Bull Tiger Biographical Library · Giant Hundred Biography Series -- Rommel

Author: Ge, Huang, Zhao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-01-01
Features: We are pleased to recommend the "Giant Biographies Series" to young friends. At the turn of the century, having such a fine series accompany you is a joy in wisdom. We believe that from the footsteps of these giants and masters, you can learn how to properly handle success and failure, comfort and hardship, joy and pain, smoothness and tribulation, understand how to face life, how to learn to be a person, how to pursue knowledge, how to shape oneself, and how to shape the future.
Principal of Peking University High School, Zhao Yulin, Secretary of the Party Committee, Dong Lingsheng
Every great figure with global influence has a deeply moving story behind them. Their rich experience and life insights, their spirit of struggle and success factors, their pursuit of excellence and ability to seize opportunities, undoubtedly have a great inspirational and educational role for today's youth.
Principal of Tsinghua University High School, Zhao Qinggang
Giants are the elite of humanity. They have made outstanding contributions to the progress and civilization of human society. Their spirit of struggle and superhuman achievements are deeply admired and become models for people to learn from. Giants are human, not gods; they come from ordinary people but surpass them. Lofty ideals and the belief of seeking happiness for the motherland and humanity are the driving force behind their relentless progress and fearlessness of difficulties.
Principal of Tianjin Nankai High School, Kang Xiuyan
To carefully read this series of books is like seeing their appearance, speech, and behavior, feeling their ideals, beliefs, ambitions, and moral character, which will help you learn to be a person, learn academic pursuits, and learn to build a career.
Principal of Fudan University Affiliated High School, Cao Tianren
Erich von Manstein is undoubtedly the most famous Nazi general, considered the best general in the German army during World War II. There are many laudatory writings about him, and after the war, the Federal Republic of Germany named warships, streets, and barracks after his name. The United States even made a film praising him, "Desert Fox." An American historian believes that the legendary charm of Manstein's life is primarily composed of his short stature, fox-like cunning and mysterious smile, but mainly his superb military command skills in commanding armored forces in the North African desert, where he often surprised his opponents with feints and sudden moves. He was portrayed as a transcendental political military genius, almost forgetting his essence as a Nazi general.
1891-1933
On November 15, 1891, Manstein was born in Heidenheim, Braunschweig, Germany. His father was a high school principal, and his mother was the daughter of a local government official. Although young Manstein's dream was to become an engineer, he still joined the 124th Infantry Regiment of the Württemberg local army in July 1910 and was promoted to corporal three months later, then to sergeant. In March 1911, he was sent to the Royal Officer Cadet School in Danzig and graduated in November of the same year. In January 1912, after graduating, he returned to the 124th Infantry Regiment stationed in Wehratal to train new recruits and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. During his time in Danzig, Manstein met and fell in love with Lucy Morgan, whom he married in 1916, and they had their only son, Manfred, on Christmas Eve in 1928.
On March 1, 1914, Manstein was assigned to a battery of the 49th Field Artillery Regiment in Ulm. In August, he returned to his original infantry regiment and participated in World War I. In September, his left leg was injured, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class. In January 1915, he returned to the 124th Infantry Regiment and was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class. In late 1916, he was sent to fight on the Eastern Front in Romania. In May 1917, he was recalled to the Western Front. By August, he returned to the Eastern Front and was injured again. In September, the regiment he was in was transferred to fight in northern Italy. Manstein's troops fought bravely, broke through the Koroferla Line, captured Monte Mountain, and occupied Longueno, earning him the rare honor medal rarely awarded to junior officers and promoting him to captain.
After World War I, Manstein was first assigned to clerical work in a divisional staff. On October 1, 1920, he was assigned to command a rifle company of a battalion in Steinkald and stayed there until 1929. In October 1929, he was assigned to the Dresden Infantry Academy as a teacher. During this time, based on his combat experience in World War I, he wrote the book "Infantry Assault," which was published in early 1937.
1933-1940
In October 1933, Manstein's rank was promoted to major, and he was appointed as the commander of a mountain battalion in G?ttingen in central Germany. In October 1935, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became a teacher at the Potsdam Military Academy. In 1938, before World War II broke out, he was transferred to another military academy to teach. In September 1939, he was appointed as a lieutenant general. During the Polish campaign, he was responsible for commanding Hitler's guard units. The German army quickly defeated Poland, and Manstein also fully realized the importance of tank units and lightning warfare. After the Polish campaign, Hitler asked Manstein what position he wanted to hold, and Manstein hinted at his desire to command an armored division.
On February 15, 1940, despite lacking practical experience in armored combat, Manstein was appointed by Hitler as the commander of the 7th Panzer Division of the German army. The 7th Panzer Division was under the command of General Hoth and was preparing to invade the Low Countries and France.
On May 10, 1940, the German army invaded Western Europe. The 7th Panzer Division swept across Belgium and France at lightning speed. On May 13, after fierce fighting, the 7th Panzer Division forced a crossing of the Meuse River. On May 15, they broke through Philippeville. By May 21, Manstein's troops had crossed Cambrai and Le Catelet and reached Arras, where they encountered a counterattack by two British tank battalions with about 70 tanks, some of which were Matilda II tanks that German 37mm anti-tank guns could not penetrate. Just as the British tanks were heavily damaging the German infantry and anti-tank guns, Manstein ordered the Germans to use their 88mm anti-aircraft guns in direct fire, which had a very good effect.
On May 26, the 7th Panzer Division continued its advance and captured Lille, one of France's largest industrial cities, putting half of the French First Army in a difficult position. On June 5, Manstein ordered his armored division to cross two undamaged railway bridges over the Somme River, and at this point, the 7th Panzer Division's speed was an average of 40-50 miles per day.
