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| rommel and his art of war: Rommel and His Art of War Erwin Rommel, 2003 Rommel himself, one of the most successful and well-known commanders of World War II, writes about his views on the philosophy of warfare, battles, leaders, and the progress of both World Wars. A complete picture of how a military genius grappled with the actuality of war is presented through Rommel's accounts of his experiences. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel John Pimlott, 2014-05-15 Featuring letters to his wife, orders, daily accounts of battle written during World War II and his published memoirs, Rommel offers an insight into a great military leader. Alongside accounts of fighting in World War I and World War II, Rommel shares his views on the philosophy of warfare, battles, leaders and the progress of both world wars. |
| rommel and his art of war: Infantry Attacks Erwin Rommel, 2006 Field Marshal Erwin Rommel exerted an almost hypnotic influence not only over his own troops but also over the Allied soldiers of the Eighth Army in the Second World War. Even when the legend surrounding his invincibility was overturned at El Alamein, the aura surrounding Rommel himself remained unsullied. As a leader of a small unit in the First World War, he proved himself an aggressive and versatile commander, with a reputation for using the battleground terrain to his own advantage, for gathering intelligence, and for seeking out and exploiting enemy weaknesses. Rommel graphically describes his own achievements, and those of his units, in the swift-moving battles on the Western Front, in the ensuing trench warfare, in the 1917 campaign in Romania, and in the pursuit across the Tagliamento and Piave rivers. This classic account seeks out the basis of his astonishing leadership skills, providing an indispensable guide to the art of war written by one of its greatest exponents. |
| rommel and his art of war: The Art of War Sun Tzu, 2024-05-21 This is the most important book ever written about warfare and conflict. Lionel Giles' translation is the definitive edition and his commentary is indispensable. The Art of War can be used and adapted in every facet of your life. This book explains when and how to go to war as well as when not to. Learn how to win any conflict whether it be on the battlefield or in the boardroom. |
| rommel and his art of war: Moltke on the Art of War Daniel Hughes, 2009-03-12 Field Marshal Helmuth Graf von Moltke is best known for his direction of the German/Prussian campaigns against Austria in 1866 and France in 1870-71, yet it was during his service as chief of the General Staff that he laid the foundation for the German way of war which would continue through 1945. Professor Daniel Hughes of the Air War College, in addition to editing and assisting with the translation of this selection of Moltke’s thoughts and theories on the art of war, has written an insightful commentary on “Moltke the Elder” that places him in the broader context of Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz’s sometimes abstract philosophical ideas. The book also contains an extensive bibliographic and historiographic commentary that includes references to Moltke and his theories in the current literature in Germany, England, and the United States—a valuable aid to anyone doing research on the subject. This volume, in addition to its appeal to scholars, serves as an introduction to the theory of the German army, as well as a summary of Moltke’s enduring theoretical legacy. Praise for Moltke on the Art of War “Moltke molded the Prussian and ultimately the German army at a time of technological and economic change. For that reason . . . this book deserves a much wider audience than those interested in nineteenth-century military history. Readers will be particularly grateful for the editor’s careful explanation of terms that are easily mistranslated in English, and for concise and useful footnotes and bibliography. A model of fine editing.”—Foreign Affairs Magazine “This valuable work ably compiles the selected writings on the art of war of one of military history’s greatest geniuses. [Moltke’s] impact on American military thinking persists, especially in various military staff college curricula. Strongly recommended.”—Armed Forces Journal “A thoughtfully edited, well-translated anthology that merits a place in any serious collection on the craft of war in the modern Western world.—Journal of Military History |
| rommel and his art of war: Operational Principles: The Operational Art Of Erwin Rommel And Bernard Montgomery Major T.L. McMahon, 2014-08-15 This study focuses on the operational level of war-that level which links tactics to strategy. The study seeks to identify and define principles applicable to the operational level of war. If valid, those principles ought to guide and/or govern the conduct of war at the operational level. Also, understanding of operational principles and the theoretical foundations of the operational level of war can assist US Army commanders and staff officers in preparation for and conduct of war at that level. Selected campaigns and battles conducted by Erwin Rommel and Bernard Montgomery during World War II are analyzed. The objective of the analyses is to determine what each commander considered as guides in making battlefield decisions. The research is not limited, however, to specific campaigns and battles. A description of each commander is offered; that is, his experiences and the evolution of his military thought. The prevailing German and British military doctrines are also reviewed. Interestingly, the criteria each commander used in making battlefield decisions-his operational principles-are apparent by understanding the man and the doctrine; the campaign and battle analyses serve to substantiate those principles. While Rommel and Montgomery represented different styles of war-fighting, maneuver and attrition respectively, they demonstrated a remarkable commonality in battlefield decision-making...Apparently the operational level of war can accommodate a broad range of war-fighting styles and instruments. The implications for the US Army derived from this study cover a wide range of subjects. Some involve organization, training, and preparation of operational-level commanders and staff officers. Most important is the development of an army which can successfully fight the campaigns and battles in future war. |
