Erwin Rommel in Africa

Erwin Rommel, German Field Marshal in Africa

Rommel. Beginning in Africa

Exactly 78 years ago, on March 30, 1941, Rommel's African Corps launched an offensive in North Africa. The Italians, who had suffered only defeats from the British army and the Italians, perked up.

Against the background of the horrors of war, the campaign in North Africa looks more attractive. Although both warring sides lost no less men and equipment in North Africa than on other fronts, many veterans retained positive memories of those battles. It cannot be said that all deaths are forgotten, but the former enemies to this day have conflicting feelings for each other and practically do not harbor hatred. The memories of the veterans of the "Battle in the Desert" are not at all like the memories of the participants in the battles on other fronts of the 2nd World War.

The reason for this state of affairs is as follows. Firstly, the desert in itself causes a mystical feeling in a person. Weather conditions in the desert are not very suitable for humans - the scorching heat of the day is replaced by a piercing night cold. Ferocious sandstorms can change the landscape beyond recognition for several hours. Countless flies, scorpions and sand vipers constantly attack man, causing him suffering and suffering jaundice and dysentery. In short, life in the desert is terrible. Soldiers on both sides suffered severely from natural factors, against which military operations no longer posed such a significant threat.

Secondly, there is practically no local population in the desert. Therefore, civilian casualties were minimal, and the military did not have to solve the moral dilemmas that are inevitable when fighting in densely populated areas. It was war in its purest form.

The personnel of the German troops

The personnel of the expeditionary corps of General Rommel and the 8th English Army considered themselves to belong to the military elite, and both sides cherished the honor of the uniform like the apple of their eye. Being in semi-isolation, both the Germans and the British relied only on themselves.

Last but not least, the desert war was fought "by the rules" and there are countless examples of both sides showing gentlemanly behavior towards each other. The North African campaign is the only campaign of the 2nd World War where the war crimes so characteristic of the European theater of operations were avoided. Both opposing armies were led by the best officers, who were respected not only by their own soldiers, but also by the soldiers of the enemy.

Tanks in Africa

The history of the combat operations of the German tank forces in North Africa is perceived by many analysts as a geostrategic mistake of the German leadership: being bound by the air war and the fight against partisans in the occupied countries, planning offensive operations on the eastern front, Germany, as it were, opened a second front for itself in Africa... Nevertheless, stubborn military operations were carried out in Africa, in a number of battles their result could significantly affect the position of the anti-Hitler coalition in this region.

Mussolini's attempt to expand Italy's African possessions ended by the end of 1940 in an almost complete failure. As a result of the defeats suffered by the British troops, there was a very real danger that the Italians would soon be expelled from Africa. However, Hitler considered it necessary to maintain this theater of operations in order to prolong the British presence here and thus attract here the manpower and material resources that could otherwise be used for the defense of England and military operations in Europe.
The German tank units had no experience in combat operations in the tropical semi-desert zone, so no measures were taken to repaint the vehicles and the Wehrmacht equipment was transported to Africa in the traditional dark gray monotone color (Panzer Grau). Since Erwin Rommel, commander of the Afrika Korps, insisted on an immediate attack by the British Eighth Army, the German vehicles involved in the first battles unfolding in Libya were still painted dark gray.
During the fighting, it turned out that a thick layer of dust that quickly covered vehicles and equipment in desert areas well hid their original color, which was too dark for the area, reducing the color contrast that appeared between them. As a result, the camouflage method became very common, in which the original dark gray color was completely smeared with liquid mud, and after it dried, the car received a kind of mud coating. Resourceful tankers deliberately "dusted" their vehicles, smearing them with water, oil or syrup, and then driving along the dust plumes raised by the column in front.

A month later, the German command took measures to stop "dust improvisations." Army Order HM 1941 No. 281 of March 17, 1941, prescribed that: instead of dark gray, all vehicles and equipment used in Africa should be painted in a basic yellow-brown color.

The desert war ended by May 1943 with the defeat of Mussolini's forces in Tunisia

Initially, the German expeditionary forces in North Africa were referred to as "Aufklarungsstab Rommel" ("Reconnaissance Headquarters Rommel"). After the intelligence headquarters was included in the arriving larger forces, on February 19, 1941, Hitler assigned to the expeditionary force its now legendary name - "Deutsches Afrikakorps". In the early stages of its existence, the DAK consisted of the following parts:
5 . Leichte Division
15 . Panzer Division
Auxiliary units and divisions:
Korpskartenstelle (m) 576 (corps cartographic group)
Oasen - Bataillon zbV 300 (water supply battalion)
PanzerJager Abteilung(m) 605 (tank destroyer battalion)
I Batterie/Flak Regiment (m) 18 (flak battery)
I Batterie / Flak Regiment ( m ) 33
Flak-Abteilung(m)606

The desert war ended by May 1943 with the defeat of Mussolini's forces and the African Corps and the surrender in Tunisia. The newest Tiger tanks did not help the Germans either.

[Clover]

Good research though, I'd maybe recommend a career in history just don't become like that one historian who's name I forgot but basically deliberately misinterprets evidence of the Holocaust

[Clover]

Least obsessed Rommelphile.

[ScaraMushroom]

Fun

[Charlie]

You should read "Patton and Rommel: Men of War in the 20th Century". It's a bit dated, but good.

[Akira Mado]

@Norway Duck Totally agree with your point of view

[Southern Duck]

@Joachim Peiper Okay, but still remember the army he fought for even if he lost and overall being the not worst person in Germany (I mean he died for his support for a attempted overthrow so yeah).

[Short People Consumer]

@Joachim Peiper Well he was killed in his part in the Assassination attempt on Hitler which was 85% him trying to further is position in the Reich

[Akira Mado]

@Norway Duck I think he is a very cool commander. I feel very sorry for him because it was Hitler who killed him

[Southern Duck]

@Joachim Peiper why unfortunately this is true?

[Akira Mado]

@Mittsohngradt Thanks for the comment mate