"This is the first book in English to tell the extraordinary story of one of Hitler's most loyal henchman, Field Marshal Walther Model (1891-1945). An extremely capable and aggressive German commander who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht's high command during World War II, Model's expertise in rebuilding broken fronts earned him the nickname of the "Fuhrer's Fireman." Throughout World War II, Hitler relied on the rapidly promoted general to save his army in several desperate situations - despite the fact that Model sometimes bursquely disagreed with his erratic Fuhrer and was imperious to those who served under him." "Model's greatest achievement was the restoration of stability along the Eastern front in June 1944. In August he was sent to restore the deteriorating Western front, where he reestablished a strong defensive line along the West Wall in September. He was second-in-command at the Battle of the Bulge and was leading the German army when it collapsed at the end of the war. Rather than surrender, Model shot himself in April 1945. Although Model destroyed most of his personal papers just before he died, Steven H. Newton draws on a wide variety of original German sources, including extensive Wehrmacht archival material, to tell the authoritative story of this commander - Hitler's favorite general."--BOOK JACKET.