| rommel and his art of war: Attacks Erwin Rommel, 1979 Written directly after combat, Rommel critiques his own battle strategies and tactics during World War I in an attempt to learn further from his losses and victories. |
| rommel and his art of war: The Rommel Papers Erwin Rommel, 1953 En udgave af Feltmarskal Erwin Rommel's egne papirer, breve og dagbogsnotater fra kampagnerne og felttogene under 2. Verdenkrig. Han skriver levende og udførligt - og objektivt - om operationerne og hans måde at føre kommando på. Papirerne, hvoraf en stor del blev ødelagt - af forskellige grunde - efter Rommels's død - er indsamlet og redigeret i samarbejde med Rommel's søn, Manfred Rommel, og General Bayerlein. Fra indholdet: Frankrig, 1940: Meuse, Somme og Cherbourg. Krigen i Afrika, det første år: Graziani's nederlag, Cyrenaica, Tobruk, grænsekampe, engelske sommeroffensiv, 1941, Sollum, og vinterkampagnen, 1941-42: det britiske angreb, tank battle Totensonntag, raid's ind i Ægypten, tilnage til Tobruk, tilbagetog fra Cyrenaica, modangreb. Krigen i Afrika, det andet år: Gazala og Tobruk, Ørkenkrigsførelse, Sejr i ørkenen, anden kamp om Tobruk, og erobringen af Tobruk. Alamein. Forsvarsplaner, den statiske front, Alam Halfa, Alamein: kampen uden håb. Evakueringen af Cyrenaica. Tilbage til Tunesien, Tripolitania. Fra Alamein til Mareth - i tilbageblik. Army Group Africa og slutningen i Afrika. Italien, 1943. Invasionen, Normandiet, 1944. De sidste dage, efteråret 1944. |
| rommel and his art of war: The Art of War in World History Gérard Chaliand, 1994-10-07 This engrossing anthology gathers together a remarkable collection of writings on the use of strategy in war. Gérard Chaliand has ranged over the whole of human history in assembling this collection—the result is an integration of the annals of military thought that provides a learned framework for understanding global political history. Included are writings from ancient and modern Europe, China, Byzantium, the Arab world, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire. Alongside well-known militarists such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Walter Raleigh, Rommel, and many others are irregulars such as Cortés, Lawrence of Arabia, and even Gandhi. Contrary to standard interpretations stressing competition between land and sea powers, or among rival Christian societies, Chaliand shows the great importance of the struggles between nomadic and sedentary peoples, and of the conflicts between Christianity and Islam. With the invention of firepower, a relatively recent occurrence in the history of warfare, modes of organization and strategic concepts—elements reflecting the nature of a society—have been key to how war is waged. Unparalleled in its breadth, this anthology will become the standard work for understanding a fundamental part of human history—the conduct of war. This anthology is not only an unparalleled corpus of information and an aid to failing memory; it is also and above all a reliable and liberating guide for research. . . . Ranging from the origins to the nuclear age, it compels us to widen our narrow perspectives on conflicts and strategic action and open ourselves up to the universal.—from the Foreword |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel's Afrika Korps George Bradford, 2008-10-21 Portrait of this famous World War II unit at the height of its success Completely illustrated with photos, maps, and diagrams--in color where available In the sands of the Western Desert in 1941-42, Erwin Rommel made history as the Desert Fox, waging a brilliant and bold campaign against the British. Beginning at El Agheila in March 1941, the Afrika Korps--frequently outnumbered--drove the British steadily east across Libya and into Egypt. The German offensive eventually ground to a halt in a series of battles at El Alamein. In impressive detail, George Bradford depicts what it was like to serve and fight in the Afrika Korps, from its tanks and equipment to its battles and daily life. |
| rommel and his art of war: Knight's Cross David Fraser, 1994-12-02 An in-depth biography of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel written with the cooperation of Rommel's son, by a renowned military analyst and historian who is himself a general. |
| rommel and his art of war: Bernard Montgomery's Art of War Zita Steele, Bernard Law Montgomery, 2020-05-20 This book is a complete guide to the military philosophy of one of Great Britain's most successful military leaders, Bernard Law Montgomery. Arranged in the style of Sun Tzu's Art of War and The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, the book presents core principles written by Montgomery on his approach to the art of war in a single concise volume. A seasoned combat veteran, accomplished writer, and victorious general, Montgomery dedicated his life to the study and mastery of military arts. The many topics covered include his beliefs and teachings on morale, leadership and fighting techniques. The book features a detailed introduction to Montgomery's career and philosophy by author Zita Steele, with information highlighting his regiment, experiences, achievements and command style. Illustrated with photos, it also features a reading list of books recommended by Montgomery, an avid military historian. Released for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Bernard Montgomery's Art of War contains useful instructions and reflections for anyone interested in military science, leadership, politics or history. It also can be used as a lifestyle guide. This book brings Monty up with the great leaders of history, his contribution to the final Victory in WWII has never been really appreciated and this book rights that wrong. The leadership chapters should be strongly recommended reading for any future military leader (or politician) and military historian. As a former soldier I can relate to many of the leadership aspects mentioned in the book, the things I did right or wrong! -- Major David Seeney, Retired, late Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Airborne Forces, Chairman of Friends of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Warwickshire) |
