Erich von Manstein was a German military commander during World War II. He is known for his strategic brilliance and his role in several successful military campaigns, including the invasion of France and the Battle of Sevastopol. Manstein was a proponent of mobile warfare and is considered one of the most talented German generals of the war. After the war, he was tried for war crimes but was eventually released. He later wrote his memoirs and became a controversial figure in discussions about the war and its legacy.