مذكرات روميل؛ ثعلب الصحراء

by Erwin Rommel, يوسف عبد الله (ترجمة)

When Erwin Rommel died by forced suicide at Hitler's command he left behind in various ingenious hiding places the papers that recorded the story of his dramatic career & the exact details of his masterly campaigns. It was his custom to dictate each evening a running narrative of the day's events &, after each battle, to summarize its course & the lessons to be learned from it. He wrote, almost daily, intimate & outspoken letters to his wife in which his private feelings &, after the tide had turned, forebodings found expression. To this is added by Rommel's son Manfred the story of the field marshall's last weeks & the final day when he was given the choice of an honorable suicide or an ignominious trial for treason. An engrossing human document & a rare look at the mind of the Desert Fox, The Rommel Papers throws an interesting light on the Axis alliance & on the inner workings of Hitler's high command.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Military History, Nonfiction, Biography, World War II, War

600 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel was a German general and military theorist. Popularly known as the Desert Fox, he served as field marshal in the Wehrmacht (armed forces) of Nazi Germany during World War II, as well as serving in the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic, and the army of Imperial Germany.

Rommel was a highly decorated officer in World War I and was awarded the Pour le Mérite for his actions on the Italian Front. In 1937 he published his classic book on military tactics, Infantry Attacks, drawing on his experiences in that war. In World War II, he distinguished himself as the commander of the 7th Panzer Division during the 1940 invasion of France. His leadership of German and Italian forces in the North African campaign established his reputation as one of the ablest tank commanders of the war, and earned him the nickname der Wüstenfuchs, "the Desert Fox". He later commanded the German forces opposing the Allied cross-channel invasion of Normandy in June 1944.

In 1944, Rommel was implicated in the 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler. Because of Rommel's status as a national hero, Hitler desired to eliminate him quietly instead of immediately executing him, as many other plotters were. Rommel was given a choice between committing suicide, in return for assurances that his reputation would remain intact and that his family would not be persecuted following his death, or facing a trial that would result in his disgrace and execution; he chose the former and committed suicide using a cyanide pill. Rommel was given a state funeral, and it was announced that he had succumbed to his injuries from the strafing of his staff car in Normandy.

The mythology surrounding Rommel has been the subject of analysis in recent decades. The reevaluation has produced new interpretations of Rommel, including his relationship with Nazism, his abilities as an operational and strategic level commander, and his role in the 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler. Historians and commentators conclude that Rommel remains an ambiguous figure, not easily definable either inside or outside the so called "Rommel myth".

Reviews

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ROMMEL PAPERS is a definite read for those who have interest in World War II. Rommel, The Desert Fox, was the ultimate military tactician as well as consummate leader of men.

Had the powers that be thoughtfully listened to and followed the input of Rommel, it is quite possible that WW II may have ended with a different winner. It’s hard to justify the loss of ground and troops due to constant lack of fuel, food, and sufficient supplies.

Germany’s failure in Africa and Normandy was due to the interference of political objectives and a madman versus sound military planning and implementation. Cue the scapegoats when it finally became clear that Germany was losing the war.

It is tragic that Rommel, revered by his troops and officers, was tagged as said scapegoat. Of course, it could never get out that he had continually advised the Reich of tenuous situations that were not addressed. Cowards demanded their pound of flesh.

Rommel was presented with a choice: take your own life or don’t and we will take the lives of your family and staff. What a choice to have to make.

The input by Manfred Rommel, the 14-yr old son of Erwin & Lu Rommel at the time of the Papers, is especially enlightening and touching.

I definitely recommend this book, but know that it is heavy on military tactics used by both Rommel and his opponents on the battlefield.

[Sumit · Rating 4 out of 5]

marvelous book mainly on account of following following points

1) Incredible insight into much famed and little known Blitzkrieg by master himself
2) Unparalleled account of Axis PoV of African campaign.
3) Intricate details of desert warfare
4) Most important of all, timely pointers explaining how conduct of war (both strategically and tactically) is changing because of advancement in technology
5) An amazing example of how a leader should lead his/ her followers from the front and set up an example for them to follow when going gets tough.

Book as I have mentioned above is an extremely well written account of North African campaign in 1941-42. It becomes a little drag towards the end when author shifts his focus to topics of Italian and Invasion battles. But that can possibly be because little Rommel written material for that period was available.

