For the German military high command the year 1943 represented the culminating point of the second world war. Whereas the previous year saw a strong initiative on the part of Germany (Russia, Africa, submarine war fare), from the beginning of the year 1943 the axis powers were forced to take the defensive in Africa and Stalingrad. In the same year, however, the defence maintained by the German troops on all fronts was no longer suffi ciently effective to hold lines and territories securely. The German Luft waffe lost its air superiority over German territory, submarine warfare came to a...