Rommel as a Military Commander

by Ronald Lewin

As the Germans wreaked havoc in Europe in the early 1940s, the war in Northern Africa seemed relatively insignificant. Yet a series of surprising victories by the Afrika Korps forced Winston Churchill to refocus his attention. In the desert, one of the war's most brilliant commanders was blooming - Commander Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel. In this provocative study, Ronald Lewin, prizewinning author of The Standardbearer and Ultra Goes to War charts the course of Rommel's military career.

The Desert Fox, was a tactical genius - his personal leadership and ability to improvise on the battlefield with minimal resources were exemplary. Yet lapses in Rommel's judgment, combined with Churchill's heightened defenses and Hitler's neglect, led to a crushing defeat for the Afrika Korps at Alamein in 1942.

As Rommel's success waned, so did his relations with Hitler. Rommel was an exceptional commander - not only for his skills, but for the integrity with which he carried himself. This integrity, admired even by his adversaries, proved fatal. Unafraid to voice his objections to Hitler's military decisions, Rommel was associated with the 1944 plot to kill the dictator. In the wake of the plot's failure, Rommel was forced to take his own life.

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

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Ronald Lewin was a British military historian, radio producer and publishing editor who has wrote several books on World War II and several of the WWII commanders like Lieut-General Vyvyan Pope, Montgomery and Rommel.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book accomplishes what its author sets out to do excellently. Unfortunately, what its author wanted to achieve isn't of much interest to me. I'd really like, someday, to find a book on Rommel that does for him what Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth does for Albert Speer: Explores the complexity and contradictions of his character that allowed an apparently honorable man to be seduced into serving a criminal regime. So far, I haven't found it, and I think that may be because the myth of the "noble" Erwin Rommel, the "good nazi" who exculpates all German soldiers for their complicity in mass murder, remains too strong to be challenged.

Anyway, that's all by way of reviewing a book that hasn't been written (a very bad critical practice), so let's talk about this book instead. The time period covered by the book is quite short; after a brief introductory bio and a cursory discussion of France, its narrative begins with Rommel arriving in North Africa in 1941. The bulk of the story is over by the time he leaves in 1943, although there is a chapter on his fortification of "Festung Europa" and, of course, the end of his life by murder at the order of Hitler. The bulk of the book, then, is an intricate discussion of the North African campaign, with considerable technical detail and precision. It is clear that the author is very comfortable describing day-to-day military operations, and also has an eye for the "big picture" of large-scale strategy. The reader may find the small number of good maps to be somewhat frustrating - there are many small-scale maps of specific battles and troop movements, but no large-scale map to give an overall view of the situation. I recall that when I read it I realized my need for more reference works on World War Two, in order to keep my reading in context.

Lewin's prose is readable and interesting, although a non-military mind like mine does get lost occasionally in the details. Certainly the book does give a clear picture of Rommel "as military commander," although Rommel as a man is hard to distinguish.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and enjoyable book about a topic near and dear to every WWII enthusiast's heart: The Desert Fox. But this one is more interesting than most as it tries to deal with the military genius of the man. But in setting out to write a Hagiography, Lewin goes off the rails. He's too good and balanced a writer and thinker, so even though his personal admiration of the man is clear and strong throughout the tome, Lewin cannot help discussing many of the counter- arguments for every move. Thus the Rommel-sceptic, like myself, still can find many strong expository elements and arguments to gnaw on. Even the discussion of his part in the "Valkyrie" plot, is a whirl of interesting points and impulses. In the end one may not agree with Lewin's view of Rommel as an "unsullied Knight" of the Third Reich, but one certainly can see his arguments. And along the way, the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast and the more casual adult reader will be quite entertained, the junior reader may find it challenging.

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly, this is a book written for someone like me. Before I properly review this book, I feel it necessary to point out that I am the exact audience of a book like this, as a student of military history who finds it worthwhile to reflect on the virtues of leaders, and who enjoys books that seek to rehabilitate the reputations of leaders who have often been unfairly relegated to the lesser ranks of military leaders [1]. Although admittedly I am not as much a fan of World War II history as are most students of military history, largely because the conflict was both so massive and also so harrowing in its conduct that it is the sort of subject that keeps me up all night with horrific nightmares of the brutality of mankind, this is the sort of World War II book I can stand behind, and I like what it has to say about Rommel. The author does all he can to free Rommel from the obloquy of having been a brave and generally successful leader of one of the worst regimes known to mankind, and manages to make a solid case for recognizing Rommel as a great leader, if not quite at the highest level of generals (more on that later), and explains his conduct in both WWI and especially World War II in framing him as brave and patriotic and not particularly skilled at political leadership, which ended up being a fatal shortcoming in his case as it proved impossible to be a fundamentally decent person in the moral cesspool that was the higher reaches of the German army without suffering as a result.