A must book for not only people who are interested in WW II, but also a suggested reading for someone who wants to have a deep insight into working of one of the greatest modern time army leader.

rating:- ****

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-El “Zorro” cuidando a las gallinas...-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Con prólogos de Liddell Hart (editor original) y del hijo de protagonista (Manfred), con la campaña de invierno de 1941 escrita en parte por Fritz-Bayerlein y con los últimos meses de la vida de Rommel narrados desde la perspectiva de los recuerdos de Manfred, el libro es una recopilación de cartas, notas , reflexiones y documentos del protagonista (y otros de relevancia para el relato) mezclados con aclaraciones del editor respecto a la situación general para complementarla y mostrados en orden cronológico, que nos llevan de la Francia de 1940 hasta octubre de 1944, centrándose principalmente en la campaña del norte de África.

¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Mohammed omran · Rating 4 out of 5]

صورة للماريشال الالماني ايروين روميل ( ثعلب الصحراء)
يعتبر روميل من اقوى وادهى جنرلات المانيا النازية بل و بالحرب كلها.ولد يوم 15 نوفمبر 1891.شارك بالحرب العالمية 1 برتبة ظابط صف وحارب على الجبهة النمساوية عرف بجراته وحنكته العسكرية فقد استطاع اسر 1200 اسير ايطالي وهو مع 150 عسكري الماني فقط.واثناء الحرب العالمية الثانية برزت موهبته الفذة فالقيادة حيث كان ضمن الحملة العسكرية ضد فرنسا سنة 1940 وقد عرفت فرقته البانزر 7 التي قادها بفرقة الشبح لسرعتها وخفتها في إجتياح الاراضي وتطويق جيوش الحلفاء..وبعد ذلك ارسله هتلر لشمال ليبيا لانقاض القوات الايطالية المتقهقرة امام الانجليز....لكنه استطاع دحر الانجليز الى مسافة 100 كم عن الاسكنرية (العالمين) رغم الفارق فالقوات والعتاد والتموين لصالح الحلفاء.وبعدها انهزم الالمان في معركة العالمين بسبب التفوق الكاسح للحلفاء في ميزان القوى...ورغم ذلك استطاع إنقاض الاكثرية من قواته بسلسلة من الإنسحبات التكتيكة الابرع في التاريخ...وهزم الامريكان شر هزيمة بمعركة القصرين بتونس...وبعد استسلام جيوشه في تونس ارسل لإيطاليا ونظم دفاعات مونتي كاسينو التي ظلت صامدة حتى استسلام المانيا وبرلين 8 ماي 1945... وخدم كذللك ف جدار الاطلسي وتنبا رومل بخطة الحلفاء للإنزال في فرنسا.ووضع خطة لمواجهتها لكن لم يتم إعتمادها...وبعد الانزال ظهر جليا ان خطة رومل كانت الانجع لمواجهة الانزال..واصيب رومل اثناء السير بالطريق على سيارته في قصف من طائرة للحلفاء وارسل للتداوي بالمانيا...وبعد حادثة اغتيال هتلر واثناء التحقيقات ذكر اسم رومل بالتحقيقات.... واعتبر متواطا وخير بين المحاكمة العسكرية وفقدان جميع اوسمته وامتيزاته..وبين الانتحار و عدم التعرض لعائلته ..فاختار الانتحار..وهكذا كانت نهاية ثعلب الصحراء يوم 14 اكتوبر 1944..

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-El “Zorro” cuidando a las gallinas...-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Con prólogos de Liddell Hart (editor original) y del hijo de protagonista (Manfred), con la campaña de invierno de 1941 escrita en parte por Fritz-Bayerlein y con los últimos meses de la vida de Rommel narrados desde la perspectiva de los recuerdos de Manfred, el libro es una recopilación de cartas, notas , reflexiones y documentos del protagonista (y otros de relevancia para el relato) mezclados con aclaraciones del editor respecto a la situación general para complementarla y mostrados en orden cronológico, que nos llevan de la Francia de 1940 hasta octubre de 1944, centrándose principalmente en la campaña del norte de África.

¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-El “Zorro” cuidando a las gallinas...-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Con prólogos de Liddell Hart (editor original) y del hijo de protagonista (Manfred), con la campaña de invierno de 1941 escrita en parte por Fritz-Bayerlein y con los últimos meses de la vida de Rommel narrados desde la perspectiva de los recuerdos de Manfred, el libro es una recopilación de cartas, notas , reflexiones y documentos del protagonista (y otros de relevancia para el relato) mezclados con aclaraciones del editor respecto a la situación general para complementarla y mostrados en orden cronológico, que nos llevan de la Francia de 1940 hasta octubre de 1944, centrándose principalmente en la campaña del norte de África.

¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-El “Zorro” cuidando a las gallinas...-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Con prólogos de Liddell Hart (editor original) y del hijo de protagonista (Manfred), con la campaña de invierno de 1941 escrita en parte por Fritz-Bayerlein y con los últimos meses de la vida de Rommel narrados desde la perspectiva de los recuerdos de Manfred, el libro es una recopilación de cartas, notas , reflexiones y documentos del protagonista (y otros de relevancia para el relato) mezclados con aclaraciones del editor respecto a la situación general para complementarla y mostrados en orden cronológico, que nos llevan de la Francia de 1940 hasta octubre de 1944, centrándose principalmente en la campaña del norte de África.

¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-El “Zorro” cuidando a las gallinas...-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Con prólogos de Liddell Hart (editor original) y del hijo de protagonista (Manfred), con la campaña de invierno de 1941 escrita en parte por Fritz-Bayerlein y con los últimos meses de la vida de Rommel narrados desde la perspectiva de los recuerdos de Manfred, el libro es una recopilación de cartas, notas , reflexiones y documentos del protagonista (y otros de relevancia para el relato) mezclados con aclaraciones del editor respecto a la situación general para complementarla y mostrados en orden cronológico, que nos llevan de la Francia de 1940 hasta octubre de 1944, centrándose principalmente en la campaña del norte de África.

¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Tin Wee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long book but well worth the time. Field Marshall Erwin Rommel took the time off between battles to reflect on the leadership, strategy and tactics of the wars he was conducting. His human side comes out strongly in the letters to his family that are interspersed chronologically betwen his account of the various battles. His accounts provide insights on how he managed to win a series of spectacular victories despite an inferiority in tanks and personnel, and how he ultimately lost the war because of a cursed supply line and subsequent micro management by the political leadership. He also provides insights to how technology will shape the direction of modern war. Strongly recommended if you are a military history buff.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very well written and informative. Perhaps what I liked best about it was how much of the content is Rommel's own words. His writing style seems to be much like his leadership; crisp, to the point and wasting nothing. It portrays him as his men probably saw him; efficient, trustworthy and a leader to follow with pride.
What this book doesn't delve into is the reasons for Rommel's appointment to North Africa, which was a post of very little significance. Erwin Rommel was very loyal to his country but disapproved of the Nazi regime. Since he was such a darling to the public and so much in their sight, Hitler and his crew thought to stuff him out of sight in a place where his light would be hid under a bushel. He was understaffed and under armed, but his military genius proved greater than his handicaps, and he was eventually recalled to the European front, but not given a free hand. The book does explain the reasons behind his assassination, but this is mostly focussed on his military genius and exploits rather than delving into his political leanings and the effect that they had on his career and finally, his life.

[Mohamed Tarik El fouly · Rating 4 out of 5]

قريته من زمان ... ده الكتاب الاصلي مش اي هبل تاني بيتنشر دلوقتي .. تقدر تلاقيه اونلاين مترجم ترجمة الستينات الصح ... ليدل هارت بذل مجهود خرافي فى تجميع جوابات روميل و مساعدينه علشان يرسم رحلة روميل الكاملة فى ميدان القتال .. وازاي الرجل ده حقق معجزات فى فرنسا و ازاي حارب بلا جيش تقريباً فى افريقيا...

