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Triumphant Fox: Erwin Rommel and the Rise of the Afrika Korps
Describes the Desert Fox's preparation for military greatness, his rise to prominence, and his early campaigns in Africa Recounts the first battles of Germany's notorious Afrika Korps
Gen. Erwin Rommel arrived in Africa's Western Desert in February 1941 to head the elite German Afrika Korps in its efforts to bolster its battered Italian allies. Disobeying orders to remain on the defensive, Rommel attacked, nearly pushed the numerically superior British out of Libya, and besieged the critical port of Tobruk. Unable to capture it, Rommel's forces defeated two British attempts to relieve the garrison before being forced to withdraw at the end of 1941. Seasoned by months of desert warfare, Rommel stood ready to achieve his greatest successes in 1942, a story told in Rommel's Desert War (978-0-8117-3413-4).
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 23, 2020
A legend is born
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: March 4, 2009
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Language: English
ASIN: B00C6BKD4Y
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 349274
244 pages
Excellent history of Rommel's first campaign in North Africa told with clear, concise, easy to read prose up until the account of the battles around the general area of Tobruk which began in November 1941 with the British offensive called Operation Crusader. About this fighting Mitcham says, "Of all of Rommel's battles, this is the most complicated and most difficult to describe." So it proves. Even with Mitcham's skill as historian and author the sequence of events is not easy to follow. I will say that Professor Mitcham's writing of these events is the best and clearest of any I've read. If these events are confusing to the author and readers, just imagine how confusing they must have been to the participants.
It becomes obvious as the book progresses that Mitcham admires Rommel but he does not overlook the mistakes which Rommel made in these battles. A great commander is still not a perfect commander. However he does point out that Rommel learned from these battles around Tobruk and put that learning to good use in his eventual successful counter attack.
This book begins with a general introduction to Rommel's life and career before he arrived in North Africa. The North African action begins with Rommel's arrival in Tripolitania and concludes with the beginnings of his counterattack after the British success in Operation Crusader. I highly recommend this volume as well as part two, ROMMEL'S DESERT WAR: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE AFRIKA KORPS. Two other great titles by Professor Mitcham about Rommel and North Africa are ROMMEL'S GREATEST VICTORY an examination of his capture of Tobruk and ROMMEL'S DESERT COMMANDERS: THE MEN WHO SERVED THE DESERT FOX.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited but also own an old hard copy.
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: March 4, 2009
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Language: English
ASIN: B00C6BKD4Y
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 349274
244 pages
Excellent history of Rommel's first campaign in North Africa told with clear, concise, easy to read prose up until the account of the battles around the general area of Tobruk which began in November 1941 with the British offensive called Operation Crusader. About this fighting Mitcham says, "Of all of Rommel's battles, this is the most complicated and most difficult to describe." So it proves. Even with Mitcham's skill as historian and author the sequence of events is not easy to follow. I will say that Professor Mitcham's writing of these events is the best and clearest of any I've read. If these events are confusing to the author and readers, just imagine how confusing they must have been to the participants.
It becomes obvious as the book progresses that Mitcham admires Rommel but he does not overlook the mistakes which Rommel made in these battles. A great commander is still not a perfect commander. However he does point out that Rommel learned from these battles around Tobruk and put that learning to good use in his eventual successful counter attack.
This book begins with a general introduction to Rommel's life and career before he arrived in North Africa. The North African action begins with Rommel's arrival in Tripolitania and concludes with the beginnings of his counterattack after the British success in Operation Crusader. I highly recommend this volume as well as part two, ROMMEL'S DESERT WAR: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE AFRIKA KORPS. Two other great titles by Professor Mitcham about Rommel and North Africa are ROMMEL'S GREATEST VICTORY an examination of his capture of Tobruk and ROMMEL'S DESERT COMMANDERS: THE MEN WHO SERVED THE DESERT FOX.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited but also own an old hard copy.
September 19, 2012
Dad served part of the war in Oran, North Africa, as a cryptanalyst. This was just before the invasion of Sicily and after Rommel's Africa Korps had been driven out. Consequently, I have an interest in the subject and picked up this book.
Erwin Rommel, ultimately a conspirator against the Hitler regime, was one of the foremost German generals of WWII, admired by both allied and German troops. An illuminating anecdote about him is told in Brown's Bodyguard of Lies: During the N. African campaign the British sent in a team of ununiformed commandos to raid Rommel's headquarters, hoping to capture or kill the Panzer general. He wasn't there and they were defeated. Upon Rommel's return he ordered that a chaplain be flown in and that the military funeral for the dead Brits and their gravesites be photographed and sent to their families--this despite the fact that their having operated without military insignia was against the rules of war and entitled them to no such consideration.
Erwin Rommel, ultimately a conspirator against the Hitler regime, was one of the foremost German generals of WWII, admired by both allied and German troops. An illuminating anecdote about him is told in Brown's Bodyguard of Lies: During the N. African campaign the British sent in a team of ununiformed commandos to raid Rommel's headquarters, hoping to capture or kill the Panzer general. He wasn't there and they were defeated. Upon Rommel's return he ordered that a chaplain be flown in and that the military funeral for the dead Brits and their gravesites be photographed and sent to their families--this despite the fact that their having operated without military insignia was against the rules of war and entitled them to no such consideration.
