Page 81 - All About History 58 - 2017 UK

Rommel was appointed commander of the
German Afrika Korps and was posted in
Africa from 1941 to 1943

On 14 October 1944 Rommel was given the His reputation in wartime was buffed by people achieve victories by using aggressive tactics
choice of a public trial or committing suicide. If like Winston Churchill, who said in one of his against stronger enemies, he also ignored his
he spared the state the controversy of putting a speeches to the House of Commons, “We have a superiors and often outran his supply lines,
military celebrity on trial for treason, his family very daring and skilful opponent against us… and, meaning his attacks ground to a halt. Tanks and
would be safe. The soldier took the cyanide pill. may I say across the havoc of war, a great general.” other vehicles cannot run without fuel, men cannot
However, the Desert Fox’s lived on. After the war Rommel was a complex character. On the one fight without food, and guns are useless
the shattered remains of the German hand he was seen as an honourable without ammunition.
army needed someone to rally enemy who was a far cry from Praise from Allied leaders can do little to change
around. As Rommel had fought other German figures and units the fact that Rommel lost in North Africa and
against famous generals like Defining linked to atrocities being categorically failed to stop the Allies gaining a
Montgomery, Eisenhower committed across Europe. foothold in France in Operation Overlord.
and Patton, but was not moment There is evidence of
linked to any high-profile The Atlantic Wall Rommel being in contact Hero or villain?
atrocities, he was perfect. After his defeat in North Africa, Rommel with Einsatzgruppen
was sent to shore up the defences of the
He could be held up as Atlantic Wall, a system of coastal defences Africa for them to start HEROISM 8
a German commander made by Nazi Germany, in preparation for the conducting operations Never a man to shirk the frontlines, Rommel always
who fought a ‘clean’ war; Allied invasion that the Germans knew was in North Africa, but commanded and led from the front, exposing himself to
coming. Convinced that the invasion would be
a chivalric opponent at Calais, Rommel’s forces utterly failed to thankfully this never the same dangers as his men, earning their admiration.
with no innocent blood stop the Allies from gaining a foothold came to be when German VILLAINY 7
on his hands. He had died in Western Europe after the forces were pushed out.
D-Day landings. While not a card-carrying Nazi, he fought for a genocidal
saving his family and no June 1944 This, coupled with the fact regime and was a friend of Hitler. He was also in contact
posthumous charges were he used Jewish slave labour with the SS and used slave labour to build defences.
brought against him at the to construct defences, muddies
Nuremberg Trials. the water of the ‘war without hate’, LEGACY 9
Bringing his military failings into as the North African campaign has become The Desert Fox is one of the most iconic military leaders
focus would diminish the image of the Allied known. He was also a close personal friend of of WWII and his image is now undergoing re-evaluation
to reflect the changing political climate.
commanders who had fought against him. He Hitler and actively tried to further the aims of a
had been involved in many of the same theatres regime hellbent on wiping out entire peoples from
as them, especially in North Africa and western the face of the Earth. Was Erwin Rommel a hero or a villain? Get in touch and
let us know what you think
France, and this image of the Desert Fox as a The fact that Rommel was mostly deployed
highly skilled opponent was a perfect fit for to second-rate theatres, often with depleted or Facebook Twitter
propaganda — if you beat him, you must undersupplied forces, highlights both his military /AllAboutHistory @AboutHistoryMag © Getty Images
have been the best. capabilities and shortcomings. While he was able to

63