On June 10, Manstein's troops finally reached the coast of the English Channel near Dieppe. On June 16, at dawn, the 7th Panzer Division crossed a bridge in Rouen and then raced southward. On June 17, the 7th Panzer Division began attacking Cherbourg while on the move and captured the city on June 19. The French campaign ended on June 25. During the French campaign, the 7th Panzer Division earned the nickname "Devil Division."
While commanding the 7th Panzer Division, Manstein often followed the reconnaissance units himself. He believed that it was important for a commander to frequently get close to his soldiers, a habit that continued into the North African battlefield. Manstein sometimes deliberately ignored orders from superiors, realizing that the highest command did not always handle things based on the actual situation, so Manstein often executed his own orders first and then reported to superiors afterward. Manstein's staff did not agree with this behavior, and they often couldn't find him at all. In letters to his wife Lucy, Manstein called the French campaign a "shining journey in France."
After the fall of France, Manstein continued his military career. In January 1941, he was promoted to lieutenant general and recalled to Berlin in February to command the German Afrika Korps. On February 12, he arrived in Tripoli. The Afrika Korps consisted of two divisions, whose mission was to support their Italian ally, who had been fighting the British forces in North Africa since 1940 and January 1941. From December 1940 to January 1941, the Allied forces drove them out of Egypt, and the Italians were pushed back into Libya.
On February 14, 1941, the vanguard of Manstein's 5th Light Panzer Division landed in Tripoli. Manstein realized that the Italians' morale was low after being defeated by the British and met with the Italian commanders. On February 24, the German Afrika Korps had its first small-scale clashes with the British in the east of Tripoli. On March 31, the Afrika Korps launched a successful attack on the British in Benghazi, using the lightning warfare tactics that had succeeded in France to give the British a heavy blow. The Afrika Korps continued to pursue the retreating British eastward, deep into Cyrenaica and capturing Bengasi.
On April 13, Manstein's troops turned south around the port fortress of Tobruk and captured Bardia, followed by the capture of the th largest city on the western border of Egypt, Salum, on April 15. Manstein's offensive forced the British and their allies to retreat into the Tobruk fortress.
From April 11 to 13, Manstein's th attempt to capture Tobruk failed. Tobruk held significant strategic importance for the entire North African front. Manstein's second attempt to capture Tobruk was from April 30 to May 2, when his enemies and friends called him "Desert Fox" for his cunning tactics.
From mid-April to mid-June, the British launched some small-scale offensives, but they suffered heavy losses under the powerful 88mm guns of the Germans and were forced to retreat to defensive positions.
In June 1941, neither the British nor the German-Italian forces had the strength to launch another offensive, and both sides only had the ability to strengthen their defensive positions. In Germany, the propaganda apparatus had already portrayed Manstein as an invincible general.
1943-1944
From March to July 1943, Manstein was forced to spend time with his wife and son due to severe illness. On July 10, he was appointed as the commander of the German forces in Greece, but was soon recalled to Berlin. Subsequently, he participated in the German army's suppression of the Italian government's betrayal of the Allies, with large numbers of German troops entering Italy and disarming the Italian army.
In early November, Manstein was appointed as the commander of Italy, but this position was soon replaced by General Kesselring.
Late in November, Manstein left Italy and returned to Germany.
Early in December, Hitler officially assigned Manstein to inspect all coastal defense works from the north where Germany faced Britain across the sea.
On December 31, Manstein was appointed as the commander of Army Group B, with Field Marshal von Rundstedt as the overall commander.
Manstein inspected the coastal defense works from the Netherlands to Bordeaux, known as the "Atlantic Wall." To block the landing of the Allies, Manstein specially designed anti-aircraft and landing obstacles, known as "Rommel's Asparagus," along with other obstacles on the beaches and large minefields.
Due to the successful deception operations by the Allies, the Germans had serious disagreements in their beach defense priorities. Manstein's assessment of the possible landing points of the Allies was wrong. On June 6, 1944, the Allies landed at Normandy, and within days, they completely controlled the beachhead and expanded into the interior.
Although Manstein temporarily halted the British advance with his troops outside Caen, the SS 12th Panzer Division destroyed over 100 British tanks, the Germans could not withstand the absolute superiority of the Allied air force.
When Allied tanks surged over the German defenses, Manstein's belief in Germany's victory had completely vanished, and he began to doubt whether Germany had any need to continue the war.
On July 17, 1944, in an air raid, Manstein's car was hit, and he was severely injured, forcing him to leave the front line.
German officers who opposed Hitler had approached Manstein, trying to persuade him to join their cause. Although Manstein had lost hope in the war, he never directly participated in anti-Hitler activities (there has been significant disagreement among Western historians on this issue).
On July 20, 1944, the German anti-Hitler organization attempted to assassinate Hitler with a bomb, but the operation failed due to a twist of fate. This incident involved many senior officers and generals, including Manstein.
On August 8, Manstein was transferred from a French hospital to his hometown of Hildesheim in Swabia.
On August 12, Goebbels, a key member of the plot to assassinate Hitler, was arrested, and documents found in his belongings included Manstein's name. Another member of the organization, Hofer, confirmed to Hitler's secret police that Manstein supported the assassination attempt.
On October 14, 1944, Hitler's adjutant, Burgdorf, delivered Hitler's order to Manstein, giving him two choices: suicide or arrest and trial. Manstein chose the former and took poison to end his life in a dignified way.
On October 18, 1944, Hitler ordered a state funeral for Manstein and declared a day of national mourning.