Samuel W. Mitcham

Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.is an American author andmilitary historianwho specializes in theGerman war effortduringWorld War IIand theConfederate war effortduring theAmerican Civil War.He is the author of more than 40 books and has collaborated with other historians such asGene Mueller.

Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.
Born	1949 Mer Rouge, Louisiana
Occupation	Author, military historian
Language	English
Nationality	American
Education	Northeast Louisiana University,University of Tennessee
Genre	Non-fiction Military history

Personal life

Mitcham was born in 1949, in theLouisianianvillage ofMer Rouge.He currently lives inMonroe.Mitcham is married and is the father of two children.

Education and career

Mitcham participated in theVietnam Warwhere he served as a helicopter pilot for theUnited States Army.He studied journalism atNortheast Louisiana Universityand science at theNorth Carolina State.Mitcham earned his Ph.D. in geography in 1986 fromUniversity of Tennessee.Mitcham taught geography,historical geographyand military history atHenderson State University,Georgia Southern University,and theUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe.He has been consulted by theCBS,theBBC,theNPRandThe History Channel.He is also a formervisiting professorin theUnited States Military Academy.

Mitcham has written for several websites, journals andthink-tankssuch as theJournal of Soviet Military Studiesand theAbbeville Institute.

Authorship and reception

Mitcham is the author of more than 40 books on military history, including orders of battle, operational studies andprosopography,focusing on the careers of theWehrmachtandWaffen-SSfigures, as well as onConfederatefigures.

His works have been translated into at least 8 languages, includingGerman,Polish,Chinese,andRussianamong several others.

Why Hitler?: The Genesis of the Nazi Reich

InWhy Hitler?: The Genesis of the Nazi Reich(1996), Mitcham attempts to explain why the Germans electedAdolf HitlerasChancellor of Germany.

The book received a mixed review by historianJoachim Whaleyin theJournal of European Studies.Whaley wrote that the book is "a fairly standard account of Germany in the 1920s and the rise of Hitler". He concludes that this is a book for the general reader, in search of what he calls a "relatively undemanding enlightenment", but he also states that experts "who wish to engage in the serious historical debates of this subject" would have to look elsewhere.

The Desert Fox in Normandy: Rommel's Defense of Fortress Europe

InThe Desert Fox in Normandy: Rommel's Defense of Fortress Europe(1997), Mitcham focuses on the career and activities ofErwin Rommelwhile he served in Europe from November 1943 until his death in October 1944. He also explores some "what-if" scenarios in relation to Rommel.

The book received a positive review by the staff of theWorld History Group,who called it "a well-written and concientiously researched historical work".It also received a mostly positive review by historian Steven S. Minniear inThe Journal of Military History.Minniear wrote that the book "would be a valuable addition to any collection of World War II works, both for its masterful coverage of Axis military organizational, operational and tactical activities, as well as for its excellent minibiographies of important German military and naval officers, found in each chapter's endnotes. The short biographies alone are sufficient reason to acquire this book".

Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944

InRetreat to the Reich(2000), Mitcham gives an account ofOperation Overlordfrom the German perspective.

Publishers Weeklywrote that the book would be fascinating for specialists and determined readers, but it could be tedious for the lay reader.The book received a positive review by historian Lee Fullenkamp in theParameters Journalof theU.S. Army War College.Fullenkamp wrote that it "provides those interested inWorld War IIwith a meticulously researched and highly detailed account of German forces fighting in western France in the summer of 1944 from the perspective of those who were fated to stand against the greatest armada in the history of warfare ".

Defenders of Fortress Europe: The Untold Story of the German Officers during the Allied Invasion

InDefenders of Fortress Europe: The Untold Story of the German Officers during the Allied Invasion(2009), Mitcham utilized over 200 previously unreleased personnel files to build a picture of the German command class facing theAllied invasion.He focuses on personal and political differences among the officer class, which ultimately contributed to the defeat of the German forces in Normandy. Mitcham also explores their motivations, often highly self-serving. He shows that the in-fighting took on political as well as class dimensions, as illustrated by the power struggle betweenGerd von Rundstedt,the nominal commander in the West, andErwin Rommel,the de facto leader in Normandy.

