Erwin Rommel: One Of The Greatest Generals Of World War II

Erwin Rommel Will Schubert Brandon Slot 8

Erwin Rommel was one of the greatest generals of World War II. His use of strategy, logistics, and natural instincts separated from other generals. He could move his troops and tanks faster and more efficiently than any other Nazi general and he used this skill to make quick and powerful strikes where his enemy would least expect it. This special ability gained him and his divisions nicknames like “Desert Fox” and the “Ghost Division”.

Erwin Rommel was born on November 15, 1891 in Heidenheim, Württemberg. His father was the Headmaster of a secondary school and very strict but fair. Rommel described his childhood in his memoir as passing quite happily[1]. Rommel didn’t
With the weakened forces at his disposal Rommel was ordered to hold his position against oncoming British. The British forces however, were no real threat due to the fact that most of the best troops had been transferred to fight in the Battle of Greece after Operation Compass. Due to the successfulness of Operation Compass the British commander believed that these new German forces and remaining Italians would not attack before late April or even May[11]. Rommel wished to take the initiative and suggested an offensive against the weakened British at Agedabia and Benghazi, but his conservative officers would only allow a limited attack, He said that this would prove ineffective and a larger offensive was needed or the British might take back the ground they had gained. When they made the offensive on March 24, 1941 his superior officers told him to simply hold the ground they had planned to take. Rommel knew that he could take Agedabia now instead of waiting till May[12]. He succeeded and captured all of Benghazi. Rommel went even a step further and decided he would continue the offensive to Cyrenaica. He saw that the British were
He knew that Germany would not last much longer, but Hitler would not listen to common sense, even when it came from his greatest general. Rommel was approached by three of his close friends Alexander von Falkenhausen, Karl Strölin, and Carl Heinrich von Stuelpnagel who asked him to be part of the conspiracy against Hitler[15]. Rommel did not believe in assassination, he thought that if Hitler were to be killed then it could start a civil war in Germany. His aim was to “save Germany”, he believed that by capturing Hitler and putting him on trial then he could turn Germany against him and end the war[16]. After the attempted assassination and coup on July 20th, it was found that Rommel was involved in the conspiracy. Hitler told him that he could either go to trial and his fate be decided by the “People’s Court” or he could commit suicide and be buried with full military honors[17]. The trial would have meant his execution and that his family could not be protected. On October 14, 1944 he committed suicide using a cyanide pill and was buried in