August 27, 2017
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to reading this book, particularly given the fact that I've read so many other books about Erwin Rommel over the last thirty years or so; in any case, it was well worth the wait. Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. has written one of the best books I have ever read on Rommel's early campaigns in WWII, and this book easily earns a place on the shelf next to Desmond Young's classic Rommel: The Desert Fox. The best part, though, is that Mr. Mitcham has written many more books about the Second World War, of which at least two or three others are primarily about Generalfeldmarschall Rommel... Most of them are already on my "to-read" list, but if that were not the case I would be adding them as of now. I would certainly recommend this concise & well-written book to anyone with an interest in WWII, the career of Erwin Rommel, or simply military history in general. It is short enough and simple enough for a novice to understand, yet still remains both interesting & useful to the more knowledgeable reader.
May 2, 2022
The exact book that I was looking for. A glimpse of who Erwin Rommel was as a man and a gallant general. My favorite general among the best during the World War 2. Such an amazing man that no wonder, even Allied Forces had respect for this one of the excellent generals ever existed. Love and respect for Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.
November 15, 2021
Excellent portrait of Rommel and a detailed account of the early battles that established him as a preeminent battlefield tactician. The book could have used more maps, but is otherwise excellent in all other respects.
July 29, 2025
The covers Erwin Rommel up to his successful campaign in 1942 when he captured Tobruk. Amazing how one man can make a significant difference in a military campaign.
January 6, 2017
General Erwin Rommel has captured the imagination of many military historians. His advance in March 1941 against orders, and subsequent rout of the Allied forces in North Africa, quickly made him “the most famous and most admired” German soldier.
There is a lot to like about this book. Mitcham provides a very readable overview of Rommel’s time in the North African desert campaign from Jan to December 1941 (with a sequel Rommel’s desert war covering 1942-43). It is this period that created the legend of the unbeatable ‘Desert Fox’.
This material is supplemented with chapters on the Italian’s initial campaign in the desert (June-Dec 1940); Rommel’s personal history, and Rommel’s role in the French campaign (May-Jun 1940).
Mitcham provides informative anecdotes to help readers understand the personalities of the major players and detailed footnotes with additional biographical information.
The succinctness of this book means that Mitcham does not have enough room to explore the context in which Wavell was defending against Rommel – with concurrent battles in Greece, Crete, Iraq, Syria and East Africa – or the adverse impact of Churchill’s interference with Wavell’s plans and resources.
Mitcham’s work is all based on secondary sources and would have been stronger with greater use of primary sources (as Jentz did well in Tank Battles of North Africa).
A key foundation for any book on history however has to be accuracy. Sadly the observant reader’s confidence is undermined when Mitcham incorrectly places the American M3 Stuart (Honey) at the defence of Tobruk in April 1941 when they only entered service in North Africa in November 1941. His description of Operation Battleaxe is confused and confusing. Mitcham incorrectly (and inconsistently) spells the surname of Olbrich. Poor editing also introduces new words (straggering – straggling and staggering? p54), and poor grammar (“the possibly” p58).
An entertaining and very readable and informative book, and a good introduction to Rommel and the North African campaign for the general reader. The more discerning reader will quickly supplement this with other more detailed books.
There is a lot to like about this book. Mitcham provides a very readable overview of Rommel’s time in the North African desert campaign from Jan to December 1941 (with a sequel Rommel’s desert war covering 1942-43). It is this period that created the legend of the unbeatable ‘Desert Fox’.
This material is supplemented with chapters on the Italian’s initial campaign in the desert (June-Dec 1940); Rommel’s personal history, and Rommel’s role in the French campaign (May-Jun 1940).
Mitcham provides informative anecdotes to help readers understand the personalities of the major players and detailed footnotes with additional biographical information.
The succinctness of this book means that Mitcham does not have enough room to explore the context in which Wavell was defending against Rommel – with concurrent battles in Greece, Crete, Iraq, Syria and East Africa – or the adverse impact of Churchill’s interference with Wavell’s plans and resources.
Mitcham’s work is all based on secondary sources and would have been stronger with greater use of primary sources (as Jentz did well in Tank Battles of North Africa).
A key foundation for any book on history however has to be accuracy. Sadly the observant reader’s confidence is undermined when Mitcham incorrectly places the American M3 Stuart (Honey) at the defence of Tobruk in April 1941 when they only entered service in North Africa in November 1941. His description of Operation Battleaxe is confused and confusing. Mitcham incorrectly (and inconsistently) spells the surname of Olbrich. Poor editing also introduces new words (straggering – straggling and staggering? p54), and poor grammar (“the possibly” p58).
An entertaining and very readable and informative book, and a good introduction to Rommel and the North African campaign for the general reader. The more discerning reader will quickly supplement this with other more detailed books.
January 16, 2011
A book about Rommel during WWII.
April 1, 2016
A good book about the beginning of the Afrika Korps and the WW 2 Desert Campaign.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews