Before Hitler: Working Within Versailles
Before Hitler ascended to power in 1933, the German army was confined by the Versailles treaty. The agreement, implemented at the end of WWI, severely limited the German military. The general staff was abolished, and the Staff College closed. The army was restricted to 100,000 men in total, and fewer troops meant fewer officers. In short, Versailles severely constrained the officer corps.
An Accidental Elite
In doing so, the Allies intended to weaken and limit the pool of command talent available to the Germans. Instead, they fostered an elite.
