Spech on Rommel

8/7/2019 Spech on Rommel

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Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel

Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel Was born on15th November 1891 and died 14

October 1944 ,This is my birthday. He was also Known as the Desert Fox, he was

perhaps the most famous German Field marshal of World war two. He was a highlydecorated officer in World War ONE, his medals included the Pour le merite for his

exploits on the Italian front. He waas further distiugished in world war TWO as the

commander of the "Ghost Division" during the invasion of france. IT was in northernafrica that he Became known as the desert fox, it is thought by many that he is the most

skilled commander in desert warfare. He later commanded the german forces against the

allied cross-channel invasion in Normandy.

He is considered to have been a chivalarlous and humane military officer. THis is in

constrast to other Nazi officers, None among his famous Afrikacorps were there any sort

of war crimes at all. Inded soldiers captured during his african campaign all were treatedlargley hamanely. Furthermore any orders to kill the jewish people, civilian or soldier

were ignored in all his theartes of command.

He was born in Heidemheim, germany. at the age of 14 rommel and a friend built a glider

that was able to fly short distrances. Young rommel considered a job as an engineer. But

because had to join the local infantry Regiment. While at cadet school he met his futurewife, 17-year-old Lucia Maria Mollin, They married on November 27, 1916, in Danzig,

and on December 24, 1928 had a son, Manfred, who would later become the mayor of

Stuttgart.

During World war one, Rommel fought in France, as well as in Romania and Italy

,initially as a member of the 6th Wrttemberg Infantry Regiment, and through most of the

war in the Wrttemberg Mountain Battalion of the Elite Alpenkorps. He was woundedthree times and awarded the Iron cross: first and Second class this the equivilent of the

british purple heart. Rommel also received Prussia's highest medal, the Pour le Mrite,

after fighting in the mountains of west Slovenia Battles of the Isonzo Soca front. Theaward came as a result of the Battle of Longarone, and the capture ofMount Matajur,

Slovenia, and its defenders, numbering 150 Italian officers, 9,000 men, and 81 pieces of

artillery.While fighting at Isonzo, Rommel was taken prisoner by the Italians. He escaped

his captors, and, with the help of fluency in the Italian language and other skills, he wasback behind the German lines within two weeks.

After the war, Rommel held battalion commands and was an instructor at the DresdenInfantry School from 1929 to 1933, and the Potsdam War Academy from 1935 to 1938.

Rommel's war diaries.In 1938, Rommel, now a colonel, was appointed Kommandant(commander) of the War Academy at Wiener Neustadt (Theresian Military Academy).

Rommel continued as Fhrerbegleitbataillon commander during the Polish campaign,

often moving up close to the front in the Fhrersonderzug, and seeing much of Hitler.After the Polish defeat, Rommel returned to Berlin to organize the Fhrer's victory

parade, taking part himself as a member of Hitler's entourage.
http://wiki/Pour_le_M?ritehttp://wiki/Sloveniahttp://wiki/Battles_of_the_Isonzohttp://wiki/Longaronehttp://wiki/Mount_Matajurhttp://wiki/Sloveniahttp://wiki/Isonzohttp://wiki/Dresdenhttp://wiki/Wiener_Neustadthttp://wiki/Theresian_Military_Academyhttp://wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_(1939)http://wiki/Sloveniahttp://wiki/Battles_of_the_Isonzohttp://wiki/Longaronehttp://wiki/Mount_Matajurhttp://wiki/Sloveniahttp://wiki/Isonzohttp://wiki/Dresdenhttp://wiki/Wiener_Neustadthttp://wiki/Theresian_Military_Academyhttp://wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_(1939)http://wiki/Pour_le_M?rite


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Rommel asked Hitler for command of a panzer division and, on 6 February 1940, only

three months before the invasion, Rommel was given command of the 7.Panzer-Division,

forFall Gelb ("Case Yellow"), the invasion ofFrance and the Low Countries. They were

also known as the "Ghost Division" because of their constant unexpected attacks.On 10