| rommel and his art of war: On the German Art of War Bruce Condell, David T. Zabecki, 2008-12-17 English translation of the military manual that guided the German Army in World War II This book was carried into battle by officers and NCOs and had been classified by the U.S. Army until the year 2000 Topics include command, attack, defense, tanks, chemical warfare, logistics, and more Truppenführung (unit command) served as the basic manual for the German Army from 1934 until the end of World War II and laid the doctrinal groundwork for blitzkrieg and the early victories of Hitler's armies. Reading it is as close to getting inside the minds behind the Third Reich's war machine as you are likely to get. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel: Lessons from Yesterday for Today's Leaders Charles Messenger, 2009-06-09 The first book in the World Generals series chronicles the impressive rise and tragic fall of Hitler's most brilliant military tactician. Modeled on the acclaimed Great Generals series, which features the strategy and legacy of famous American generals, World Generals broadens the scope to include the world's finest military leaders. Each volume will include a foreword by Wesley K. Clark, and be co-edited by a different foreign general who will write an afterword. This exciting new series opens with The Desert Fox, the most famous German field marshall in World War II, Erwin Rommel. A hero of the people of the Third Reich and widely respected by his opponents, Rommel proved himself highly adept at Blitzkrieg warfare. Both in France and North Africa he consistently outwitted his adversaries through his ability to sense the weak spot in his enemy's deployment and the pace at which he conducted his operations. Rommel's serious wounding in France came just three days before the aborted attempt on Hitler's life. Rommel subsequently came under suspicion of being involved in the plot and, under pressure, he committed suicide. Rommel displayed an outstanding ability to seize the initiative and retain it, and here, Charles Messenger draws on the skills behind this ability for the benefit of modern day leaders. |
| rommel and his art of war: Desert Fox Samuel W. Mitcham, 2019-03-12 Just who was Erwin Rommel? War hero or war criminal? Hitler flunky or man of integrity? Military genius or just lucky? Now, bestselling military historian Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. gets to the heart of the mysterious figure respected and even admired by the people of the Allied nations he fought against. Mitcham recounts Rommel’s improbable and meteoric military career, his epic battles in North Africa, and his fraught relationship with Hitler and the Nazi Party. Desert Fox: The Storied Military Career of Erwin Rommel reveals: • How Rommel’s victories in North Africa were sabotaged by Hitler’s incompetent interference • How Rommel burned orders telling him to commit war crimes • Why it wouldn’t have helped Patton if he really had read Rommel’s book • How Rommel was responsible for the Germans’ defense against the D-Day landing • Why the plot to overthrow Hitler was fatally compromised when Rommel was gravely injured in an Allied attack • The reason Rommel agreed to commit suicide after his part in the plot was discovered by Hitler Mitcham’s gripping account of Rommel’s life takes you through the amazing adventure of the World War II battles in North Africa. Again and again, Rommel outfoxed the Allies—until the war of attrition and Hitler’s blunders doomed the Axis cause. Illustrated with dozens of historical photos, this illuminating biography paints a fascinating and tragic picture of the man known as the Desert Fox. |
| rommel and his art of war: Killing Rommel Steven Pressfield, 2008-05-06 A thrilling WWII tale based on the real-life exploits of the Long Range Desert Group, an elite British special forces unit that took on the German Afrika Korps and its legendary commander, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox. Autumn 1942. Hitler’s legions have swept across Europe; France has fallen; Churchill and the English are isolated on their island. In North Africa, Rommel and his Panzers have routed the British Eighth Army and stand poised to overrun Egypt, Suez, and the oilfields of the Middle East. With the outcome of the war hanging in the balance, the British hatch a desperate plan—send a small, highly mobile, and heavily armed force behind German lines to strike the blow that will stop the Afrika Korps in its tracks. Narrated from the point of view of a young lieutenant, Killing Rommel brings to life the flair, agility, and daring of this extraordinary secret unit, the Long Range Desert Group. Stealthy and lethal as the scorpion that serves as their insignia, they live by their motto: Non Vi Sed Arte—Not by Strength, by Guile as they gather intelligence, set up ambushes, and execute raids. Killing Rommel chronicles the tactics, weaponry, and specialized skills needed for combat, under extreme desert conditions. And it captures the camaraderie of this “band of brothers” as they perform the acts of courage and cunning crucial to the Allies’ victory in North Africa. Combining scrupulous historical detail and accuracy with remarkable narrative momentum, Pressfield powerfully renders the drama and intensity of warfare, the bonds of men in close combat, and the surprising human emotions and frailties that come into play on the battlefield to create a vivid and authoritative depiction of the desert war. |
| rommel and his art of war: Infantry Tactics Erwin Rommel, 1944 In This Classic Book On The Art Of War, One Of The Most Brilliant Respected Military Leaders Of The 20Th Century Discusses And Analyzes Some Of The Tactics That Lay Behind His Successes In The First World War. |
