World War II Generals -- Rommel

Author: Li Yan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Erwin Rommel, born on November 15, 1891, in a modest family of a German secondary school principal. In 1910, he joined the army and was promoted to lieutenant two years later. During World War I, he fought in France with his unit and later in the East against the Romanians and Italians. Over the course of the four-year-long battle, as a junior officer, Rommel proved himself brave, decisive, and tactically astute, showcasing his potential in the heat of battle and earning the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit from Emperor Wilhelm II. After the war, he served as a company commander and an instructor at the German Military Academy. In September 1936, he was appointed commander of Hitler's bodyguard. In 1937, Rommel published "Infantry Attacks," documenting his personal combat experiences in World War I. The book embodied the offensive spirit of German military theory, advocating the motto "Attack, attack, attack!" and emphasizing the importance of firepower. In 1938, Rommel was promoted to Chief of the Führer's General Staff and the rank of major general. In February 1940, he was appointed commander of the 7th Panzer Division. During the Battle of France, he led the 7th Panzer Division across France, reaching Cherbourg with remarkable speed and advancing such a great distance that the division earned the nickname "The Devil's Division."
In January 1941, when Italy's North African campaign was on the brink of collapse, Hitler selected Rommel to command the German Afrika Korps as a lieutenant general. Upon arriving in North Africa, he turned the tide of the war within less than two months, capturing the entire Cyrenaica region except for Tobruk, sweeping through the desert with Rommel's signature whirlwind. On June 15, the British launched a large-scale offensive against him codenamed Operation Crusader. Rommel defeated the British's initial push in mobile warfare and achieved victory. After this battle, Hitler promoted Rommel to field marshal, reaching the pinnacle of his military career.
On November 18, Churchill sent additional forces to North Africa and launched Operation Crusader again. After achieving initial success in the counterattack, Rommel personally led the main force of the Afrika Korps across the Líbia border eastward, attempting to cut off the British retreat. This move caused panic among the British, and the commander of the Eighth Army, General Cunningham, was ready to order a full retreat. However, under the intervention of British Middle East commander O'Connor, the British continued their offensive. Rommel's rear was stretched thin and fuel was scarce, forcing him to withdraw.
In January 1942, Rommel organized a strategic withdrawal to the port of Tobruk. After regrouping, he launched another offensive, quickly broke through the British defenses, and recaptured Tobruk, conquering Cyrenaica. On June 22, 1942, Rommel was promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall, the highest military honor in the German army, at the age of 51. That year, he pursued the British with his forces, advancing over 500 kilometers in less than 10 days, reaching the Alamein in Egypt. However, the long supply lines of Rommel's troops increased logistical difficulties, and his exhausted units lost momentum, forcing him to pause the offensive. Meanwhile, the British strengthened their forces in North Africa, and a steady stream of new American heavy tanks arrived, transforming the British Middle Eastern army. At the same time, Rommel had received almost no reinforcement since his decisive victory in Cyrenaica.
On October 23, 1942, the new commander of the British Eighth Army, General Montgomery, launched Operation Lightfoot against Rommel. Rommel was fully aware of the unfavorable situation he faced. His ammunition was depleted, and the fuel for his tanks and vehicles was running low. If his troops held their ground, a British breakthrough would trap them in a pincer movement, leading to a catastrophic defeat. Therefore, Rommel, defying Hitler's orders to stand firm, ordered a withdrawal. At this point, Rommel had neither reserves nor fuel. However, Montgomery failed to detect Rommel's withdrawal in time, and when he did, he was too cautious to capitalize on the opportunity, allowing Rommel's retreating forces to narrowly escape annihilation.
On November 9, 1942, Rommel finally led part of the Afrika Korps out of Egypt and retreated to the territory of Líbia. In November 1943, Rommel was appointed commander of the B Army Group and ordered to strengthen the "Atlantic Wall" defenses. He repeatedly emphasized the principle of "defeating the enemy at the coast." Under his push, the "Atlantic Wall" underwent a dramatic transformation in just a few months. On every potential landing beach, makeshift landing obstacles were erected, and over five million mines were laid along thousands of kilometers of coastline. Barbed wire fences and stakes were placed in open areas to prevent gliders from landing. Despite the thoroughness of the "Atlantic Wall," the enemy could still bring strong forces and supplies ashore. Therefore, Rommel advocated deploying armored divisions near the coast to prevent Allied air power from cutting off reserves from the battlefield. However, most senior officers, led by Field Marshal Rundstedt, believed that dispersing armored divisions to defend the coast would not only weaken counterattack capabilities but also reduce mobility. They proposed deploying armored divisions in depth, waiting to identify the enemy's main attack point before launching an offensive.
The debate between the two sides raged on, and Hitler made a fatal compromise: he scattered the armored divisions near the coast but kept them at a distance, resulting in insufficient strategic and tactical armored reserves.
On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched the D-Day landings in Normandy. Rommel commanded the B Army Group to fiercely resist, but due to the delayed arrival of German armored reserves and the overwhelming air and naval firepower supporting the Allies, Rommel's plan to drive the invaders into the sea at the outset failed. His car was also attacked by Allied aircraft, and despite suffering multiple injuries, he miraculously survived.
On October 14, 1944, while recovering from his injuries, Rommel took his own life by poison after being accused of involvement in the July 20 assassination attempt on Hitler. Rommel's life was short—he lived to be only 52, having spent 34 years in the military. His remarkable military prowess made him a formidable figure on the battlefield. He infused the offensive spirit of German military doctrine into his command, excelling at seizing fleeting opportunities, defying opposition, and launching bold offensives. He was always at the forefront of the battle, allowing him to control the rapidly changing battlefield. He embodied both the "tiger's" ferocity and the "fox's" cunning. When leading his troops in charge, he was like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains. When employing various tricks to deceive the enemy, he was as cunning as a fox. Churchill once remarked on Rommel: "Despite our mutual destruction in war, allow me to say that he was a great general."