The Desert Fox

Reading the Hourly History biography of the German Field Marshal nicknamed the Desert Fox, aka Erwin Rommel, reminded me how complicated the time he lived in was, how messy wars are, and how complicated real life is.

 

Like many Germans, Rommel had felt betrayed by the German government that had surrendered in World War I. As Germany imploded under the weight of the harsh terms of the peace treaty, the government looked to its army brass to train folks “not as wartime soldiers but as a quickly assembled force of riot police”:

“Instead of fighting glorious battles against foreign aggressors, Rommel now had to fight his own people.”

Unhappy at the prospect of Germans shedding German blood, Rommel would often lean towards “negotiation than force” when dealing with internal mayhem.

 

In an increasingly dysfunctional republic, made worse by the Great Depression and runaway inflation, the possibility of German communists taking control grew larger. Rommel was horrified at the prospect. He actively helped put down one communist uprising after another.

 

It was against this backdrop that Adolf Hitler began his rise to power. Rommel was ambivalent – a strongman like Hitler seemed the need of the hour, but his notorious Brown Shirt followers were just goons. Besides, Rommel felt it wasn’t a soldier’s job to get into politics anyway. When asked to train the very same Brown Shirts, while he didn’t like them one bit, Rommel did it anyway. His services to the nation from the end of first World War didn’t go unnoticed. He was made a General right before Germany attacked Poland, thus triggering World War II.

 

General Rommel was part of the blitzkrieg that hit France next. He was almost killed, when his tank got trapped in a sand trap in France.

“How ironic for the man who would later be known as the Desert Fox of North Africa to nearly meet his demise in a miserable little sand trap in France.”

Rommel survived, and went on to be the man who would accept the French surrender in 1940.

 

With Europe under Nazi control, Rommel was sent to north Africa next. To help the Italians who were getting crushed by the British. Technically, the Italians were in charge. Rommel though got frustrated by the indecisiveness of the Italians. Ironically, his brazen disobedience worked to his advantage – British intelligence was focussed on what the Italians were planning. And so the British didn’t see Rommel’s charge on Libya coming and worse, even moved army units out of Libya – after all, official Italian plans didn’t talk of a Libyan attack!

 

While Rommel may have won a surprise victory, the top brass wasn’t thrilled. Italy was an ally, after all. They sent a reprimand ordering Rommel to obey the Italians. Rommel didn’t just ignore the order; he told the Italian commander that he had been told to take charge! He would go on to capture Tobruk, a strategically important city for the flow of supplies and reinforcements. For his achievements in North Africa, Rommel was promoted to Field Marshal. As Field Marshal, Rommel would go on to take Egypt next, putting most of the African Mediterranean under Axis control.

 

At this point though, Hitler was planning of invading Russia, something Rommel didn’t know. What Rommel did get to see was that Hitler was no longer willing to send any more support to Africa. As a result, Rommel began to see losses and reverses in Africa for the first time. Detected with a liver problem, he was flown back to Berlin for treatment. Hitler probably meant for Rommel to be part of the Russian invasion, but fate intervened – when Rommel’s replacement suddenly died, Rommel was told to go back to Africa. Without supplies though, Rommel was continuously on the retreat this time.

 

Rommel was next sent to France to prepare for the planned Allied invasion via mines, tank traps and other defensive measures. It was all pointless as the Allies stormed Normandy and started to inch inwards. Rommel now found himself at odds with Hitler, who would not accept a strategic retreat. As time passed and the Allies continued to move into Europe, Rommel began to agree with those who felt defeat was inevitable, that Germany should be willing to surrender. With Hitler totally against such a course, Rommel began to meet and sympathize with those advocated the assassination of Hitler as the only way out.

 

A failed assassination attempt on Hitler set off a massive investigation, and some of the conspirators named Rommel. Rather than risk a scandal, the Nazi regime offered Rommel a way out – commit suicide, and nobody shall know the truth and Rommel would even get a state funeral. With no real choice, Rommel agreed and committed suicide.

 

History has mixed views on Rommel. To one set, he was just another German, while not a Nazi, a part of the German war machine. Others focus on him as a great general. Another set considers him a good man for trying to take out Hitler. And the last set considers him an opportunist, a man who worked with the Nazis when it suited him, but was realistic to see which way the wind was blowing after Normandy at which point he abandoned the Nazis. And so the book ends:

“Regardless of your personal opinion, view, or bias, one thing can’t be denied: the exploits of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel will live on for quite some time to come.”