Most overrated german wwII person?

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#1

Got idea for this from another thread…

IMO, Rommel is the most overrated commander of the WWII.

Man who doesn’t care about supply limitations, or intelligence information when it’s against his views, or drives around desert ignoring leading his troops, or never gives enough information to HQ, etc etc. is not suited to be a commander.

Excellent captain or something like that, but a commander, not.

Without Westphal and other commanders overriding most of the Rommel’s makes-no-sense commands they would have been slaughtered in the desert.

#2

Cant argue with that because I agree with you. I think he is an example of a company commander gone too far. Manstein he was not!

#3

Hess.

What was up with him? Supposed to be high up in Hitler’s staff but only known for flying to Britain at the Hieght of Germany’s power. What did he actualy do other than defect?

#4

Played a lot of patience in Spandau.

#5

Seems he didnt do very much except be a lapdog:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/biographies/apr-hess-cal.htm

#6

The Austrian Corporal did rather over-rate himself…

#7

I agree with this. Rommel “The Desert Fox” believed he and his depleting, low morale forces were invincible. Well, stuborness leads to defeat, and Rommel got a taste of Patton’s.

#8

Rommel got a taste of Pattons what? I didnt even know the 2 had met!

#9

They did in North Afrika.

#10

Er, at Kasserine? Then I think Patton may have been the receiver!

#11

Kasserine Pass- US were defeated badly.

USA

6,054 dead or wounded
3,700 captured
315 tanks
706 vehicles

Germany

352 dead or wounded
258 captured
34 tanks

#12

The kasserine battle was such a major defeat for the U.S that its not even mentioned in most text books. The germans were defeated by Patton’s boys in tunisia. I really dont know much about the Afrika Corps though, so I might be off a bit.

#13

ahem… The english armies by far did the most to defeat the afrika korps, since 1941.
US troops were an afterthought, and came when the korps’ four divisions were depleted as hell in 1943. Patton’s Tunisa campaign bagged far more italians then germans, anyways.

#14

Ah, now I see. The British were the first to attack Rommel’s Korps, but ended up losing more men and armor than the Germans, hence they asked for U.S support to finish mopping the A.K up.

6,054 dead or wounded
3,700 captured
315 tanks
706 vehicles

Germany

352 dead or wounded
258 captured
34 tanks

Now thats a hell of a defeat! Are these accurate statistics?

#15

The British were already on the offensive against the Afrika Korps when the Torch landings (and there were Brits involved in those landings too, don’t forget) took place. The US only had a very small part in the North Africa campaign.

#16

I rather thought it was the Eight Army that saved the US, anyway here is a link to get you going on the US in N Africa:

http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/kasserine.htm

#17

The British always say that Kaserine was a defeat for the US and usualy add that “us Brits saved your arse…etc, etc” when in actual fact Kaserine, although deeply embarassing for the US, especialy Patton, was not a German victory. Much like Dieppe for the British Kaserine was a useful blooding for the US which meant that they were able to go on to win much larger battles later.

#18

Dieppe was a raid designed purely to annoy the Germans then withdraw - Kassarine Pass was the main moment of a massive German attack against American troops which was a massive defeat for the US.

#19

I’d agree with that.

#20

Dieppe was a raid designed purely to annoy the Germans then withdraw - Kassarine Pass was the main moment of a massive German attack against American troops which was a massive defeat for the US.[/quote]

I also agree with this. Elements of the truth in both statements in my opinion. Tricky thing war.