| rommel and his art of war: The 33 Strategies Of War Robert Greene, 2010-09-03 Sun Tzu better watch his back' New York Magazine 'An Art of War-style book of tough guy maxims to live by' Evening Standard Spanning world civilizations, synthesizing dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts and thousands of years of violent conflict, The 33 Strategies of War is the I-Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Abundantly illustrated with examples from history, from powerful world leaders like Napoleon and Margaret Thatcher, to Shaka the Zulu and Hannibal, each of the thirty-three chapters outlines a strategy to help you win life's wars. Learn proactive methods that require you to maintain initiative and negotiate from positions of strength, or defensive strategies that allow you to respond to dangerous situations and avoid unwinnable wars. Great warriors of battlefields and boardrooms alike demonstrate prudence, agility, balance and calm, and a keen understanding that the rational and resourceful always defeat the panicked. An indispensable book, The 33 Strategies of War provides you with all the advice you need to gain and maintain the upper hand. |
| rommel and his art of war: 'Rommel?' 'Gunner Who?' Spike Milligan, 2012-12-13 VOLUME TWO OF SPIKE MILLIGAN'S LEGENDARY MEMOIRS IS A HILARIOUS, SUBVERSIVE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF WW2 'Brilliant verbal pyrotechnics, throwaway lines and marvelous anecdotes' Daily Mail 'Desperately funny, vivid, vulgar' Sunday Times ______________ 'Keep talking, Milligan. I think I can get you out on Mental Grounds.' 'That's how I got in, sir.' 'Didn't we all.' The second volume of Spike Milligan's legendary recollections of life as a gunner in World War Two sees our hero into battle in North Africa - eventually. First, there is important preparation to be done: extensive periods of loitering ('We had been standing by vehicles for an hour and nothing had happened, but it happened frequently'), psychological toughening ('If a man dies when you hang him, keep hanging him until he gets used to it') and living dangerously ('no underwear!'). At last the battle for Tunis is upon them . . . ______________ 'The most irreverent, hilarious book about the war that I have ever read' Sunday Express 'Milligan is the Great God to all of us' John Cleese 'The Godfather of Alternative Comedy' Eddie Izzard 'A totally original comedy writer' Michael Palin 'Close in stature to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear in his command of the profound art of nonsense' Guardian |
| rommel and his art of war: Out of the Rat Trap Max Reisch, Alison Falls, 2013-04-01 For the Austrian Max Reisch, pioneer international motorist and writer of the 1930s, the Second World War offers yet more opportunities for adventure. Here is his lively account of his time with a vehicle maintenance unit of Rommel’s legendary Afrikakorps in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. On forays into the desert at the wheel of a captured Jeep, searching out wrecked vehicles for spare parts, he visits the fabulous oasis of Siwa and digs his way out of the sinister minefield of Minqar Qaim. Seeing German defeat as inevitable, Reisch hatches several escape plans and finally, with no experience of the sea, acquires a dilapidated fishing boat and some rudimentary navigation skills. He avoids capture at Tunis and, despite damage to the boat, sets sail for Sicily together with seven comrades (and one small dog). Running the blockade of Allied warships and weathering a sudden storm, his motley crew succeeds against the odds. Out of the Rat Trap is a rare and fascinating insight into the Afrikakorps and an entertaining account of a daring escape from the Allies in the Western Desert. |
| rommel and his art of war: The War of Art Steven Pressfield, 2002-06-03 What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece? The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline. Think of it as tough love . . . for yourself. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel Ralf Georg Reuth, 2020-01-15 Erwin Rommel is the best-known German field commander of World War II. Repeatedly decorated for valor during the First World War, he would go on to lead the German Panzer divisions in France and North Africa. Even his British opponents admitted to admiring his apparent courage, chivalry and leadership, and he became known by the nickname “Desert Fox.” His death, in October 1944, would give rise to speculation for generations to come on how history should judge him. To many he remains the ideal soldier, but, as Reuth shows, Rommel remained loyal to his Führer until forced to commit suicide, and his fame was largely a creation of the master propagandist Joseph Goebbels. Stripping away the many layers of Nazi and Allied propaganda, Reuth argues that Rommel’s life symbolizes the complexity and conflict of the German tragedy: to have followed Hitler into the abyss, and to have considered that to be his duty. |
| rommel and his art of war: The Art of War Andrew Roberts, 2009-01-01 The Art of War: Great Commanders of the Modern World is an authoritative account of the lives and careers of the greatest military commanders of the period, from Cromwell to Konev, from Marlborough to Moltke, and from Petain to Patton. Every commander is profiled in a concise and informative 3000-word article which not only brings its subject vividly to life via a lively, fact-driven narrative, but also analyses and assesses his tactical and strategic gifts. Each biography is accompanied by a 'battle feature' or 'campaign feature' - embellished by a full-colour battle plan or campaign map - focusing on the commander's greatest battlefield achievement.--Publishers' description. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel the Desert Fox Desmond Young, 2004-09 Out of print since 1979, Desmond Young's classic study of Erwin Rommel--the leader of Germany's Afrika Korps--which had 30 hardcover printings, is now back. 10 black-and-white photographs. |
