Erwin+Rommel

=Erwin Rommel= Edit: Taylor Lamontagne



Erwin Rommel was born November 15, 1981 in Ulm Germany and died October 14, 1944. He was a German Field Marshal during World War 2. This man was also known as the Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel's honourable fighting methods won him the respect of all Germany and even his enemies before he ever knew them. He was principally known as Commander of the Afrika Corps, but his first major command was during the 1940 French Campaign.

Erwin Rommel was a highly placed officer during World War 1, and he was even rewarded for his exploits in the Italian Front. During World War 2 he was the commander of the 7th Panzer during the invasion of France. But the reason he is known as the Desert Fox is because of his leadership of the Italian and German forces in the North African Campaign. He was known to be one of the most skilled commanders of all desert warfare. Later commanded the Germans in the cross channel in the invasion of Normandy.

He continually fought the Western Allies as he was never assigned to the Eastern Front. Erwin Rommel was known to be on of the most humane and professional officers of the bunch. The soldiers that were captured during the African Campaign said that they were treated humanely. During his role as commander he refused orders to kill captured commandoes, Jewish soldiers and people during his command.

Later on in World War 2 Rommel was connected some how to the conspiracy to kill HItler. Because Rommel was widely renowned Hitler chose to be quiet about his elimination from the party. Rommel agreed with Hitler to commit suicide he family was spared in trade for assurances.

2. 1941-1943 North Africa 3. Plot Against Hitler & Death 4. Poland 1939 ||
 * 1. 1940 French Campaign

1940 French Campaign
Having served as commander of the Führer's personal army bodyguard in Poland, he grew quite close with Hitler in 1939. He asked for command of a Panzer division from the Army Chief of Staff, who immediately denied is request, citing lack of experience in armoured warfare. Rommel then went above the Chief of Staff's head and personally asked the Führer for command, who granted him the position three months prior to the invasion of France. On 10 May 1940, Rommel and General Hoth's divisions moved on France through Belgium. Rommel quickly made daring and fast pushes; recklessly ignoring threats to his flanks and purely relying on the shock and speed of his assault to force the French and Belgians to surrender.

Within a month, France had fallen. Rommel's daring and somewhat careless advances earned him respect and envy alike. Herr Hitler immediately reserved for him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - the third highest possible decoration in Germany and the second highest ever awarded.

1941-1943 North Africa
Hitler's success in France earned him the commands of the 5th Light Division and the 15th Panzer Division which made up the //Deutshes Afrikakorps.// General Rommel was sent to Italian Libya to help save the Italians that had lost 130 000 men and 400 tanks. Rommel took two Italian divisions under his command and managed to hold off incoming Commonwealth forces. The then commander of Allied Forces in Africa, General Archibald Wavel, overestimated the strength of the Axis forces and ordered a light withdrawal and the building of defences. Rommel, even with only half the Afrikakorps yet in Africa ordered his men to harass the Commonwealth defences to prevent them from fully building up. Seeing the British reluctance to fight, Rommel proposed a daring capture of an entire region, and he successfully did this. Against orders from both his German commanders and the Italian Command to which he supposedly reported he continued to harass the retreating British Commonwealth forces.

Before long the whole of Libya had been captured. Rommel pressed on, and the 240 day siege of Tobruk was launched. Rommel needed more troops by this time, but preparations were in order for Operation Barbarossa and High Command denied any sparing of troops. Eventually Rommel's drive into egypt led him to defeat at the battle of El Alamein by the hand of one General Montgomery. He was later placed in command of troops along the Festung Europa after his defeat.

Plot Against Hitler & Death
The conspirators of the July 20 plot thought, hey, let's bring the most loved German Generalfeldmarchall into a plot to "save Germany". So Rommel says yup this needs to get done, für das Vaterland! When the whole thing goes to the poops, Hitler says ooh well I loved you so much that I will let your family live and you can kill yourself. Rommel obliges him.

**Poland 1939**
Rommel acted as Commander of the Fuhrer headquarters during the Poland Campaign. Because of this Erwin Rommel was in Hitlers presence alot. After the Polish were defeated, Rommel returned back to Berlin to help organize Hitlers victory celebration, becoming part of Hitlers entourage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_FZFjzirZM