Erich von Manstein was a German field marshal during World War II who commanded armies in several major campaigns, including the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk. He was known for his strategic thinking and innovative tactics, and is considered one of the most successful German generals of the war. After the war, he was convicted of war crimes but was released from prison in 1953. He continued to write and lecture on military history until his death in 1973.