However, I recently acquired a copy of Bethell's The Last Secret (1974) and was surprised to find that he tells quite the opposite story:
The British task was made easier by internal dissension within the Corps, the Cossacks trying to oust the Germans who still held key positions, the Germans trying to maintain their grip on the Corps as well as their separate identity as a body. A British report [...] mentions that von Pannwitz clearly wanted 'to dissociate his German officers and ultimately himself from the Cossacks who were traitors to their country.'
So my question is, which assessment is correct? Did more recent information from former Soviet archives overshadow Bethell's data from the British or is there some other reason for the polarity?Even when General von Pannwitz stepped out of the vehicle which had conveyed him across the Russian border, he was obviously surprised to see the Russians, throwing up his arms in the air and exclaiming, "Mein Gott!"'
Sorry if this has been brought up before, I'm a first time poster so please be gentle.
Thanks