Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Manstein ya nuna matsakaicin soja na Soviet a matsayin jarumi amma ba shi da kyau. Da yake nuna rukunin jami'an Soviet a matsayin marasa iya aiki, ya nuna yakin a Gabas ta Gabas a matsayin sojojin Jamus da suka fi karfin fada a cikin ikon yin yaƙi da abokin hamayyar da ya fi yawa a cikin lambobi kawai. A cewar "The Myth of Eastern Front" na Ronald Smelser da Edward J. Davies, wannan bangare na "Verlorene Siege" ya kasance mai son kai, kamar yadda ya ba Manstein damar yin watsi da lokuta da yawa, kamar faɗuwar Kiev
a watan Nuwambar 1943, wanda Stavka ya yaudare shi kuma ya ci shi.