| rommel and his art of war: The ARTHASHASTRA Kautilya, 2000-10-14 An extraordinary detailed manual on statecraft and the science of living by one of classical India's greatest minds; Kautilya; also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta; wrote the Arthashastra not later than 150 AD though the date has not been conclusively established. Legend has it that he was either a Brahmin from Kerala or from north India; however; it is certain that Kautilya was the man who destroyed the Nanda dynasty and installed Chandragupta Maurya as the King of Magadha. A master strategist who was well-versed in the Vedas and adept at creating intrigues and devising political stratagems; Kautilya's genius is reflected in his Arthashastra which is the most comprehensive treatise of statecraft of classical times. The text contains fifteen books which cover numerous topics viz.; the King; a complete code of law; foreign policy; secret and occult practices and so on. The Arthashastra is written mainly in prose but also incorporates 380 shlokas. Artha; literally wealth; is one of four supreme aims prescribed by Hindu tradition. However; it has a much wider significance and the material well-being of individuals is just a part of it. In accordance with this; Kautilya's Arthashastra maintains that the state or government of a country has a vital role to play in maintaining the material status of both the nation and its people. Therefore; a significant part of the Arthashastra has to do with the science of economics. When it deals with the science of politics; the Arthashastra describes in detail the art of government in its widest sense—the maintenance of law and order as also of an efficient administrative machinery. |
| rommel and his art of war: Very Special Ships Arthur Nicholson, 2015-10-30 Very Special Ships is the first full-length book about the six Abdiel-class fast minelayers, the fastest and most versatile ships to serve in the Royal Navy in the Second World War. They operated not only as offensive minelayers dashing into enemy waters under cover of darkness but in many other roles, most famously as blockade runners to Malta. In lieu of mines, they transported items as diverse as ammunition, condensed milk, gold, and VIPs. Distinguished by their three funnels, the Abdiels were attractive, well-designed ships, and they were also unique no other navy had such ships, and so they were sought-after commands and blessed with fine captains. To give the fullest picture of this important class of ships, the book details the origins and history of mines, minelayers, and minelaying; covers the origins and design of the class; describes the construction of each of the six ships, and the modified design of the last two; tells in detail of the operational careers of the ships in the second World War, when they played vital roles in the battle of Crete and the siege of Malta, plied the hazardous route to Tobruk, and laid mines off the Italian coast. The post-war careers of the surviving ships is also documented. Written to appeal to naval enthusiasts, students of World War II and modelmakers, the author tells the story of these ships through first-hand accounts, official sources, and specially- commissioned drawings and photographs. |
| rommel and his art of war: Erwin Rommel Photographer Zita Steele, 2016-09-21 Experience WWII in color with world-famous military commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. See 130 rare color photos from Rommel's private collection, seized by U.S. forces in 1945. Witness as he travels across colorful terrains, flies a dive bomber, drives over desert battlefields, visits villages. These photos are digitally restored/enhanced. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel Benoît Lemay, 2012-11 Few modern military commanders have caught the public's imagination as much as Erwin Rommel, the panzer leader who constantly led from the front, achieving breathtaking success in France and North Africa, and to whose wounding and demise the German failure in Normandy is often attributed. More than sixty years after his death, Rommel still personifies the exemplary ideal of the German soldier, a figure who not only inspires respect for his mastery of warfare but for his reticent relationship with the Nazi regime. In this book, however, Benoît Lemay sheds new light on the man. Based on new research and the discovery of Rommel's private correspondence, Lemay places in question this legendary figure's relationship with the Nazi regime. Contrary to the accepted belief that Rommel held serious reservations toward Hitler, Lemay instead asserts that the Desert Fox was in reality a dedicated partisan of the Führer, to whom he remained loyal until the very end. While Rommel's fame and image is in part due to Nazi propaganda, which made of him a god of war and a son of the people, the British also did their part by hailing him as a great general, in part to excuse their repeated defeats in North Africa. In this compelling and detailed narrative of Rommel's career, Lemay offers the paradoxical history of an exceptional soldier enlisted in the service of a criminal regime. Relying upon international sources, he provides a balanced portrait of the man, discussing both his immediate post-war idolization and the later interpretations excoriating him. As Lemay concludes: He shared in the larger German tragedy not only because he remained loyal to Hitler, but because, convinced he was performing his military duty, he ignored the non-military consequences of his acts. After the war, his wife declared: 'Thus ends the life of a man who, throughout his whole life, was entirely dedicated to serving his country. The final irony of Rommel's life was that he committed suicide after Hitler discovered that the German Resistance had hoped to elevate him as the new leader of the Reich, not realizing that Rommel himself remained loyal to his Führer. In this work, Lemay, author of the highly acclaimed Manstein: Hitler's Master Strategist, has once again illuminated an important aspect of World War II. |
