| | '''Erwin Rommel''' (1891-1944) was a German [[field marshal]] during [[World War II]]. He was nicknamed the "Desert Fox" for his tactical genius as commander of the [[Afrika Corps]] from 1941 to 1943. | | '''Erwin Rommel''' (1891-1944) was a German [[field marshal]] during [[World War II]]. He was nicknamed the "Desert Fox" for his tactical genius as commander of the [[Afrika Corps]] from 1941 to 1943. |
| − | Rommel was first noticed by [[Adolf Hitler]] in 1937. He was then appointed command of HQ of [[Czechoslovakia]] and then later in [[Poland]]. After this he was given command of the 7th [[Panzer]] division, because of his wonderful work at HQ. His army moved through [[France]] in June 1940 at a blistering pace, fitting the description of [[Blitzkrieg]]. After his great success in France he was appointed to command the newly formed Deutsches [[Afrika Korps]] and successfully drove the [[British 8th Army]] out of [[Libya]]. He later went on to [[El Alamein]], [[Egypt]], but had been hampered by a lack of supplies and was defeated. He was in charge of Army Group B in Normandy when the [[D-Day]] operation began, but was not present when the invasion itself began. After being wounded, he was implicated in the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. Given a choice between quietly committing suicide or going to trial, he chose suicide. | + | Rommel was first noticed by [[Adolf Hitler]] in 1937. He was then appointed command of HQ of [[Czechoslovakia]] and then later in [[Poland]]. After this he was given command of the 7th [[Panzer]] division, because of his wonderful work at HQ. His army moved through [[France]] in June 1940 at a blistering pace, fitting the description of [[Blitzkrieg]]. After his great success in France he was appointed to command the newly formed Deutsches [[Afrika Korps]] and successfully drove the [[British 8th Army]] out of [[Libya]]. He later went on to [[El Alamein]], [[Egypt]], but had been hampered by a lack of supplies and was defeated. He was in charge of Army Group B in Normandy when the [[D-Day]] operation began, but was not present when the invasion itself began. After being wounded, he was implicated in the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. Given a choice between reprisals against his family or quietly committing suicide, he chose suicide. |