Erwin Rommel: Desert Fox

Comparative Book Review
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Ganesh Ramaprasad

A.P.Euro 5th

03/13/2009

In November of 1891 one of the best Nazi general ever was born in Heidenheim, his name was Erwin Rommel. His parents' names were Helene and Erwin. In 1910 Rommel enlisted in number 124-infantry regiment. He slowly made up the ranks to become a Field Marshall in Africa. David Fraser in Knights Cross: A Life of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel and David Irving in The trail of the fox: A Life of Field- Marshall Erwin Rommel, talk about the life of Erwin Rommel, his involvement in the wars in Africa and most importantly his controversial death. Although both the authors writing styles are quite strikingly similar, their opinions on Rommel’s death are varied.

David John Cawdell Irving (1938-present) is a British writer specializing in the military history of World War II. Irving, along with his twin brother, was born in Hutton, near Brentwood, Essex, England. His father, John James Cawdell Irving, was a commander in the Royal Navy, and his mother, Beryl, an illustrator. After completing A-levels at Brentwood School, Irving briefly studied physics (though never graduated, due to financial reasons[8]) at Imperial College London. He gained notoriety by writing for the student newspaper Phoenix and in 1959 served as editor of the University of London Carnival Committee's journal, Carnival Times. His interpretations of the Third Reich have proved highly controversial due to allegations of undue sympathy for the Third Reich and anti-Semitism, and because of his involvement in the Holocaust denial movement. After being deported and arrested from several countries, today Irving takes part in rallies to sympathize the Third Reich.

General Sir David William Fraser GCB OBE (b. 1920) was Vice Chief of the General Staff in the British Army 1972-74, and a prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction. Fraser served in the British Army from 1940 until 1980. Today he still lives in London. Although both Fraser and Irving start to talk about Rommel from his birth, Irving mainly stress on Rommel's childhood and teenage years whereas Fraser stresses on Rommel's main involvement in World War I. In spite of the differences both authors make good efforts to describe the childhood of Erwin Rommel. The following is a small briefing of Rommel's life as described in Irving’s book: At the age of 14, Rommel and a friend built a full-scale glider that was able to fly short distances. Young Erwin considered becoming an engineer and would throughout his life display extraordinary technical aptitude; however, much to his family's dismay, young Rommel joined the local 124th Württemberg Infantry Regiment as an officer cadet in 1910 and, shortly after, was sent to the Officer Cadet School in Danzig. He graduated on 15 November 1911, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in January 1912. As stated in the above paragraph Fraser starts talking about World War I after a brief description of Rommel's childhood. Fraser states that Rommel fought in France, as well as in Romania (see: Romanian Campaign) and Italy (see: Italian Campaign), initially as a member of the 6th Württemberg Infantry Regiment, and through most of the war in the Württemberg Mountain Battalion of the élite Alpenkorps. While serving with that unit, he gained a reputation for making quick tactical decisions and taking advantage of enemy confusion. He was wounded three times and awarded the Iron Cross; First and Second Class. Rommel also received Prussia's highest medal, the Pour le Mérite after fighting in the mountains of west Slovenia '' Battles of the Isonzo '' Soca front. The award came as a result of the Battle of Longarone, and the capture of Mount Matajur, Slovenia, and its defenders, numbering 150 Italian officers, 9,000 men, and 81 pieces of artillery. His battalion used chemical warfare gas during the battles of the Isonzo and also played a key role in the victory of the Central Powers over the Italian Army at the Battle of Caporetto. Interestingly, Rommel for a time served in the same infantry regiment as Friedrich Paulus, both of whom were to preside over catastrophic defeats for the Third Reich in their own markedly different ways. Although both Irving and Fraser did not talk about much of post- World War I Rommel but both of them stated in their books that Rommel was involved with Adolf Hitler, who placed him in charge of the War Ministry liaison with the Hitler Jugend's (Hitler Youth), Headquarters of Military Sports, the Hitler Jugend branch involved with paramilitary activities, primarily terrain exercises and marksmanship. Rommel applied himself energetically to the new task. This helped build a good relationship between Rommel and Hitler. Both the authors talk about how Rommel went up in the ranks to become a Field-Marshall. Fraser describes the Siege of Tobruk as the most epic battle fought in Africa during World War II. But Irving disagreed by saying that the Battle of Almeina, was the most important of all the battles fought in Africa. Not to be stereotypical, since both the authors are experienced in some kind of way with warfare, they don’t tend to agree with each other on some particular topic. Also Irving discusses on how the life of Erwin Rommel started to change once the Nazis lost in Africa. On important point that both the authors make in their respective book, is that Hitler did not heed to the advices given to him by Rommel relating to the wars fought in Europe, as Rommel was only experienced in warfare being fought in a dessert. Of all the important events of life, even Rommel's death was significant and controversial. Although both authors have varied opinions on how Rommel died, but they both agree that the failed assassination attempt led to his death. However Irving also believes that all of his superiors used the failed assassination on Hitler as an opportunity to accuse Rommel, as he was Hitler’s most favorite general. However according to Fraser Hitler used the situation to kill Rommel because Rommel always protested against the activities of Hitler, such as the persecution of the Jews and the torture of the POW’s. Both the authors end their books briefing on the achievements of Rommel. The books were very informative as they portrayed the life of Rommel. The books can be read by an AP student trying to get information on Rommel. Although Irving wrote the biography in a more story-like method, he uses extensive vocabulary which might need a use of the dictionary. On the other hand Fraser wrote the biography to be read for classroom purposes. Even though both the authors wrote on the same subject their views, opinions, and sources differ from each other.