| rommel and his art of war: General Lesley J. McNair Mark T. Calhoun, 2015-05-15 George C. Marshall once called him the brains of the army. And yet General Lesley J. McNair (1883-1944), a man so instrumental to America's military preparedness and Army modernization, remains little known today, his papers purportedly lost, destroyed by his wife in her grief at his death in Normandy. This book, the product of an abiding interest and painstaking research, restores the general Army Magazine calls one of Marshall's forgotten men to his rightful place in American military history. Because McNair contributed so substantially to America's war preparedness, this first complete account of his extensive and varied career also leads to a reevaluation of U.S. Army effectiveness during WWII. Born halfway between the Civil War and the dawn of the 20th century, Lesley McNair–Whitey by his classmates for his blond hair–graduated 11th of 124 in West Point's class of 1904 and rose slowly through the ranks like all officers in the early twentieth century. He was 31 when World War I erupted, 34 and a junior officer when American troops prepared to join the fight. It was during this time, and in the interwar period that followed the end of the First World War, that McNair's considerable influence on Army doctrine and training, equipment development, unit organization, and combined arms fighting methods developed. By looking at the whole of McNair's career–not just his service in WWII as chief of staff, General Headquarters, 1940-1942, and then as commander, Army Ground Forces, 1942-1944–Calhoun reassesses the evolution and extent of that influence during the war, as well as McNair's, and the Army's, wartime performance. This in-depth study tracks the significantly positive impact of McNair's efforts in several critical areas: advanced officer education; modernization, military innovation, and technological development; the field-testing of doctrine; streamlining and pooling of assets for necessary efficiency; arduous and realistic combat training; combined arms tactics; and an increasingly mechanized and mobile force. Because McNair served primarily in staff roles throughout his career and did not command combat formations during WWII, his contribution has never received the attention given to more public–and publicized–military exploits. In its detail and scope, this first full military biography reveals the unique and valuable perspective McNair's generalship offers for the serious student of military history and leadership. |
| rommel and his art of war: Field Marshal Daniel Allen Butler, 2015-07-19 A biography of the WWII military genius known as the Desert Fox—and his complex, ultimately fatal relationship with Hitler from a New York Times–bestselling author. Born leader, brilliant soldier, devoted husband and father—Erwin Rommel was intelligent, brave, and compassionate, while at the same time vain, egotistical, and arrogant. In France in 1940, then for two years in North Africa, then at Normandy in 1944, he proved himself a master of armored warfare, running rings around a succession of Allied generals who never got his measure and could only resort to overwhelming numbers to defeat him. Yet for all his genius, Rommel was also naive, a man who could admire Adolf Hitler at the same time that he despised the Nazis, dazzled by a Führer whose successes blinded him to the true nature of the Third Reich. Above all, he was the quintessential German patriot, who ultimately would refuse to abandon his moral compass—so that on one pivotal day in June 1944, he came to understand that he had mistakenly served an evil man and evil cause. He would still fight for Germany, even as he abandoned his oath of allegiance to the Führer, when he came to realize that Hitler had morphed into nothing more than an agent of death and destruction. In the end, Erwin Rommel was forced to die by his own hand, not because, as some would claim, he had dabbled in a tyrannicidal conspiracy, but because he had committed a far greater crime—he dared to tell Adolf Hitler the truth. In Field Marshal, New York Times–bestselling historian Daniel Allen Butler describes the swirling, innovative campaigns in which Rommel won his military reputation, and assesses the temper of the man who finally fought only for his country and no dark depths beyond. |
| rommel and his art of war: Desert Warfare Alfred Toppe, 2011-03 Firs published in 1991. Desert Warfare: German Experiences in World War II is an abridgment of a two-volume work that first appeared in 1952. Organized by Major General Alfred Toppe and written with the assistance of nine German commanders who served in North Africa, the manuscript represents a collaborative attempt to determine as many factors as possible which exerted a determining influence on desert warfare. Issues addressed include planning, intelligence, logistics, and operations. Described and analyzed are the German order of battle, the major military engagements in North Africa, and the particular problems of terrain and climate in desert operations. Not unlike many of the U.S. units engaged in the war with Iraq, the Germans in North Africa learned about combat operations in the desert only after they arrived on the scene and confronted the desert on its own terms. For this reason alone, as well as for the insights it offers, Desert Warfare requires the serious consideration of those responsible for preparing the U.S. military for any future conflict in desert terrain. |
| rommel and his art of war: Rommel's Desert War Martin Kitchen, 2009-09-03 At the height of his power in January 1941 Hitler made the fateful decision to send troops to North Africa to save the beleaguered Italian army from defeat. Martin Kitchen's masterful history of the Axis campaign provides a fundamental reassessment of the key battles of 1941-3, Rommel's generalship, and the campaign's place within the broader strategic context of the war. He shows that the British were initially helpless against the operational brilliance of Rommel's Panzer divisions. However Rommel's initial successes and refusal to follow orders committed the Axis to a campaign well beyond their means. Without the reinforcements or supplies he needed to deliver a knockout blow, Rommel was forced onto the defensive and Hitler's Mediterranean strategy began to unravel. The result was the loss of an entire army which together with defeat at Stalingrad signalled a decisive shift in the course of the war. |