May 1940 a part ofXV Corps underGeneral Hoth, advanced intoBelgium to proceed to

the Meuse rivernear the Walloon municipality ofDinant. At the Meuse 7th Panzer washeld up due to the bridge having been destroyed and determined sniper and artillery fire

from the Belgian defenders. The Germans lacked smoke grenades so Rommel, havingassumed personal command of the crossing, ordered a few nearby houses to be set on

fire to conceal the attack. The German Panzergrenadiers crossed the river in rubber

boats, with Rommel leading the second wave.Rommel's technique of pushing forwardboldly, ignoring risks to his flanks and rear and relying on the shock to enemy morale to

hinder attacks on his vulnerable flanks, paid large dividends during his rapid march

across France

Rommel's reward for his success was to be promoted and appointed commander of the

5th Light Division (later reorganised and redesignated21.Panzer-Division) and of the

15.Panzer-Division which, as the Deutsches Afrikakorps, were sent toLibya in early

1941 in Operation Sonnenblume to aid the demoralised Italiantroops which had suffereda heavy defeat from British Commonwealth forces inOperation Compass. It was in

Africa where Rommel achieved his greatest fame as a commander.His campaign in North

Africa earned Rommel the nickname "The Desert Fox." On 6 February 1941 Rommel

was ordered to lead the Afrika Korps, sent to Libyato help shore up the Italian forceswhich had been driven back during Operation Compass launched by British

Commonwealth forces underMajor-GeneralRichard O'Connorduring December 1940.

The following Siege of Tobruklasted 240 days, with the garrison consisting of the

Australian 9th Division underLieutenant GeneralLeslie Morshead and reinforced by all

the British troops who had withdrawn to the port city, bringing the defenders to a total of25,000. Impatient to secure success, Rommel launched repeated, small-scale attacks.

These were easily defeated by the defenders. Rommel would later criticise the Italian

High Command for failing to provide him with the blueprints of the port's fortifications(which the Italians had built before the war), but this was due to his surprising advance so

far beyond the agreed point, hardly allowing them time to produce the plans. Reflecting

on this period, General Heinrich Kirchheim, the then commander of the 5th Light

Division, said: "I do not like to be reminded of that time because so much blood wasneedlessly shed

Following the costly failure ofBattleaxe, Wavell was replaced by Commander-in-Chief

India, General Claude Auchinleck. The Allied forces were reorganised and strengthenedto two corps,XXX and XIII, as the British Eighth Army under the command ofAlan

Cunningham. Auchinleck, having 770 tanks and 1,000 aircraft to support him, launched amajor offensive to relieve Tobruk (Operation Crusader) on 18 November 1941. Rommel

had two armoured divisions, the 15th and 21st with 260 tanks, the 90th Light Infantry

division, and three Italian corps, five infantry and one armoured division with 154 tanks,

with which to oppose him.

Because of Rommel's popularity with the German people and possibly because he had
http://wiki/German_7th_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/Fall_Gelbhttp://wiki/Francehttp://wiki/Low_Countrieshttp://w/index.php?title=German_XV_Corps&action=edit&redlink=1http://wiki/Hermann_Hothhttp://wiki/Belgiumhttp://wiki/Belgiumhttp://wiki/Meuse_riverhttp://wiki/Meuse_riverhttp://wiki/Walloniahttp://wiki/Dinanthttp://wiki/Dinanthttp://wiki/German_5th_Light_Divisionhttp://wiki/German_21st_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/German_15th_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/Deutsches_Afrikakorpshttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Operation_Sonnenblumehttp://wiki/Italyhttp://wiki/Italyhttp://wiki/Operation_Compasshttp://wiki/Operation_Compasshttp://wiki/Africahttp://wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://wiki/Afrika_Korpshttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Operation_Compasshttp://wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://wiki/Major-Generalhttp://wiki/Richard_O'Connorhttp://wiki/Richard_O'Connorhttp://wiki/Siege_of_Tobrukhttp://wiki/9th_Division_(Australia)http://wiki/Lieutenant_Generalhttp://wiki/Lieutenant_Generalhttp://wiki/Leslie_Morsheadhttp://wiki/Heinrich_Kirchheimhttp://wiki/Heinrich_Kirchheimhttp://wiki/Claude_Auchinleckhttp://wiki/British_XXX_Corpshttp://wiki/British_XXX_Corpshttp://wiki/XIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)http://wiki/British_Eighth_Armyhttp://wiki/Alan_Gordon_Cunninghamhttp://wiki/Alan_Gordon_Cunninghamhttp://wiki/Operation_Crusaderhttp://wiki/German_7th_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/Fall_Gelbhttp://wiki/Francehttp://wiki/Low_Countrieshttp://w/index.php?title=German_XV_Corps&action=edit&redlink=1http://wiki/Hermann_Hothhttp://wiki/Belgiumhttp://wiki/Meuse_riverhttp://wiki/Walloniahttp://wiki/Dinanthttp://wiki/German_5th_Light_Divisionhttp://wiki/German_21st_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/German_15th_Panzer_Divisionhttp://wiki/Deutsches_Afrikakorpshttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Operation_Sonnenblumehttp://wiki/Italyhttp://wiki/Operation_Compasshttp://wiki/Africahttp://wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://wiki/Afrika_Korpshttp://wiki/Libyahttp://wiki/Operation_Compasshttp://wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://wiki/Major-Generalhttp://wiki/Richard_O'Connorhttp://wiki/Siege_of_Tobrukhttp://wiki/9th_Division_(Australia)http://wiki/Lieutenant_Generalhttp://wiki/Leslie_Morsheadhttp://wiki/Heinrich_Kirchheimhttp://wiki/Claude_Auchinleckhttp://wiki/British_XXX_Corpshttp://wiki/XIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)http://wiki/British_Eighth_Armyhttp://wiki/Alan_Gordon_Cunninghamhttp://wiki/Alan_Gordon_Cunninghamhttp://wiki/Operation_Crusader


