Product Description

Early in 1941, the famed British Eighth Army was on the route to victory in North Africa. Just a few months later, this same army was on the verge of total defeat, as the Germans had won victory after victory and were threatening to overrun Egypt and the Middle East.

Here is the classic biography of the man who masterminded this great turnabout, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, commander of the German Afrika Korps. The man who burned Hitler's order to execute British raiders and who gave Allied prisoners the same food and medical treatment as his German troops. The tough general who personally conducted reconnaissance under fire in an open car while his tank commanders hid in armored turrets.

The author of this book, Brigadier General Desmond Young, fought against Rommel in North Africa, was captured by him, and after his release at the end of the war visited Rommel's family and talked with many of his fellow officers. Thus, he is able to tell us about intrigues that went on in the German High Command during the war, he is able to give a blow-by-blow description of such decisive battles as Tobruk and El Alamein, and he is able to give personal anecdotes about Rommel and to sort out the facts from the legends that have sprung up around this extraordinary general.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1380682 in Books
• Published on: 1987-02-18
• Released on: 1987-02-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Customer Reviews

Good read but not too accurate
Written by a soldier who has experienced first hand the desert war, naturally makes this book a good read. However it was written just after WW2 and there was much myth and confusion surrounding the figure of Rommel himself. A standard biography during its time(churchill constantly refers to this book in his WW2 memoirs), however time and research has revealed that Young's portrayal of Rommel's character is not so accurate. For example he says that Rommel was humble and disliked publicity but we now know that the Desert Fox was quite vain, courted publicity and exploited it. The best book on Rommel is I beleive, David Irving's "On the trail of the FOX". The book reads like an explosive novel and I finished the book in one night. Fraser's "knight's cross" is also very detailed although it is not as exiting a read as Irving's book.

A fascinating account a WW II general
Desmond Young, a general in the British army, writes a truly magnificent story of Rommel, his accomplishments, failures - both personal and professional, his emotional journey toward realizing the demon that he was part of, and his tragic end.

Young superbly depicts a realistic picture of that era and at times makes the reader feel they are present in the desert watching the game of war.

With his command of the English language, his personal experience of WWII, he argues that it is not the German qualities the rest of the world despises, but the frequent abuse of them by their rulers in the past.

A brilliant insight into Romel.
Written by a british officer who fought and was captured by Rommel in the deseret. The author goes to all the human limits of reserch to find and interview anyone who ever knew Rommel personaly. He goes to great lengths to tell us the personality of Rommel and his impact on those who surrounded him. A MUST for any WWII historian or buff. If you have never read a book on Rommel before, Start with this one.