انصح اي شخص بيقرا فى التاريخ الالماني والحرب العالمية الثانية انه يقرا الكتاب ده ولازم يبقى معاك خريطة :D علشان كمية المناطق اللى روميل بيتكلم عليها كتيرة جداً فلازم تبقى فاهم خط السير كويس

[بلال طه · Rating 5 out of 5]

يمكن حد يقولي ليه أعطيته 5 نجوم مع أن البعض ممكن يعطيه 3 بس !!
لاني أحب هذا القائد العسكري الفذ و أنا واثق من كان يستطيع هزيمة الحلفاء لولا تأخر الامدادات العسكرية و إهمال هتلر لافريقيا بعدما أصبح يخسر أوروبا نفسها على يد السوفيت
الكتاب في تفاصيل التفاصيل و لاني أحب العسكرية و الخطط الحربية
أعطيه 5نجوم

[Liam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictably, this book did not even come close to equaling Generalfeldmarschall Rommel's account of his service during WWI, Attacks, which is deservedly considered a classic work in the field of military art & science, in addition to being an eminently readable combat narrative/memoir. This was predictable because the present book was assembled from his surviving papers, after both his life and the Second World War had come to an end, in the first instance by his widow Frau Lucie Rommel and their son Manfred (who also wrote two fairly lengthy sections of the book) but later with the help of B.H. Liddell Hart. Generalfeldmarschall Rommel's former Chief-of-Staff Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein also contributed to the book, both in terms of writing a fairly long section to cover a gap in the narrative and also general assistance.

Although it was not a particularly easy book to read, parts of the narrative were interesting, and the opportunity to even partially get an idea of what was going through the head of this extraordinarily talented officer was well worth the time and effort. This is not a good book to attempt as an introduction to military history, but for more experienced readers who don't need to look-up military terminology etc. it should be a worthwhile read.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not exactly sure how you "review" non-fiction, maybe based on the merit of how well it delivered its content and kept a certain pacing?

Most of this book is basically a timeline of Erwin Rommel's involvement in WWII through letters he sent back home to his wife. Along with the letters the author/editor includes information relevant along with the letters. Rommel was quite a shutterbug and included are photos of his expeditions and a good number of maps to help us get an idea of what he is going through in each section.

The content is very informing, especially the progression of Rommel from early invasion of France to his time at the Atlantic wall.

The German perspective leaves a sense of awe in the beginning of the war. The way I interpreted it, war was a big game towards the beginning. The conduct between Rommel's encounters with the French and British show a great level of professionalism on both sides. You lost, you surrendered, you get put in timeout until the end of the war. But the war didn't end, it dragged on and with it Rommel gets deeper and deeper into the inner workings of the Third Reich.

I don't want to stir up any ideals of things like when patriotism is used wrong, honor, duty, your country. There was a reason this man was the Third Reich's propaganda poster boy and yet held in high esteem by his opposing combatants. He was honorable (whatever that means), won a lot because he took big risks, and took each loss as a learning opportunity.

[Les Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating history lesson written, for the most part, by Field Marshall Rommel himself. It was incomplete possibly because the papers were secreted away in various locations to avert the possibility of the chronicle being destroyed. Not all of it was able to be recovered and reassembled after the war. However, the parts written by others was also very good. I found the additional material written by Rommel's son, Manfred to be especially interesting.
Rommel's evaluation of the war effort and the deficiencies within the OKW leave one wondering what
might have happened if his opinions had carried more weight at the top.

[Jefferson Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid reading - if you like tactics and strategy this is for you

[BJ Haun · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, though a dense one. I'm usually a speedy reader and can get through a 500-page book in about a week , but this one took me almost a month to grind through.

This book is mostly comprised of notes taken by Rommel himself during WWII, with a heavy focus on tactics and strategy (Rommel was apparently planning write a book after the war, much like he did in WWI with "Infantry Attacks"), interspersed with letters to his wife and son, and the occasional journal entry. In places were the relevant documents were either lost (the Rommel family hid many of these documents after the Field Marshal's death) or destroyed (Rommel destroyed parts to avoid implicating himself and others) the narrative is picked up by General Bayerlein, whom served with Rommel in both Africa and Europe, and Manfred Rommel, Erwin's son whom was with his father in the final days.

If you are looking for a biographical piece (like I more or less was), you might be better off looking somewhere else. This text focuses highly on Rommel's own view of the war as it happened, and less of the man himself, though you do get a feel for him. Still, I found it to be a interesting look at "the other side of the hill", as the book phrases it.

