Were Prussian militrary conduct one of the most respected in the world?

Question

esp. how the German officers conducted themselves during WW2?

Answer 1

Whatever the actual merits of the Prussians, the German army aspired to a model based on the Junkers academy. The Third Reich also borrowed heavily from the past. For example, the Totenkopft symbol used by the SS and adopted as the divisional insignia of the 3rd SS panzer dvn. was taken from an ealier Prussian, cavilry unit.

In WW2 combat however, despite many merrits, the regimentation of the Junkers training made the troops predictable. Because the German troops fired in volleys, British troops were able to time their movements by the amount of time a unit would require to re-load.

However, despite this, the German army was an effective, disciplined force. However, if it were not for their strict training, they would have questioned their orders more often, as Von Paulus did in Kharkov. The 6th pzr armee would not have been castrated by a rediculouse stand and hold order, which Hitler repeated throughout the Russian campaign and which castrated the German army by immobilizing it.

So yes, a good system for inspiring obeydience, but completely c****p at ensuring that free thought and individualism made its way into the armys operation activities.

Luck

Answer 2

What does Prussian military have to do with WWII? The last influential Junker in German government was Paul von Hindenburg; the political power of Junkers died with the Weimar Republic...

To answer your question, in much of the 19th century Prussian military conduct was widely despised across Europe. Prussian officers (most of whom were younger -- meaning, non-inheriting -- children of wealthy landowners) were known (deservedly or not -- opinions differ) as drunks and duelers, who would much rather use their sabers on each than on the enemy. Military record of Prussian army in the early 19th century was spotty, ranging from crushing defeat at Jena-Auerstedt in 1806 to very important contribution to the victory at Waterloo in 1815.

In the First War of Schleswig (1848-51), Prussia and its allies defeated Denmark, yet Denmark somehow managed to keep both Schleswig and Holstein.

During Weimar, Junkers opposed Nazis, so when the Nazis took over, Junkers quickly became a dying breed. Hitler disliked Junkers, and they paid him in kind; they made several unsuccessful attempts on his life and attempted to negotiate German surrender to Britain and the U.S. behind his back...

Answer 3

Yes, Prussian military considered to be one of the most developed and advanced army in the EUROPEAN history