| rommel and his art of war: The Warrior Ethos Steven Pressfield, 2011 WARS CHANGE, WARRIORS DON'T We are all warriors. Each of us struggles every day to define and defend our sense of purpose and integrity, to justify our existence on the planet and to understand, if only within our own hearts, who we are and what we believe in. Do we fight by a code? If so, what is it? What is the Warrior Ethos? Where did it come from? What form does it take today? How do we (and how can we) use it and be true to it in our internal and external lives? The Warrior Ethos is intended not only for men and women in uniform, but artists, entrepreneurs and other warriors in other walks of life. The book examines the evolution of the warrior code of honor and mental toughness. It goes back to the ancient Spartans and Athenians, to Caesar's Romans, Alexander's Macedonians and the Persians of Cyrus the Great (not excluding the Garden of Eden and the primitive hunting band). Sources include Herodotus, Thucydides, Plutarch, Xenophon, Vegetius, Arrian and Curtius--and on down to Gen. George Patton, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Israeli Minister of Defense, Moshe Dayan. |
| rommel and his art of war: Erwin Rommel, Photographer Zita Steele, 2015-04-05 Take a journey behind the camera of a world-famous military commander. Experience WWII firsthand from Field Marshal Rommel's private photo collection, seized by U.S. forces in 1945. View 340+ images, including photos Rommel took during campaigns in France and North Africa and others which he collected. Join Rommel in the air and in his command vehicle as he captures majestic desert landscapes, Panzer maneuvers, battlefield action, soldiers on the frontlines, and graves of the fallen. Also included are Rommel's personal photos of family and friends. The photos are digitally restored and enhanced for detail. Some are accompanied by Rommel's own handwritten photo captions. Author and artist Zita Steele uses her knowledge of German language and culture, with in-depth research about Rommel and his campaigns, to provide context for the photos. Zita also analyzes patterns in Rommel's photography to shed a unique light on the artistic personality of this notable military leader. Features include: - more than 340 digitally restored and enhanced photos - historical facts about Rommel and his campaigns - in-depth analysis of photo subject matter and Rommel's compositions - 8x10 size makes book easy to handle and store on shelves - easy-to-read print - illustrations - large, clear photos offer optimum viewing |
| rommel and his art of war: The Second World War Antony Beevor, 2012-06-05 A masterful and comprehensive chronicle of World War II, by internationally bestselling historian Antony Beevor. Over the past two decades, Antony Beevor has established himself as one of the world's premier historians of WWII. His multi-award winning books have included Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin 1945. Now, in his newest and most ambitious book, he turns his focus to one of the bloodiest and most tragic events of the twentieth century, the Second World War. In this searing narrative that takes us from Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1st, 1939 to V-J day on August 14, 1945 and the war's aftermath, Beevor describes the conflict and its global reach -- one that included every major power. The result is a dramatic and breathtaking single-volume history that provides a remarkably intimate account of the war that, more than any other, still commands attention and an audience. Thrillingly written and brilliantly researched, Beevor's grand and provocative account is destined to become the definitive work on this complex, tragic, and endlessly fascinating period in world history, and confirms once more that he is a military historian of the first rank. |
| rommel and his art of war: A Rat of Tobruk Mike Rosel, 2020-04 Lieutenant John Rosel won a Military Cross for displaying 'calmness and outstanding leadership' when his platoon became surrounded at a critical point in the siege of Tobruk. He led the defence of several vital outposts against numerous attacks by the troops of General Rommel. His son Mike has written not only a touching tribute to his father's war service but also a perceptive and stylish account of the soldiering experience of a generation. A Rat of Tobruk has many fascinating photographs - mainly taken by John Rosel - and is recommended to anyone interested in the Australian soldiers who risked all while making a substantial contribution to Allied victory in World War II. |
| rommel and his art of war: Eighth Army Robin Neillands, 2005 This masterful epic of military history thrillingly chronicles the defeats and triumphs of the Eighth Army, considered by many to be the most remarkable fighting force of WW II, renowned for holding the Axis at bay from North Africa to the Alps from1939 to 1945. Photos. Maps. |
| rommel and his art of war: Problems for Platoon and Company Erwin Rommel, 1994-06-01 |
| rommel and his art of war: With Rommel in the Desert Heinz Werner Schmidt, 1998 Originally published in 1973 by White Lion. A first-hand account offering a perspective on Rommel's African campaign. Schmidt was close to Rommel throughout the two years of the campaign and provides details of the military action alongside personal perspectives of fellow-officers. |
| rommel and his art of war: Gates of Fire Steven Pressfield, 2000 Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here, obedient to their laws, we lie. Nearly 2,500 years ago, in 480BC, at a bleak pass in a far-flung corner of eastern Greece, three hundred Spartan warriors faced the army of Xerxe |
Erwin Rommel - Wikipedia
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (pronounced [ˈɛʁviːn ˈʁɔməl] ⓘ; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (German: Wüstenfuchs, pronounced …
Erwin Rommel | Biography, Death, & Facts | Britannica
Erwin Rommel (born November 15, 1891, Heidenheim, Germany—died October 14, 1944, Herrlingen, near Ulm) was a German field marshal who became the most popular general at …
Erwin Rommel - Facts, History, Death | Holocaust Encyclopedia
Erwin Rommel was commander of the German Afrika Korps in North Africa during WWII. Learn about Rommel's military career, death, and ongoing questions around his commitment to Nazism.
