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On this day, German General Erwin Rommel arrives in Tripoli, Libya, with the newly formed Afrika Korps, to reinforce the beleaguered Italians’ position.
In January 1941, Adolf Hitler established the Afrika Korps for the explicit purpose of helping his Italian Axis partner maintain territorial gains in North Africa. “[F]or strategic, political, and psychological reasons, Germany must assist Italy in Africa,” the Fuhrer declared. The British had been delivering devastating blows to the Italians; in three months they pushed the Italians out of Egypt while wounding or killing 20,000 Italian soldiers and taking another 130,000 prisoner.
Having commanded a panzer division in Germany’s successful French and Low Countries’ campaigns, General Rommel was dispatched to Libya along with the new Afrika Korps to take control of the deteriorating situation. Until that time, Italian General Ettore Bastico was the overall commander of the Axis forces in North Africa—which included a German panzer division and the Italian armored division. Rommel was meant to command only his Afrika Korps and an Italian corps in Libya, but he wound up running the entire North African campaign.
The German soldiers of the Afrika Korps found adapting to the desert climate initially difficult; Rommel found commanding his Italian troops, who had been used to an Italian commander, difficult as well. When Hitler, preoccupied with his plans for his Soviet invasion, finally gave the go-ahead for an offensive against British positions in Egypt, Rommel’s forces were stopped dead in their tracks and then forced to retreat. In the famous battle of El Alamein, the British Eighth Army—beginning in October 23, 1942—surprised the German commander with its brute resolve, and pushed him and his Afrika Korps back across and out of North Africa. (Ironically, the Arabs celebrated Rommel, called “the Desert Fox,” as a liberator from British imperialism.) Retreat followed retreat, and Rommel finally withdrew from North Africa entirely and returned to Europe in March of 1943, leaving the Afrika Korps in other hands.
In January 1941, Adolf Hitler established the Afrika Korps for the explicit purpose of helping his Italian Axis partner maintain territorial gains in North Africa. “[F]or strategic, political, and psychological reasons, Germany must assist Italy in Africa,” the Fuhrer declared. The British had been delivering devastating blows to the Italians; in three months they pushed the Italians out of Egypt while wounding or killing 20,000 Italian soldiers and taking another 130,000 prisoner.
Having commanded a panzer division in Germany’s successful French and Low Countries’ campaigns, General Rommel was dispatched to Libya along with the new Afrika Korps to take control of the deteriorating situation. Until that time, Italian General Ettore Bastico was the overall commander of the Axis forces in North Africa—which included a German panzer division and the Italian armored division. Rommel was meant to command only his Afrika Korps and an Italian corps in Libya, but he wound up running the entire North African campaign.
The German soldiers of the Afrika Korps found adapting to the desert climate initially difficult; Rommel found commanding his Italian troops, who had been used to an Italian commander, difficult as well. When Hitler, preoccupied with his plans for his Soviet invasion, finally gave the go-ahead for an offensive against British positions in Egypt, Rommel’s forces were stopped dead in their tracks and then forced to retreat. In the famous battle of El Alamein, the British Eighth Army—beginning in October 23, 1942—surprised the German commander with its brute resolve, and pushed him and his Afrika Korps back across and out of North Africa. (Ironically, the Arabs celebrated Rommel, called “the Desert Fox,” as a liberator from British imperialism.) Retreat followed retreat, and Rommel finally withdrew from North Africa entirely and returned to Europe in March of 1943, leaving the Afrika Korps in other hands.
Rommel in Africa - Feb 12, 1941 - HISTORY.com
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The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK About this sound listen (help·info)) was the German expeditionary force in Africa...
Thanks for reminding us TSgt Joe C. that on February 12, 1941 the Desert Fox AKA Field General Erwin Rommel was active in North Africa.
"The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK About this sound listen (help·info)) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The term "Afrika Korps" is actually pseudo-German (sometimes called "cod-German"), deriving from an incomplete German title, which was in any case written as a single word. The German term referred solely to the initial formation, the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK), which formed part of the Axis command of the German and Italian forces in North Africa. However, the name stuck, with both news media and Allied soldiers, as the name for all subsequent German units in North Africa. The reputation of the Afrika Korps is closely associated with that of its original commander, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel.