The book received a mixed review by historian Bradley Nicols inH-Net,noting its "excellent job [at] describing battles and establishing links between the social, political, and religious background of German officers and their actions in combat", but criticizing its methodology and a few other aspects such as its adherence to themyth of the clean Wehrmacht.

Panzers in Winter: Hitler's Army and the Battle of the Bulge

InPanzers in Winter: Hitler's Army and the Battle of the Bulge(2006), Mitcham approaches theBattle of the Bulgefrom a vantage point and offers a new perspective.Mitcham makes it clear that he wrote the book from a German point of view, but he draws from both German and American sources. He argues that responsibility for the American defeat in the battle lies closer to the Americans themselves rather than to German advantages. Mitcham also gives great focus to the18th Volksgrenadier Division.

The book received a positive review by historian Henry Staruk inH-Net.Staruk wrote of it as "compelling" noting its strengths and concluding that "Mitcham's discovery of new German sources allows for a wealth of new voices, combining the military situation with the political, and his somewhat peculiar arrangement ultimately makes those voices more clearly defined. The volume presents a history that will engage specialists as well as casual readers not deeply versed in military history".

Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in World War II

InEagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in World War II(2007), Mitcham writes about the rise and fall of theLuftwaffefrom the perspective of its top leaders, concentrating on problems of organization, policy and aircraft production rather than battles and campaigns.

Publishers Weeklywrote a positive review of the book, calling it "insightful" and "well-researched".Herman Reinhold, a Detachment Commander at theUnited States Air Force,also wrote a positive review of the book inAir Power History,noting that it does a good job of discussing Luftwaffe leaders and their relationships.

Crumbling Empire: The German Defeat in the East, 1944

InCrumbling Empire: The German Defeat in the East, 1944(2001), Mitcham wrote about the World War II battles of 1944 from theBattle of Stalingradto theSiege of Budapest.

Hitler's Commanders: Officers of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, the Kriegsmarine and the Waffen-SS

InHitler's Commanders(2012), Mitcham along withGene Muellerwrote brief profiles of several lesser-known Nazi commanders.

Publishers Weeklywrote a positive review of the book, calling it "a sterling introduction for anyone interested in how the men who fought for Hitler ticked".

The German Defeat in the East, 1944-1945

InThe German Defeat in the East, 1944-1945(2001), Mitcham attempts to explain the final months ofWorld War IIon theEastern Front,beginning with theDnieper–Carpathian offensiveandOperation Bagration,and ending with theBattle of Romaniaand theSiege of Budapest.

The book received a mostly negative review by historian Lee Baker inThe Journal of Slavic Military Studieswho wrote that Mitcham utilized outdated secondary sources and provided a single-sided German perspective. Baker noted that the book's greatest strength is including "a good deal of operational detail without becoming overwhelmingly tedious or trivial" and wrote that it might be a good place to begin for readers unfamiliar with theBattle of Moscow,Battle of Stalingradand other key battles of theEastern Front.Nevertheless, Baker describes the book as "not about the defeat of Germany on the eastern front by theRed Army,but rather a tale of German heroism and bungled orders from German command structures ". He further characterises the book as" very old-fashioned "and relying" solely upon German sources or obsolete interpretations from theCold Warera ".

The Rise of the Wehrmacht: The German Armed Forces and World War II

InThe Rise of the Wehrmacht(2008), Mitcham gives amilitary history of Germanyand its war effort from the fall of theHouse of Hohenzollernin 1918 to theBattle of Stalingradin 1943 with a focus on theWehrmacht.

Historian Keith Eubank, specializing in WWII, wrote a positive review of the book inCHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries.He highly recommends it, calling it "very readable" and "an excellent addition to all collections dealing with WWII".

HistorianJames Corumwrote a negative review of the book inTheJournal of Military History,stating that there is nothing original in Mitcham's book and that "Of the many histories of the Wehrmacht that I have read and reviewed over many years this ranks as perhaps the worst".

