officer of the Royal Tank Regiment. He is internationally known for his works on military history, including Guderian: Panzer General, Kesselring: The Making of the Luftwaffe, and his recent Why the Germans Lose at War.

James Holland is the author of Together We Stand: Britain, America, and the War in North Africa.