Known as the “Desert Fox”, and respected by allies and enemies alike, Erwin Rommel was a prominent German field Marshal in WWII. He was born Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel on Nov. 15, 1891, in Heidenheim, Germany. In 1910, Rommel joined the German Army as an officer cadet in the 124th Infantry Regiment. Two years later he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. In WWI Rommel fought on the French, Romanian, and Italian fronts. Known for his courage and leadership, he was regarded as a hero and military strategist. After the First World War, Rommel taught in the Dresden Infantry School and Potsdam War Academy. While there he wrote and published his book Infanterie greift an, a textbook on military tactics. The book was published in 1937.
By 1938, Rommel had been promoted to Colonel and was placed as commander of the officers’ school in Wiener Neustadt, near Vienna. This occurred after the annexation of Austria to Germany.
At the beginning of WWII Rommel was placed in command of the troops guarding Hitler’s headquarters. He assumed command of the 7th Panzer Division, in February of 1940. Although he had never commanded a tank division before, he quickly realized the offensive potential. In May of 1940 he proved his prowess in his raid on France’s Channel coast. In February of 1941 Rommel was placed in charge of the troops sent to help the Italian army in Libya. Here in the deserts of North Africa he earned his nickname “Desert Fox”. In the African theatre, Rommel became known for brazen surprise attacks on the enemy. Hitler was so impressed by Rommel’s successes that he promoted Rommel to Field Marshall.
Rommel could not sustain his success in North Africa. With limited supplies and support, his German troops were stopped by the British at El-Alamein, Egypt in the summer of 1942. However, propaganda at home continued to portray him as Volksmarschall ( the people’s marshal) and he enjoyed significant popularity. At the end of October 1942, Rommel was defeated again in the second Battle of El-Alamein. Hitler order Rommel home in March 1943.
In 1944 Rommel was given the responsibility of defending France’s Channel coast from Allied invasion. Drawing on what he learned of Allied air warfare in the desert, Rommel believed that denying the Allies a bridgehead was the best defense. He believed that placing reserve forces immediately behind coastal defense forces was the best way to achieve this goal. However, his superiors insisted that he use a more conventional approach. The possibility of success was weakened.
During the invasion battle Rommel’s car was struck by British bombers on July 17, 1944; Rommel was hospitalized. Three days after Rommel’s car was struck there was a failed attempt by German’s to take Hitler’s life. Prior to the attempt several military officials approached Rommel with idea that he should take over in Hitler’s position, via an assassination. While Rommel agreed Hitler needed to be removed from power, he never advocated assassination. Rommel returned to Germany in August 1944 to recover from his wounds. He was welcomed home a war hero.
Hitler became aware of Rommel’s contacts with his would be assassinators. On October 14, 1944, Hitler sent two General’s to confront Rommel with a choice; take a poison and die a war hero protecting your family from shame, or stand trial for the assassination attempt. Rommel took the poison. His death was reported as a result of his war injuries and he was buried with military honors.