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been one of Hitler's favourites and one of Germany's most successful battlefield

commanders, he was approached at his home by Wilhelm Burgdorfand Ernst Maiselon

14 October 1944. Burgdorf offered him a choice from Field Marshal Keitel: he could facethe People's Court and potential persecution of his family and the arrest of his staff, or

choose to commit suicidequietly. In the latter case, the government would assure his

familypension payments and astate funeralclaiming he had died a hero. Burgdorf hadbrought a capsule of cyanide for the occasion. After a few minutes' thought alone,

Rommel announced that he chose to end his own life and explained his decision to his

wife and son. Carrying his field marshal's baton, Rommel went to Burgdorf's Opel,driven by SS Master Sergeant Heinrich Doose, and was driven out of the village. Doose

walked away from the car leaving Rommel with Maisel. Five minutes later Burgdorf

gestured to the two men to return to the car, and Doose noticed that Rommel was

slumped over. Doose, while sobbing, replaced Rommel's fallen cap on his head

But there also exists an alternate theory about the German Commander's deaththat

Rommel was given a choice to face the People's Court or to be shot by the Germanpolice. Rommel chose the latter because, as he explained to his wife and son, it would be

better to die immediately with honour rather than die after facing national humiliation at

the People's Court

He is the only member of the Third Reich establishment to have a museum dedicated to

him. His grave can be found in Herrlingen, a short distance west ofUlm.

Rommel has been hailed as a brilliant tactician and competent strategist[80] but certainly

not without flaws. Contemporaries who had to work with him under adversity often had

very few kind words to say about him and his abilities. Following Paulus' return from hisinspection of Rommel's doings in North Africa and also considering the reports submitted

by Alfred Gause, Halder concluded: "Rommel's character defects make him very hard to

get along with but no one cares to come out in open opposition because of his brutalityand the backing he has at top level."

I can such much more about rommel but i won't the reason he inspire's me. Is because I

myself am going for a scholarship that is for the tacticly minded. Which is just what

rommel was a brillant tactian

Thank for listening
http://wiki/Wilhelm_Burgdorfhttp://wiki/Ernst_Maiselhttp://wiki/Ernst_Maiselhttp://wiki/Wilhelm_Keitelhttp://wiki/Volksgerichtshofhttp://wiki/Suicidehttp://wiki/Suicidehttp://wiki/Pensionhttp://wiki/Pensionhttp://wiki/State_funeralhttp://wiki/State_funeralhttp://wiki/State_funeralhttp://wiki/Opelhttp://wiki/Third_Reichhttp://wiki/Ulmhttp://wiki/Ulmhttp://l/http://wiki/Wilhelm_Burgdorfhttp://wiki/Ernst_Maiselhttp://wiki/Wilhelm_Keitelhttp://wiki/Volksgerichtshofhttp://wiki/Suicidehttp://wiki/Pensionhttp://wiki/State_funeralhttp://wiki/Opelhttp://wiki/Third_Reichhttp://wiki/Ulmhttp://l/


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Spech on Rommel