During World War II the Allies not only defeated Germany; they destroyed its army, personnel records, and war-making capability. Five years after this collapse, Theodor Blank received the responsibility for the German part in planning the rearmament of West Germany starting from nothing. Heretofore, Blank's role has been told only in part, but new materials and the ability to see events in a clearer perspective warrant a new study of Blank's role in the rearmament process.