Richard Taylor and the Red River Campaign of 1864

InRichard Taylor and the Red River Campaign of 1864(2012), Mitcham wrote about Confederate generalRichard Taylorand the 1864Red River Campaign.

Historian Kyle Sinisi, writing in theCivil War Book Review,gave the book a mostly negative review, writing that there are several errors in writing, research and interpretation. He faults Mitcham for not revealing archival research in a book full of "printed primary and secondary sources". However, he also states that the book is "not without some virtue" noting its "colorful detail and clear descriptions of complicated movements".On the other hand, historian Michael Thomas Smith, writing in theJournal of Southern History,gave the book a mostly positive review, stating that Mitcham's conclusion, (i.e that the ultimate significance of the Red River campaign was to delayWilliam Sherman'scapture of Atlanta,which was a key city because it might've costAbraham Lincolnthere-election in 1864),

,"sensible and judicious" albeit lacking in novelty. Smith concludes that "General readers interested in the Civil War will likely enjoy this book".

It Wasn't About Slavery: Exposing the Great Lie of the Civil War

InIt Wasn't About Slavery: Exposing the Great Lie of the Civil War(2020), Mitcham advances theneo-Confederateview that theAmerican Civil Warwas not, as most historians assess, about slavery. He calls the conflict "the War for Southern Self-Determination".

Gene Kizer Jr., a neo-Confederate historian who has authored books defending the Confederate States of America, wrote a 15-part positive review of the book.He stated that it doesn't solely address the issue of slavery, but goes beyond it, and that: "It is well argued and documented so that it is hard to question any of it".

Other works

Among his other works, isBust Hell Wide Open: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest(2016), presenting a flattering biography ofNathan Bedford Forrest,a prominent Confederate Army general and the firstGrand Wizardof theKu Klux Klan.The book received a positive review by author James Rutledge Roesch in theAbbeville Institute.

Selected works

World War II

• WithGene Mueller:Hitler's Commanders.Cooper Publishing Group, London 1992,ISBN0-85052-308-7.
• Why Hitler?: The Genesis of the Nazi Reich.Praeger,Westport 1996,ISBN0-275-95485-4.
• The Rise of the Wehrmacht: The German Armed Forces and World War II.Praeger Security International,Westport 1998,ISBN978-0-275-99641-3.
• Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944.Praeger, Westport 2000,ISBN0-275-96857-X.
• The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders.Greenwood Press, Westport 2001,ISBN0-313-31640-6.
• Hitler's Field Marshals and Their Battles.Cooper Square Press, New York 2001,ISBN0-8154-1130-8.
• Rommel's Lieutenants: The Men who Served the Desert Fox, France, 1940.Praeger Security International,Westport 2006,ISBN0-275-99185-7.
• Defenders of Fortress Europe: The Untold Story of the German Officers During the Allied Invasion.Potomac Books,Washington, D.C. 2009,ISBN978-1-59797-274-1.
• Eagles of the Third Reich: Leaders of the Luftwaffe in the Second World War.Crécy Publications, Manchester 2010,ISBN978-0-85979-149-6.
• Blitzkrieg No Longer: The German Wehrmacht in battle, 1943.Pen and Sword Books,Barnsley 2010,ISBN978-1-84884-302-8.
• The Death of Hitler's War Machine: The Final Destruction of the Wehrmacht.Regnery History 2021,ISBN978-1684511389.

American Civil War

• Richard Taylor and the Red River Campaign of 1864,Pelican Publishing Press, 2012,ISBN978-1455616336
• Bust Hell Wide Open: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest,Regnery History, 2016,ISBN978-1684510306.
• Vicksburg: The Bloody Siege that Turned the Tide of the Civil War.Regnery History,Washington, DC 2018,ISBN978-1-62157-639-6.
• The Greatest Lynching in American History: New York 1863,Shotwell Publishing LLC 2020,ISBN978-1947660267.
• It Wasn't About Slavery: Exposing the Great Lie of the Civil War,Regnery History, 2020,ISBN978-1684512232.
• The Encyclopedia of Confederate Generals: The Definitive Guide to the 426 leaders of the South's War Effort,Regnery History, 2022,ISBN978-1684512447