macht ▁gener als . ▁Pan zer ▁Batt les ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁forming ▁the ▁mis con ception s ▁that ▁influenced ▁the ▁U . S . ▁view ▁of ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁military ▁operations ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁when ▁Soviet ▁arch ival ▁sources ▁became ▁available ▁to ▁Western ▁and ▁Russian ▁histor ians . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁M ell enth in ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Bres lau ; ▁his ▁brother ▁Hor st ▁von ▁M ell enth in ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁general . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁Friedrich ▁von ▁M ell enth in ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Reich she er ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁he ▁married ▁In geb org ▁von ▁A ul ock . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M ell enth in ▁held ▁several ▁general ▁staff ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁Army ; ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M ell enth in ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁North ▁Africa , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁staff ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁A frika ▁Corps ▁until ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Until ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁M ell enth in ▁served ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁XX XX V III ▁Pan zer ▁Corps ▁in ▁the ▁occupied ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁under ▁General ▁Hermann ▁Bal ck , ▁including ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Kur sk , ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁K