BD-Basiliensis

the trail of the fox

série:	2nd WW Afrika Korps
éditeur:	Book Club
auteur:	Irving David
classement:	biblio2A
année:	1977
format:	cartonné, avec jaquette
état:	TBE
valeur:	12 €
critère:	***
remarques:	complete title: the trail of the fox or the life of field-marshal Rommel english book 1) on the trail of the fox - Rommel the myth-marshal and his final mystery: why he chose to die as he did? - the chivalrous warfare of Rommel and the jealousy of his fellow generals in the German high command played a significant part in Rommel's own tragic end 2) the useful soldier - born 1891, 2 brothers Karl and Gerhard and a sister Helen, 1910 Rommel fell in love with Lucie Mollin during his cadet school in Danzig, during 1stWW in North Italy, Rommel received the medal "pour le mérite" >> p. 18 the Rommel archives in a little village of Swabia 3) the instructor - during all his life, Rommel loved Lucie very much and had always a great correspondence with her n.b. personal letters are of great value for a historian because they are rather truthful whereas army diaries can be manipulated (even later on) - 1934 he was leutnant-colonel and met for the first time Adolf Hitler, then Kriegschule at Potsdam and after the annexion of Austria, Rommel became 1938 commander of the officer-cadet school of Wiener Neustadt >> p. 29 Rommel and the Jewish problem 4) Hitler's general - during Poland's campaign, Rommel was in command of the Führer's war headquarters, on 6.2.1940 Rommel was given by Hitler the command of the 7th Panzerdivision 5) the spook division during the French campaign, Rommel created a new offensive tactic which paid off >> p. 42 Rommel's unorthodox methods - 30.5.40 he reached first the big city of Lille, 12.6. occupation of St-Valery and 18.6. of Cherbourg 6) not a penny for Africa - detailed physical description of Rommel and the famous army film "victory in the west" - february 41, Rommel arrived in Libya as commander-in-chief and the vanguard of the future Africa Corps 7) the Elite corps - Rommel's first plan was to conquer the Cyrenaïka but in that connection, he did not get much support from Halder, chief of the German general staff - in the desert, the tank is the capital weapon, on 31.3.1941 Mersa Brega is occupied, Bir = in theory a water hole (Bir Hakeim) >> p. 72 description of Cyrenaïka (the flies, the heat but above all the sandstorms) and beginning of April the first German troops reached Tobrouk 8) Kilometer 31 two reasons for the capture of Tobrouk: a) it was the best port of all North Africa (but in fact it was not of great use after its capture later on) b) Tobrouk remaining in the enemy's hands could threaten considerably the supply lines of the Africa Corps >> p. 81 Rommel's command-car = the mammut but Rommel's efforts to occupy Tobrouk during 1941 failed completely >> p. 87 the attack plan suggested by Streich (which was to be adapted by Rommel 1942), during Tobrouk's siege, supply lines began to deteriorate, they had to be transported from Tripoli to Tobrouk = a distance similar between Hamburg and Rome) >> p. 86-87 very good pictures of Rommel and about the war in the desert kilometer 31 = German army cemetary near Tobrouk which swelled to quite a size 9) the commanders' revolt >> p. 92 description of the Libyan-Egyptian frontier with the strong points of Bardia, Fort Capuzzo, Sollum and Halfaya pass (about 300 m high), on 15.5.41 the Halfaya pass is taken by German troops >> p. 95 the great popularity of Rommel in Germany 6.6. beginning of operation Battleaxe, first time in which Rommel is confronted with a big enemy's offensive which is repulsed >> p. 98 the PAK (Panzerabwehrkanone) is the best weapon against tanks and Rommel made quite a good use of them (especially with the very good AA gun 88 mm) >> p. 99 mention of captain-pastor Wilhelm Bach, the brave defender of Halfaya pass 10) the coming of Crusader mid-november failure of the commando Keyes with the objective to kill Rommel and before Rommel could start his assault on Tobrouk, the British launched operation Crusader on 17.11.1941 11) the desperate foray Crusader was a big series of interlocking battles which finished about 8.12.1941 over a 50 miles square and by then Rommel angrily announced the retreat of his forces >> p. 121 the ability of the Germans