[عمر جوبا · Rating 2 out of 5]

في إحدى جولاتي في معرض كتاب 2017 في سور الأزبكية لفت انتباهي هذا الكتاب، ولأنني لا أترك شيئًا له مذاق للتاريخ إلا وانجذبتُ إليه فقد راقني الكتاب اسمًا ومضمونًا، كنتُ أعلم يقينًا أنها ليست مذكرات أرفين روميل الحقيقية لأن مذكراته الحقيقة أحرقها الجشتابو ولم يترك منها الكثير، وقلتُ لنفسي حينها أنها ستكون تجربة جيّدة، رؤية مختلفة وجديدة للحرب، خصوصًا الحرب في إفريقيا التي لم تحظَ بالاهتمام كالجبهة الروسية مثلًا.
الكاتب ضابط إنجليزي، وقع في الأسر وتعامل مع روميل بشكل شخصيّ، ونبرة الاحترام والتقدير العسكرية واضحة جدًا في كلامه عنه، عكس كلامه أو حروفه عن هتلر وبقية القادة الألمان ، حيث تشعر أن الكاتب يكتب أسماءهم كأنه يبصقها.
لكن الكتاب أصابني بصدمة ما، هو لا يهتم أصلًا بحياة روميل قدر ما يهتم بالمقارنة بين مونتجمري وروميل، غير أن الكتاب صعب جدًا، ودسمٌ بطريقة تثير استفزازك أحيانًا، ومعقد لغايةٍ بعيدة، حتى على من قرأ قبل ذلك في التكتيكات العسكرية ولو كثيرًا، مدرعات وتشكيلاتُ فرق وجنود ومؤن ودعمٌ لوجيستي!!
ولم يضفْ إليّ كثيرًا، اللهم إلا بعض المعلومات عن حياة ثعلب الصحراء الشخصية، لكنه لم يكن على قدر توقعي منه قط.
عمومًا هي لم تكن تجربة سيئة للدرجة ولكنها لم ترتقِ لتكون جيدة أيضًا.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion this book was very well edited. Liddell-Hart appeared to do his best to keep Rommel's words as exact as possible. He added some notes but clearly marks which are his words and which of those are Erwin Rommel's. It is a fascinating read and Rommel carries the reader around with him, including up to the front lines. His ability to surprise his opponents and develop new tactics is amazing to see unfold. What is also just as interesting is seeing how the tone of Rommel's writing changes as he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the party leaders, first trying to place most of the blame on the Italian High Command and then seeing it is also his own leaders who are failing to understand and change their orders.

I definitely plan to re-read this one at some point.

[John Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing insight into one of the great generals of history that no one could write from the outside. At the request of Rommel, British Army Captain B.H. Liddell Hart compiles Rommel's notes into a stunning book. Capt. Hart, was the originator of the theories on mechanized warfare that Rommel turned into blitzkrieg and he had an obviously great respect for the man to ask as British officer to compile his memoirs. Book includes insight from Rommel's #2 man in North Africa as well as an hugely revealing chapter by Manfred Rommel, the general's son. If you love history and don't read this, you're crazy.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing diary written by Irwin Rommel during WWII prior to his assasination. He was considered one of the greatest generals in history. His commentaries in his diary on leadership are timeless and are just as pertinent today as they were 65 years ago. There are numerous leadership comments he makes here that I use with my staff today and they are better than anything any consultant group tries to sell my organization! A must read.

[داليا روئيل · Rating 3 out of 5]

مذكرات القادة العسكريين في ظل الانظمة الدكتاتورية تبدو متشابهة !
النهاية كانت مؤلمة
لكنها الانظمة الدكتاتورية التي لاتسمح لاحد بالتميز اكثر من الدكتاتور
فبالنهاية خيره هتلر بين الانتحار الطوعي او الاعدام العلني

[Alex Helling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rommel Papers is the rough drafts and letters left by German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel at the time of his death, and then edited and added to by General Fritz Bayerlin, a general who was under Rommel’s command, and B.H. Liddle Hart, best known as a theorist of tank warfare. It is therefore as close to a memoir of his role in WWII as Rommel, who was forced to commit suicide in 1944, can provide. The book covers commanding a panzer division in the 1940 invasion of France, the Afrika Korps from 1941-43, the German occupation of Italy, and the Atlantic Wall and defence against the western allies in D-Day and its immediate aftermath.