No Exit: How Rommel Was Forced To Commit Suicide - HistoryNet
Oct 14, 2021 · One of Germany’s most famous military commanders met an inescapable death sentence—not by the hands of the enemy, but by the leaders of his own country. Field …
Erwin Rommel - Death, Hitler & Germany - Biography
Apr 2, 2014 · Erwin Rommel, called "the People's Marshal" by his countrymen, was one of Adolf Hitler's most successful generals and one of Germany's most popular military leaders.
Erwin Rommel - World History Encyclopedia
Sep 13, 2024 · Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) was a German field marshal who gained fame as a tank commander in the Fall of France in 1940 and then as the commander of the Afrika Korps …
How Rommel Resisted Hitler and Chose His Fate
Feb 17, 2025 · The summer of 1944 was one of intense turmoil within Nazi Germany. On the surface, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the legendary Desert Fox, was focused on defending …
Erwin Rommel - Military Leader and Husband, Children and Age
Feb 4, 2025 · Erwin Rommel, known as "the People's Marshal," was a key military leader in Nazi Germany and one of Adolf Hitler's most distinguished generals. Born on November 15, 1891, …
Erwin Rommel: Life, Achievements, and Death of the Famous …
Mar 13, 2017 · Erwin Rommel is often celebrated as a German hero, a designation that invites scrutiny due to the complex moral landscape of World War II. Rommel was a figure who …
Erwin Rommel: The Renowned Military Officer’s Downfall
Oct 11, 2022 · Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Germany's most famous military officer, would become embroiled in an assassination attempt on Hitler himself, leading to his own death and …
Erwin Rommel - Wikipedia
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (pronounced [ˈɛʁviːn ˈʁɔməl] ⓘ; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (German: Wüstenfuchs, pronounced …
Erwin Rommel | Biography, Death, & Facts | Britannica
Erwin Rommel (born November 15, 1891, Heidenheim, Germany—died October 14, 1944, Herrlingen, near Ulm) was a German field marshal who became the most popular general at …
Erwin Rommel - Facts, History, Death | Holocaust Encyclopedia
Erwin Rommel was commander of the German Afrika Korps in North Africa during WWII. Learn about Rommel's military career, death, and ongoing questions around his commitment to Nazism.
No Exit: How Rommel Was Forced To Commit Suicide - HistoryNet
Oct 14, 2021 · One of Germany’s most famous military commanders met an inescapable death sentence—not by the hands of the enemy, but by the leaders of his own country. Field …
Erwin Rommel - Death, Hitler & Germany - Biography
Apr 2, 2014 · Erwin Rommel, called "the People's Marshal" by his countrymen, was one of Adolf Hitler's most successful generals and one of Germany's most popular military leaders.
Erwin Rommel - World History Encyclopedia
Sep 13, 2024 · Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) was a German field marshal who gained fame as a tank commander in the Fall of France in 1940 and then as the commander of the Afrika Korps …
How Rommel Resisted Hitler and Chose His Fate
Feb 17, 2025 · The summer of 1944 was one of intense turmoil within Nazi Germany. On the surface, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the legendary Desert Fox, was focused on defending …
Erwin Rommel - Military Leader and Husband, Children and Age
Feb 4, 2025 · Erwin Rommel, known as "the People's Marshal," was a key military leader in Nazi Germany and one of Adolf Hitler's most distinguished generals. Born on November 15, 1891, …
Erwin Rommel: Life, Achievements, and Death of the Famous …
Mar 13, 2017 · Erwin Rommel is often celebrated as a German hero, a designation that invites scrutiny due to the complex moral landscape of World War II. Rommel was a figure who …
Erwin Rommel: The Renowned Military Officer’s Downfall
Oct 11, 2022 · Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Germany's most famous military officer, would become embroiled in an assassination attempt on Hitler himself, leading to his own death and …
