Erwin Rommel (Electronic book text)

Erwin Rommel ranks amongst the most famous generals of World War II and is probably the most famous German general of the last century.An infantry officer during World War I, he performed brilliantly and was awarded the coveted Blue Max, Germany's highest award for bravery. Rommel progressed in the post-war Reichswehr, the armed forces of the Weimar Republic, rising to the rank of general in spite of his lack of formal staff training. In the early months of World War II Rommel took over command of a Panzer division, which he led in one of the most crucial areas of the German offensive in the West. Here he showed what a bold, resolute and skilled commander could achieve, even though he lacked experience in the field of armoured warfare. Sent to Libya in February 1941 at the head of a German 'expeditionary force' called the Deutsches Afrika Korps, Rommel's boldness, resolution and skills were put again under trial when he decided to move against the British forces facing him. What began as a reconnaissance in force soon turned into a major offensive, which eventually ended with the re-conquest of all of Cyrenaica save for the vital town of Tobruk.This started the myth of the Afrika Korps and of his famous commander, the 'Desert Fox', a myth that endured well after the war had ended. For two years Rommel led his troops, first at the head of the DAK and then as the commander of the Panzergruppe (later Panzerarmee) Afrika. There were victories, like the Gazala that opened the road to Egypt, setbacks like the British defence at the El Alamein line in July 1942 and eventual defeat.At the end of 1943 Rommel was given another major appointment, this time in North-west Europe; his task was to prepare the defences against the incoming Allied invasion of the Continent. He devoted all of his energies to this new task, albeit unsuccessfully; when the invasion came he proved unable to face it and only avoided defeat simply because he was severely wounded during a British air attack. Still recovering from his wounds, Rommel faced the last challenge: accused of having taken part to the attempt to assassinate Hitler, he was left the choice between suicide and public trial. He chose the first option.Lionized by British historians of the post-war period as representing all that was good in the German military tradition, his career has been re-assessed in recent years. This title will examine his role a battlefield commander, analysing his strengths and weaknesses and what made him one of the most respected commanders of World War II.