The Afrika Korps formed upon Adolf Hitler's personal orders on 11 January 1941 and Erwin Rommel was designated as commander the following day. Rommel himself landed on African soil in Libya on 14 February 1941, ahead of his troops. The German Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW) had decided to send a "blocking force" (Sperrverband) to Libya to support the Italian army. The Italian army group had been routed by the British Commonwealth Western Desert Force in Operation Compass (9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941). The German "blocking force", commanded by Rommel, at first consisted of a force based only on Panzer-Regiment 5, which was quickly cobbled together from the second regiment of the 3.Panzer Division plus various small ancillary units, such as water treatment and medical care. These elements were organized into the 5th Light Division when they arrived in Africa from 10 February – 12 March 1941. In late April and into May, the 5th Light Division was joined, piecemeal, by various elements of 15th Panzer Division, transferred from Italy, though this division was not complete until after Rommel had made a counter-offensive, re-taken most of Cyrenaica and then subsequently gone back over to the defensive. At this time, the Afrika Korps consisted of the two divisions, plus various smaller supporting units, and was officially subordinated to the Italian chain of command in Africa, an organisation that Rommel had not troubled for authorisation when he initiated his offensive.
On 15 August 1941, the German 5. leichte Division was redesignated 21st Panzer Division (commonly written as 21.PD), the higher formation of which was still the Afrika Korps."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f7fw0t9AtM
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
"The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK About this sound listen (help·info)) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The term "Afrika Korps" is actually pseudo-German (sometimes called "cod-German"), deriving from an incomplete German title, which was in any case written as a single word. The German term referred solely to the initial formation, the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK), which formed part of the Axis command of the German and Italian forces in North Africa. However, the name stuck, with both news media and Allied soldiers, as the name for all subsequent German units in North Africa. The reputation of the Afrika Korps is closely associated with that of its original commander, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel.
The Afrika Korps formed upon Adolf Hitler's personal orders on 11 January 1941 and Erwin Rommel was designated as commander the following day. Rommel himself landed on African soil in Libya on 14 February 1941, ahead of his troops. The German Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW) had decided to send a "blocking force" (Sperrverband) to Libya to support the Italian army. The Italian army group had been routed by the British Commonwealth Western Desert Force in Operation Compass (9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941). The German "blocking force", commanded by Rommel, at first consisted of a force based only on Panzer-Regiment 5, which was quickly cobbled together from the second regiment of the 3.Panzer Division plus various small ancillary units, such as water treatment and medical care. These elements were organized into the 5th Light Division when they arrived in Africa from 10 February – 12 March 1941. In late April and into May, the 5th Light Division was joined, piecemeal, by various elements of 15th Panzer Division, transferred from Italy, though this division was not complete until after Rommel had made a counter-offensive, re-taken most of Cyrenaica and then subsequently gone back over to the defensive. At this time, the Afrika Korps consisted of the two divisions, plus various smaller supporting units, and was officially subordinated to the Italian chain of command in Africa, an organisation that Rommel had not troubled for authorisation when he initiated his offensive.
On 15 August 1941, the German 5. leichte Division was redesignated 21st Panzer Division (commonly written as 21.PD), the higher formation of which was still the Afrika Korps."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f7fw0t9AtM
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
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Thanks TSgt Joe C.. That was very interesting. I wonder if that part in “Patton” where he calls Rommel a magnificent bastard, is true.
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LTC Wayne Brandon
While it is possible and even probable that Patton made this statement, the book the movie portrayed "The Tank Attack" was never finished by Rommel so there is no way that statement was made concerning tank tactics rather it was more likely he read Rommel's book "The Infantry Attack" and was referring to that. What the movie did get right was his disgust of what a waste the tactic made of infantry since the German infantry used their tanks as shields while moving across the open desert which will work if the defense is predominately infantry. It does not work well when direct and indirect armor and or artillery fire are brought to bear as the tanks will need to increase their speed and begin maneuvering to avoid incoming fire leaving the infantry now exposed to both heavy weapons and small arms fire in addition to tank, mortar and / or artillery fire.
What seems improbable is that Patton did not know Rommel was on the battlefield that day as suggested in the movie as Rommel was fighting in Egypt.
Given Patton's habit for knowing who and where his enemy was or was likely to be through reliable intelligence, he would not have made that mistake.
There is a lot of debate about how true this statement is and is probably anyones guess.
If in fact it is true, it would likely be found in one of the books of the set entitled "The Patton Papers".
What seems improbable is that Patton did not know Rommel was on the battlefield that day as suggested in the movie as Rommel was fighting in Egypt.
Given Patton's habit for knowing who and where his enemy was or was likely to be through reliable intelligence, he would not have made that mistake.
There is a lot of debate about how true this statement is and is probably anyones guess.
If in fact it is true, it would likely be found in one of the books of the set entitled "The Patton Papers".
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