Von Mellenthin, a German major general, author of Panzer Battles, served with all of the 14 Wehrmacht generals he writes about. His accounts are historical, biographical, anecdotal. Brett-Smith, a former British officer, discussing 82 Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe generals, is more analytical, sketching a full range of contextual and sociological factors. His primary focus is on professionalism, the acceptance of moral responsibility. Many historians credit most of Hitler's military triumphs to the superb talent of his generals; these two authors scrutinize their talent and its characteristics, while stressing that the lack of a strong spirit of independence made them susceptible to Hitler's machinations.
