https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/g/german-report-on-the-allied-invasion-of-normandy.html
The Naval History Center at the Washington navy yard has a lot of unique, and quirky documents posted on this website.
Great find!
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
That's the feeling I got as well.
Quote from: Barthheart on September 05, 2019, 11:01:11 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
That's the feeling I got as well.
I think he was more worried about trying to cover his head from a bullet in the back of it
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
Just seeing this now.
I don't get that impression from Rundstedt's report. I think one has to realize that he was frustrated at the inability to control his own reserves, and probably at the lack of air power assigned to his command. He properly points out the difficulties of movement in daylight with the complete lack of air cover.
He's not that convincing when he mentions the Allies failed to surprise them, but here too, rather than ass-covering, I think he's making the subtle point that he wasn't given control of his own reserves (Hitler controlled the panzers and didn't release them until hours after the landings when it was broad daylight in Normandy and practically impossible to move). Thus the opportunity to stop the lodgement was lost. Remember that it was Rommel who thought a "stop them at the waterline" defence was possible. Rundstedt had always advocated for a mobile defence. Whether his tanks could have actually done anything even if under his control is debatable, but that wouldn't stop him from claiming it was true. Note the emphasis on how successful the Allied bombardment was on the German shore defences. Rundstedt had argued with Rommel over how extensive these should be.
Rather than covering his ass I think in context, the document is more of a "I told you so" on a massive scale.
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on April 03, 2020, 01:57:42 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
Rather than covering his ass I think in context, the document is more of a "I told you so" on a massive scale.
That is sort of the same thing.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on April 03, 2020, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on April 03, 2020, 01:57:42 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
Rather than covering his ass I think in context, the document is more of a "I told you so" on a massive scale.
That is sort of the same thing.
He wouldn't have felt he did anything wrong, so there would be nothing for him to cover up. He's doing the opposite, in fact. Long before the invasion he was vocal about how Rommel had completely the wrong plan, and also opposed Hitler's direct control of his reserves. The report highlights - subtly - that he had been right, and both Hitler and Rommel were wrong.
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on April 03, 2020, 02:03:31 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on April 03, 2020, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Michael Dorosh on April 03, 2020, 01:57:42 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 05, 2019, 10:52:45 AM
Very cool. Reads like a guy trying to cover his ass.
Rather than covering his ass I think in context, the document is more of a "I told you so" on a massive scale.
That is sort of the same thing.
He wouldn't have felt he did anything wrong, so there would be nothing for him to cover up. He's doing the opposite, in fact. Long before the invasion he was vocal about how Rommel had completely the wrong plan, and also opposed Hitler's direct control of his reserves. The report highlights - subtly - that he had been right, and both Hitler and Rommel were wrong.
Just because he is "covering his ass" does not mean that he felt he did anything wrong. The definition of the phrase is literally to "foresee and avoid the possibility of attack or criticism." I stand by my impression. That is how it reads to me.