Xinhuanet June 5, 2004

Owen Rommel is undoubtedly the most famous Nazi general. He is regarded as the best general in the German army in World War II, and he wrote a lot of praises. After the war, the Federal Republic of Germany named warship streets and barracks after him, and the United States also filmed the film "Desert Fox" praising him. An American historian believes that Rommel's legendary factors are firstly his short stature, foxy and secretive smile, but mainly his superb military command art when commanding armored forces in the desert of North Africa, which often caught his opponents off guard. He was portrayed as a military genius above politics and almost forgot the essence of his Nazi general.

189 1- 1933

189 1 year 1 year/month 1 day Rommel was born in Heidenheim. His father is a middle school principal and his mother is the daughter of a local government official. Although young Rommel's ideal is to become an engineer, he joined the army in July 19 10 and joined the local 124 infantry regiment in Waldenberg. Three months later, Rommel was promoted to corporal and soon to sergeant. In March, 19 1 1 was sent to Danzig royal officer candidate school and graduated in March.

1912 65438+10, Rommel graduated and returned to the 124 infantry regiment stationed in Kalden to train new recruits, and was awarded the rank of captain. In Danzig, Rommel met and fell in love with Lucy Moline, got married on 19 16, and gave birth to Rommel's only son Manfred on Christmas Eve on 1928.

19 14 In March, Rommel was sent to serve in an artillery company of the 49th Field Artillery Regiment in Ulm. In August, Rommel returned to the original infantry regiment to participate in the First World War. In September, his left leg was injured, for which he won the second Iron Cross. 1915 65438+10, Rommel returned to the 124 Infantry Regiment and won another Iron Cross first-class medal. 19 16 was sent to Romania on the eastern front to fight. 1965438+in may 2007, Rommel was recalled to fight on the western front. In August, he returned to the Eastern Front, where he was injured again. In September, Rommel's battalion was transferred to northern Italy to participate in the war. Rommel's troops fought bravely, broke through Korov's defense line, conquered Mount Mont and occupied Norn in Longue. These achievements earned Rommel a medal of merit that Germany rarely awarded to junior officers, and he was promoted to captain. After the First World War, Rommel was first sent to the General Staff of a regiment as Xie Wen's work. On June/KOOC-0/920, 65438+/KOOC-0/October/KOOC-0/day, Rommel was sent to Stankal to command a rifle company of an infantry regiment, and he stayed there until June/KOOC-0/929. 1June, 929, Rommel was sent to Dresden Infantry Academy as an instructor. During this period, Rommel wrote "Infantry Attack" according to his combat experience in World War I, which was published in early 1937.

1933- 1940

From 1933 to 10, Rommel was promoted to major and was appointed as the commander of a mountain battalion in Gosla, central Germany. 10 In June, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and served as an instructor at the Potsdam Army School. 1938 On the eve of the outbreak of World War II, he was transferred to another military school to teach. 1939 September, Rommel was appointed as Major General.

During the Polish campaign, Rommel was in charge of Hitler's security forces. The Germans soon wiped out Poland, and Rommel began to fully realize the importance of tank troops and blitzkrieg. After the Battle of Poland, Hitler asked Rommel what position he needed, and Rommel hinted that he wanted to command an armored division. 1940 15 In February, Rommel was appointed as the commander of the 7th German armored division by Hitler, despite his lack of practical experience in armored operations. The 7th armored division belongs to the 15 armored army commanded by General Hoss, and is ready to invade the low countries and France.

On may 1940, the Germans invaded western Europe. The 7th Armored Division swept Belgium and France like lightning. On may 13, the 7th armored division crossed the meuse river after fierce fighting. May, 15, passing through Philippsville. On May 2 1 day, Rommel's troops had crossed Cambre and Lecat and arrived in Arras, where they were stopped by about 70 tanks of two British tank regiments, some of which were Mathilda II tanks that German 37mm anti-tank guns could not penetrate. Just as the British tanks killed a large number of German infantry and anti-tank guns, Rommel ordered the Germans to use 88 mm anti-aircraft guns for lateral shooting, which achieved good results.

On May 26th, the 7th Armored Division moved on and captured Lille, one of the largest industrial cities in France. This action put half of the 1 legion in trouble. On June 5, Rommel ordered his armored division to cross the Somme River along two railway bridges that have not been destroyed. At this point, the speed of the 7th Armored Division is already 40-50 miles per day on average. On June 10, Rommel's troops finally reached the English Channel near Dieppe. /kloc-in the early morning of June, the 7th armored division crossed the Seine River on a bridge in Rouen from the French army, and then galloped south. /kloc-in June of 0/7, the 7th armored division began to attack Cherbourg on the way, and captured this important deep-water port in France in June of 0/9. On June 25th, the French campaign ended. During the French campaign, the 7th Armored Division won the title of "Devil's Division".