to recover the disabled panzers middle in battle to a fine art as well their coordination between panzer and heavy mobile guns - during Crusade, the biggest tank battle so far during the war took place and was called the Sunday of the dead, after having won the battle (mostly Crüwell's victory), Rommel made the error of underestimating his adversaries and launched a counter-attack towards the Egyptian frontier to destroy enemy's supply lines, that was the desperate foray, but despite his successes on the battle-fields, the British still outnumbered Rommel's forces and obliged him to dismantle the siege of Tobrouk and to retreat up to his starting point at El Agheila 12) turning the tables >> p. 142 the spy of Rommel in Cairo called the "little fellers" taken out the US military observer in Cairo who sent to Washington very detailed reports about the war in the desert - January 1942, benefiting of a stronger support of the Luftwaffe, esp. over Malta, Rommel launched his new offensive and in a couple of days Benghazi was reoccuped and Rommel's troops arrived at the Gazala line >> p. 148 the comments of general von Esebeck about Rommel 13) the glittering prize - 26.5.1942 beginning of operation Venezia with about 10'000 vehicles to slice behind the enemy's fortified line of Gazala, battles of Bir Hakeim and of the Cauldron where Rommel's forces were nearly smashed, but thanks to the ability of Rommel, the whole operation ended to a great victory for him >> p. 160 description of Kesselring and 3 days later on 23.6. Tobrouk was taken within 24 hours, a master piece for Rommel >> p. 171 the booty of Tobrouk >> p. 173 the perquisites of a field-marshal but by now the German forces had reached their limits and the impetus of Rommel's panzer army was almost gone 14) prelude to El Alamein - on arriving at El Alamein, Rommel's forces are now only 100 miles from the powerful British naval base of Alexandria but Rommel's supply lines are far more away whereas the British supply lines are short and well protected, especially by the Air force which can attack very efficiently at the same time, the source of Rommel's information had been discovered by British Intelligence Service and Ultra can now decipher all the information transmitted by Enigma - from July 42 on, Auchinleck launched severe counter-attacks, especially aiming at the weak Italian divisions, end of August Rommel planned to launch a last offensive to break the front of El Alamein 15) the ridge >> p. 188 description of Montgomery, a character in many ways similar to Rommel >> p. 189 thanks Ultra, Montgomery got even a copy of prof Horster's diagnosis about Rommel's health condition 30.8. 10.00 pm the attack from Rommel started with the target of wheeling round south of Alam el Halfa but due to lack of fuel, the movement had to be shortened and crossed right into the ridge where Montgomery's troops were awaiting the Germans and on 2.9. , Rommel ordered the retreat to their jump-off positions >> p. 194 the real reasons of Rommel's defeat: - Ultra had given most of the details about Rommel's offensive - Rommel was no longer the same commander, he was sick and depressed - the unexpected enemy's strength however the battle was more of psychological nature than of material (British morale was now high whereas German morale was no longer so high), Rommel prepared now his positions for a long defensive battle, on 19.9. Stumme replaced Rommel going for cure to Germany >> p. 198 Rommel's comments about the Italians: "they are a millstone round my neck" but in fact he admitted that the Italian soldier was good but their high officers mostly worthless and Rommel believed there were treators in the Italian high command, in fact the treachery was mostly due to Ultra 16) if I should not return 25.10.42 2 days after Montgomery's offensive Rommel returns to the battlefield to know that Stumme had died of a heart attack, however despite the misfortune, the British offensive had been halted on 29.10.1942, but it was clear that the Africa Corps could not resist any longer >> p. 206 Rommel regrets that some reinforcement only arrives when things are already hopeless - and on 2.11. Montgomery's grand slam was beginning, on 11.am the dam burst with Rommel having only 37 panzer left and instead of retreating orderly, Hitler asked Rommel to resist: victory or death, finally the Führer approved Rommel's retreat, but this delay caused much more destruction than expected and thus began a harrowing retreat for Rommel's army, a 2000 miles odyssey! 