Rommel in the Desert

Page 5 of 7

• 1. Man of promise
• 2. Surprise element
• 3. Battles of Gazala and El Alamein
• 4. Opponents' view
• 5. Lucky breaks
• 6. Ultimate failure
• 7. Find out more
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Lucky breaks

He was lucky in that when he made mistakes he was frequently left unpunished by the less responsive British commanders. And he thrived as an independent commander in North Africa, operating with considerable freedom, unlike German commanders on the Eastern Front. He did not, however, work well in coalition with his Italian partners, whom he often treated with contempt.

'... Rommel thrived as an independent commander ...'

Some of his success can also be explained by factors other than his personality. The famous Afrika Korps of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions was a fine example of the expertise in armoured warfare of the German Army. Since the 1930s, this army had developed a sound doctrine of warfare, and created powerful Panzer divisions of tanks, infantry and artillery. These formations were 'glued' together by comprehensive radio communications, and powerfully supported by tactical airpower. It was little wonder that these units proved difficult to beat.

Much of Rommel's 'fingertip feel' for the battlefield was due to his excellent signals intelligence. Signals Intercept Company 621, which listened into British radio transmissions, provided him with unparalleled tactical insights, and was actually responsible for many of his most striking successes. During 1942, the US Military Attaché in Cairo, through transmissions decrypted by Italian intelligence, gave him invaluable operational intelligence. When these sources were discovered and stopped by the British in 1942, his tactical feel was never again as accomplished.

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Published: 2004-05-10