Rommel always likes to follow the reconnaissance troops when commanding the 7th armored division. He thinks it is very important for a commander to get close to his soldiers frequently, and this habit has been brought to the battlefield in North Africa. Rommel sometimes deliberately ignored the orders of his superiors. He realized that the high command sometimes did not deal with them according to the actual situation, so Rommel often carried out his own orders first and then reported to his superiors after completion. Rommel's staff didn't agree with Rommel's behavior, and more often they couldn't find him at all. In a letter to his wife Lucy, Rommel called the French campaign "a shining trip to France".

1940- 1943

After the fall of France, Rommel continued his military career. He was promoted to lieutenant general and was recalled to Berlin in February as the commander of the German African Corps. On February 12, Rommel was ordered to arrive in Tripoli. The African Legion consists of two divisions, whose task is to support the Italian allied forces that have been fighting the British army in North Africa in June 1940 and June 194 1. From 65438+February to 401,the British drove them out of Egypt and the Italians were driven back to Libya.

1941February 14, Rommel's vanguard, the 5th light armored division, was equipped and landed in Tripoli. Rommel realized that the Italians were demoralized by being defeated by the British, and he met with the Italian commander. On February 24th, the German Afrika Korps fought the British army for the first time in the east of Tripoli. On March 3 1, the African Legion launched a successful attack on the British army in Brega. Rommel dealt a heavy blow to the British army with his successful lightning tactics in France. The African Legion continued to pursue the retreating British troops eastward, all the way to cyrenaica and captured Benghazi.

On April 13, Rommel's troops bypassed the port fortress and conquered badia, and then occupied Salem, the first city on the western border of Egypt, on April 15. Rommel's attack forced Britain and its allies to retreat to the bloody fortress. From April 1 1 to April 13, Rommel tried to capture the bloody sand for the first time, but failed. Bloody sand has an important strategic position in the whole North African front.

Rommel's second attempt to occupy the bloody sand was from April 30th to May 2nd. Because of his cunning tactics, his enemies and friends called him "the fox in the desert". From mid-April to mid-June, the British army also launched some small-scale attacks, but suffered heavy losses under the attack of the powerful German 88 mm artillery and was forced to withdraw from the defensive position. 194 1 June, neither the British nor the German and Italian armies could launch an attack, and both sides had to strengthen their defensive positions. In Germany, the propaganda organization shaped Rommel into an invincible general.

1943- 1944

1943 From March to July, Rommel had to stay with his wife and son because of his serious illness. 10 In July, he was appointed as the German commander in Greece, but was recalled to Berlin soon. Then Rommel participated in the German suppression of the Italian government's defection to the Allies, and a large number of German troops flooded into Italy, disarming the Italian army. 165438+1At the beginning of October, Rommel was appointed as the Italian commander, and this position was quickly replaced by General Kesselring. 1in late October, Rommel left Italy and returned to Germany.

In early February, Hitler officially appointed Rommel to inspect all coastal fortifications across the sea from the north to Britain. On June 365438+February 3 1 day, Rommel was appointed as the commander of army group b, and the commander-in-chief of this army group was Marshal Ernst. Rommel inspected the fortifications along the coast from Holland to Bordeaux, which is the famous "Atlantic Barrier". In order to prevent the allied forces from landing, Rommel specially designed obstacles for air defense, which are called Rommel Wenzhu. There are many obstacles on the beach and large mine belts. Due to the successful deception of the allied forces, the Germans have serious differences in the key areas of beach defense. Rommel misjudged the possible landing site of the allies. 1June 6, 944, the allied forces landed on the Normandy line. A few days later, the allied forces completely controlled the beachhead position and expanded in depth.

Although Rommel temporarily blocked the British attack on the periphery of Caen, and the SS armored division 12 destroyed more than 0/00 tanks of the British army/KLOC-0, the Germans finally could not hold on under the attack of the allied air force. When the Allied tanks flooded the German defense lines, Rommel's belief in Germany's victory disappeared, and he began to doubt whether it was necessary for Germany to continue the war. On July 1944, Rommel's car was hit in an air raid, and Rommel was seriously injured and had to leave the front line. German anti-Hitler officers tried to persuade Rommel to join their camp. Although Rommel lost hope for the war, he never directly participated in anti-Hitler activities (there have been great differences in the views of western historians on this issue).

1On July 20th, 944, the German anti-Hitler organization planned an explosion and tried to assassinate Hitler, but the action failed. This incident implicated many senior generals and officers, including Rommel. On August 8th, Rommel was transferred from a French hospital to Herringian Villa in his hometown of Swabia. 12 In August, Hitler was arrested for plotting to assassinate one of his important members, Gothard, and Rommel's name was on the relevant documents found in his box. Hofacker, another member of this organization, also confirmed to Hitler's secret police that Rommel supported the assassination of Hitler.

194410 June 14, Hitler's first adjutant burgdorf conveyed Hitler's orders to Rommel. Rommel had two choices: commit suicide or be arrested and tried. Rommel chose the former and committed suicide by taking poison with dignity. 18 June 18, Hitler ordered a state funeral for Rommel and observed a day of silence.

(Source: World War II Frontline)