Nevertheless, this is not a book about Rommel the reluctant Abwehr conspirator, but about Rommel as a military commander, and that is for the better. The first chapter covers Rommel's early leadership as an officer in World War I and in the interwar German army, and one chapter covering Rommel's successful work as the leader of Hitler's bodyguards (!) and his work as a subordinate tank officer in France in 1940. From page 35 to almost page 270 in a book that is only a bit over 300 pages the book spends its time looking at Rommel's leadership in Africa in a very detailed fashion. The book then ends with a look at Rommel's frustrating career in trying to turn the Atlantic Wall into a defense of Hitler's conquests before being seriously injured after D-Day and being forced into suicide like many a Chinese general who had run afoul of an insecure ruler. As this book focuses on a very narrow theater of war for the vast majority of its pages, it gives almost a diary account of Rommel's ups and downs as a general in the sands of Libya as the Germans and Italians fought the British and their dominion troops over the same ground over and over again and as Rommel dealt with logistics and the demands of being a leader of a coalition army.

And what is the book's verdict? The author argues that Rommel was excellent on the attack and was sound both as a tactical and strategic leader, a quick learner of the realities of contemporary warfare. The book also does a good job at showing him to be a person of good character and someone whose skill as a leader and ability at unexpected flank attacks made him a cut above many of his opponents. The author, though, to his considerable credit, does not minimize Rommel's flaws as a leader. For one, his inability to recognize the importance of seizing Malta suggests that he had some limitations in his logistical capabilities. Likewise, his problems in working with Hitler and Germany's general staff (admittedly not the easiest people to work with) and his impossible-to-hide contempt for the military skills of his Italian allies in the desert hurt his abilities to be a solid diplomatic general on the level of, say, a Marlborough or Eisenhower. Even so, he is a solid general and this book gives a strong case for his skills on the battle and theater level from his World War II experience. If you're willing to give the author a fair hearing when trying to clear Rommel of guilt by association with his regime, this book is a solid read.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely dense and detailed prose about the Afrika Korps. I was particularly interested in the catchphrases from many different languages the author used to make certain points throughout. Had to brush up on German, Latin, and French in order to fully understand certain passages. I liked this, as it stretched my brain more than a normal WW II book would.
If you're looking for a story about the Erwin Rommel "The Man," this isn't necessarily it, although there are a few details about his origins in WW I. This is a very detailed account of the Afika Korps and their near war changing march for the oil in the middle east. More large scale maps would have been helpful. I found myself seeking out on my own to study the geography of the places so often mentioned in the book.
Overall an excellent book, but I finished wanting more information about the inner workings of Rommel.

[Martin Moleski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating subject. Too much information on which division or brigade went where for my taste. I suppose others who, like the author, fought in the desert, or who had family or friends who did, would appreciate the fine details. Although the book provides an excellent understanding of Rommel's gifts and virtues, it scarcely explores what he thought was worth fighting for in either of the two world wars. I am of course biased as a citizen who loves the United States, but I don't understand what noble cause this noble man thought he was serving either in the Kaiser's war or in Hitler's.

[Ryan La Fleur · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me forever to read this book. Granted part of that was due to Fire and deployment and relocation to another continent. Part of it though was due to the nature of the book itself. Lewin's detailed account of the military career of Rommel proceeds with an academic touch. Having seen other accounts of military history presented as documentaries, I look forward to comparing this with the book version of Ben Macintyre's Operation Mincemeat or Double Cross.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was especially fascinated with the military prowess of the Germans in WWII and Rommel was certainly one of their great commanders. I thought it was a really good book.

[carl theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An oldie but goodie look at the Desert Fox. Has a photo section, about 20 maps and
an appendix listing Wehrpass military record.

Lewin also wrote a bio on Monty.

[Maxo Marc]

He was one bad mother shut your mouth.

[Chuck Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised he was never a member of the Nazi party. Was Apolitical.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely detailed and very dry. Reads like a textbook.

Lots of good information, but the writing style makes it more of a chore to read than a pleasure.