17) humiliation retreat is not an easy way, yet Rommel would now show his great cunning in adversity and his retreat will be a master-piece (a sixty miles long procession of tanks and other vehicles!) moreover, Rommel was all along always short of fuel, on the other side, the pursuit became a nightmare for the British as all kinds of dummy mines and other booby-traps were arranged by German engineers and Rommel succeeded his retreat to Mersa el Brega over 800 miles from El Alamein, virtually without loss 18) the art of disobedience the bird would now always flown off before being caught >> p. 229 according to Montgomery: "the escape out of hammering home the cork" >> p. 232 the 88 Flak gun 41 = the best gun of its class in the world - Tripoli was abandoned on 22.1.1943 and Rommel crossed the Tunesian frontier on 26.1.1943 being already critizised for his retreat being done too hastily 19) last chance of glory - after the grand barren Libyan desert, the Africa Korps met now the beautiful Tunesian landscape in spring, Rommel planned now various offensives against the Americans coming from the west but except some isolated successes such as in Kasserine, the German targets were not reached due to lack of supply but also lack of coordination with general von Arnim, now in charge of 5th German army in Tunesia 20) farewell Africa and the last counter-attack of Rommel on 4.3.1943 at Medenine against Montgomery's troops failed completely, thanks Ultra again the German offensive was no surprise for the British who had time to organize their defense line thoroughfully and also the air superiority of the Allies was now complete - on 7.3. Rommel left Africa where he would never return again, being now somehow labelled as a defeatist 21) man in a grey homburg (hat) - during the next 9 weeks, Rommel was on cure, on 1.7.1943 Hitler launched operation Citadel = the biggest tank battle of the war, but when learning of the landing of the Allies in Italy and that Mussolini had been arrested, Hitler withdrew operation Citadel and concentrated on operation Alarich (occupation of Italy) >> p. 281 the authentic Rommel as revealed by the famous German broadcaster Dittmar 22) think victory - observation by chief of staff Jodl: Rommel is still obsessed by the retreat from Africa and has still anti-italian resentment, any other job having nothing to do with Italia will be better for him - on 1.12.1943 Rommel was appointed general inspector of the Atlantic coastal defenses under the command of Marshal von Rundstedt, the Grand Old Man - Rommel started immediately on building strong defense points which was soon called: the Atlantic Wall, on one point however Rommel was wrong: he expected the Allied landing in the Pas-de-Calais instead in the Normandy contrary to Hitler who many times stipulated that the landing would take place in the Normandy, however curiously enough the Normandy beaches were not sufficiently defended by German forces and especially the Luftwaffe in France remained very weak, nevertheless Rommel had only 2 words in mind: think victory 23/ dead zone the transformation of the coast line of Western Europe would now become a death zone together with Rommel's naval counsellor: Friedrich Ruge - however the panzer divisions remained in the Hinterland out of control of Rommel 24/ closed season >> p. 303 description of Rommel's headquarters at La Roche Guyon - during april/may it was a relative quiet period but the Germans were aware that when the landing would happen, they would be faced with great warships' gun fire and a tremendous air supremacy from the Allies 25/ the silent Swabian mid-april 1944 Speidel replaced Gause as chief-of-staff of Rommel >> p. 314 the French upper class in Normandy was rather pro german - on 4.6. Rommel left for Germany, nobody expected the Allied to land in the next days except general Marcks who predicted the invasion on 5.6.1944 26/ with their pants down - the personal diary of Alister Bannerman, a British officer taken prisoner during the invasion (6483 ships hereof 6 battleships, 23 cruisers and 104 destroyers) and the invasion was not detected by the Germans who were taken by surprise "with their pants down" 27/ Normandy Rommel was advised in Herrlingen on 5.6. at 10.00 am, it was the second time, he would arrive back to his headquarters too late to save a battle, the Germans had been misled by the Allied Intelligence Service (operation Fortitude) and the Luftwaffe remained practically unoperational during the invasion contrary to the considerable Allied air force whose air superiority was devastating - on 25.6. Cherbourg surrendered already 28/ a colonel calls on Rommel 28.6.1944 meeting of the west commanders at Berchtesgaden, dispute between Hitler and Rommel, it was the last time Rommel met Hitler - on 1.7.1944 von Kluge replaced von Rundstedt - on 11.7. Patton breaks through at St-Lô Rommel knew now that the Normandy front would collapse within the next 4 weeks and projected to start negotiations with the Allies 29/ kill Rommel a special British commando (SAS special air service) led by Raymond Lee was dropped in France with the order to eliminate Rommel, but before this commando could take action, Rommel was heavily wounded during an air attack on 18.7.1944 on the way to Germany for a further meeting with Hitler - two days later, a bomb set by von Stauffenberg exploded in the Führer's bunker 30/ who killed Rommel? von Kluge and Rommel were now suspected by the Gestapo to be engaged in the plot against Hitler, Rommel was driven back to Germany on 8.8. and at the same time general Model replaced von Kluge and general Krebs replaced Speidel - mid of August Patton breaks through at Avranches - in October Speidel was arrested and on 14.10 Rommel committed suicide on order of Hitler to preserve his family and have national funerals 31/ inquest one quality of Rommel was his instinctive fidelity, although he was aware of the plot against Hitler, he generally remained loyal to his Führer despite the fact that he knew that Hitler was involved in war crimes - as a man Rommel was brave, fearless, reckless and ambitious, sometimes also too rapidly discouraged by defeats, as a strategist he was somehow short-sighted, in Africa he under-estimated the logistics of his supply-lines and the strategical position of Malta, yet Rommel's ability in battle was indeniable, there was a dynamo within him that never stopped humming (rommeln became a general expression) - we can remember Rommel's genius for the unexpected, for his original tactical devices and he was adored by his soldiers n.b. Irving compares Rommel to Hannibal, like Hannibal Rommel triumphed by cunning and by his deadly and accurate assessment of the numerically superior enemy's intentions and he too fought on distant battlefields bereft of adequate support from home summary the story of Rommel as told by Irving is coming from various sources: - from information and documents given by Rommel's son Manfred, now lord mayor of Stuttgart - from many personal comments and photos of his fellow comrades (von Esebeck = panzer general, Hellmuth Lang = Rommel's adjudant in Normandy, Friedrich Ruge, marine counsellor), as well as from information taken of the Bundesarchive and US and UK documents, but mostly from documents collected by Irving which form about six cubic feet of information deposited now in Munich (Sammlung Irving) bibliography (among many others) - Auchinleck: operations in the Middle East - Bergot: l'Afrika Corps - Caccia-Dominioni: Alamein, an Italian story - Ciano: diary - Clifton: the happy hunted - Eisenhower: crusade in Europe - Esebeck: with Rommel - Halder: Kriegstagebuch - Kesselring: Soldat bis zum letzten Tag - Lewin: life and death of the Afrika corps + Rommel as military commander - Mellenthin: panzer battles - Speidel: invasion 1944 - Young: Rommel >> a very good book, one of the best about Rommel, well documented, especially the Normandy episode, with many personal details about Rommel and his position towards the Allied invasion as well as his relations with Hitler, the book contains also many interesting photos about the war in the desert, also of great interest are the intim and personal relations of Rommel with his fellow comrades about the war and military subjects in general, other subjects were less of interest to him
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