The very nature of this work, being uncompleted at the time of Rommel’s death, and written in a period where he would have little time to put together a polished text, means it is rather uneven. Some bits have a pacy narrative, others a bit technical, while at points it is a bit sparse in content on the campaign itself. The invasion of France is quite one dimensional - we have Rommel dashing around without any real overview. The best bit is in the middle with the campaign in Africa where Rommel has a higher level role to provide the strategic and operational overview while still being a man on the spot so able to give good personal reflections on the conditions at the front. The final section on the D-Day invasion of Normandy is handicapped in terms of it being a “Rommel paper” by being really by Bayerlin with limited input by Rommel on account of the principal's untimely forced suicide. For me the use of letters did not add very much, and could break the narrative. But it should not be forgotten that the flipside is that we have something closer to Rommel’s true views during the war than the memoirs of many generals that have been edited in the context of defeat and time to reflect (and sometimes lay blame or coverup!)

The book gives, though often implicitly, a good idea of Rommel’s method of war. Manoeuvre, fast paced, leading from the front. Rommel might therefore be considered fortunate to have been leading an army group in Africa where there was only a narrow front on which to do this - it is a method that would have been next to impossible in a front of hundreds of miles with poor communications along it as in Russia.

It has been a good few years since I last read a history of the desert campaign making it difficult to tell where this suffers from being one sided. Liddle-Hart adds notes to point out any egregious errors but this can't be said to create any balance. Rommel does provide sections looking back at what went wrong but it is difficult while still in the war to be truly objective so these are not always as critical as they could be. For example Rommel suggests that if supply lines across the med had been secured not only could Egypt have been overrun (plausible, but debatable) but they could have “thrust forward into Persia and Irak” and “create a base for an attack on southern Russia” (p514). While strategically not a bad idea this is simply swapping one long vulnerable supply chain for another! And he is sometimes inconsistent. So this is probably best read in the context of having read other materials on these campaigns to provide that balance.

Ultimately as a primary source from one of the main participants this is valuable in giving an idea of Rommel’s views at the time. It is less effective if you are looking for a straight book on the campaign so I would recommend for If you already have a bit of knowledge of the campaigns, particularly the desert war, or want to read other books on it at the same time.

[Javier Sastre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno si te gusta la temática bélica. Narra de primera mano y de forma detallada acontecimientos en escenarios críticos de la 2GM (Norte de África, Italia, Normandía), en los que el autor tuvo una responsabilidad e influencia clave. Basado en anotaciones rescatadas de sus diarios (no se pudieron salvar íntegramente), correspondencia personal y conversaciones con su hijo Manfred, posee el alto valor e interés de escuchar a quien ha sido protagonista directo y ha interactuado con personajes como Hitler, Mussolini o los principales generales alemanes de la época (Kesselring, Von Rundstedt, Von Kluge, etc) y ha tenido como oponentes a figuras militares como Montgomery o Eisenhower.
Se confirma que fue un jefe militar visionario, de los más adelantados, perspicaces y audaces de su época, como así lo reconocieron sus adversarios. Y en diversos pasajes del libro anticipa con clarividencia como se desarrollarán las guerras posteriores y cómo tendrán que ser los jefes que busquen el mejor desempeño en ellas. Curiosamente muchas de esas recomendaciones siguen siendo perfectamente válidas para lo que se requiere de los líderes en la actualidad, por lo que podemos sospechar que se trata de máximas en buena medida imperecederas para tiempos veloces, de cambio e incertidumbre.

[Rory O'Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, the story of how Rommel's various papers managed to survive the war, and remain the hands of the family unbeknownst to the authorities, is one for the ages. Second, I never knew General Erwin Rommel, better known to history as the Desert Fox who was a great military man, was such a prolific writer and this his memoirs outrival Grant and Caesar in terms of viable on scene reporting.

The editor of the book, famed military theorist B.H. Liddell-Hart, explained that Rommel's ability to write down or dictate the day's action reports throughout the war was a monumental achievement. He was so focused on his job he often forgot to eat and was considered a soldier's soldier, a frontline commander whose men loved and who irritating Hitler and the German General Staff.
The book is set up so that the letters to his wife, Lucia, are also included among the war diaries, explanatory text from Hart and commentary. What a fantastic book and I am sorry I never knew about it until now.

If you are a enjoy history in general and World War 2 specifically, get this book, so much detail from one of the great commanders written as events unfolded 1940-44.

[alemohedas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work is but a small window where we look out to see the great world of Erwin Rommel, a general who not only fought against his enemies in the harshness of the African desert, but also with the ineptitudes and inconsistencies of the German high command. With a great ability to tell his stories and convey his thoughts, we travel together with him and his army towards the different battles of the Afrika Korps which allows us to understand why he is one of the brightest generals in history.
Esta obra no es más que una pequeña ventana donde nos asomamos a ver el gran mundo de Erwin Rommel, un general que no solo luchaba contra sus enemigos en la dureza del desierto africano, sino tambien con las ineptitudes e incongruencias de los altos mandos alemanes. Con una gran habilidad para relatar sus historias y transmitir sus pensamientos, viajamos junto con él y su ejercito hacia las distinas batallas de los Afrika Korps y podemos entender porque es considerado uno de los generales más brillantes de la historia.

[Zhang Tao · Rating 4 out of 5]

1 of 3 books I read this month of 3 most famous Germany's generals in WWII.

Rommel was considered as Germany's greatest fighting general, respected even by the British, who gave him the nickname of "Desert Fox". A few things stand out in this book: 1) He is always at the front with all other soldiers in battle. It was a miracle that he was not killed (only injured) in battle before Hilter killed him. This not only shows his courage as a general, also his way of knowing whatever happens real time in war, to make fast decisions whenever needed. 2) The fact that each night he will summarize what happened and what lesson he can learn from that date. This way he can always stay ahead of everyone else in term of new insights/tactics etc. Interestingly Rommel also talked about the negative from his fame: everyone will believe he can produce miracles, no matter how difficult the situation is, so eventually he cannot live up to that kind of expectations.

[James]

When Erwin Rommel died—by forced suicide at Hitler’s command—he left behind in various ingenious hiding places the papers that recorded the story of his dramatic career and the exact details of his masterly campaigns. It was his custom to dictate each evening a running narrative of the day’s events and, after each battle, to summarize its course and the lessons to be learned from it. He wrote, almost daily, intimate and outspoken letters to his wife in which his private feelings and—after the tide had turned—forebodings found expression. To this is added by Rommel’s son Manfred the story of the field marshall’s last weeks and the final day when he was given the choice of an honorable suicide or an ignominious trial for treason. An engrossing human document and a rare look at the mind of the ”Desert Fox,” The Rommel Papers throws an interesting light on the Axis alliance and on the inner workings of Hitler’s high command.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole written by Rommel (the book includes chapters from his son, the Normandy section wrote by Fritz Bayerlein, and edited and commented on throughout by B. H. Liddell Hart.), it provides a fascinating account - largely - of the back and forth fighting in North Africa.

It is an excellent account from the German perspective, and it provides a great insight into Rommel's thinking. However, Rommel avoids talking about - nor does the editor mention it - the massive intelligent intercepts (from one Colonel Fellers) that aided in his decision making and actions. Likewise, there is no reflection: Rommel nor Liddell Hart talk about the numerous logistical and strategic failures Rommel committed during the course of the North African campaign. More modern works deconstruct the "genius" that Liddell Hart propagates, and highlight the mythos that surrounds Rommel.

[Khaled Al-Bahnsawy · Rating 4 out of 5]

آخر قراءات العام جاءت مع مذكرات روميل القائد الألماني الأشهر على الاطلاق في الحرب العالمية الثانية.
المذكرات الخاصة بروميل بالتأكيد ليست كاملة حيث انه تعرض للإجبار على الانتحار في نهاية الحرب بسبب محاولة لعقد سلام مع الانجليز والبريطانيين مما اعتبره هتلر خيانة عظمي ونظرا لشعبية روميل الواسعة في صفوف الألمان أضطر لإجباره على الانتحار بالسم.
محاولة عائلة روميل الاحتفاظ بأوراقه ومذكراته بتفريقها في أماكن متعددة نجحت في الحفاظ على جزء كبير منها من الضياع والتدمير لكن خلق بعض الفجوات الزمنية حاول مؤلف الكتاب ملئيها بمعلومات مصادر أخري مؤكده.
روميل اشترك في مجموعه من أكبر واهم المعارك في الحرب العالمية الثانية فهو كان قيادة طليعة قوات اجتياح فرنسا ثم قاد المعارك في شمال افريقيا حتى الأيام الأخيرة ثم محاولته اليائسة الدفاع عن شواطئ فرنسا أمام الاجتياح الانجلو امريكي.
المذكرات ممتعه وتوضح الكثير خصوصا بشأن الحرب في قطاع شمال أفريقيا.