I have to go with Rommel…He did what he could with what he had…If only he had tried to do something about Hitler before the Valkeryie plot…does anyone know what Rommel personally thought of Hilter? Or was it just that he believed in the Nazi Party and Germany itself?
Rommel admired Hitler as a person and was less involved in the resistance movement as his enthusiasts would wish for.
He was an unquestioning retainer of Hitler, ignoring the inhuman essence of National Socialism.
Excerpt from a letter of Rommel written to his wife during the Polish campaign in September 1939: “It is just wonderful that we have this man…A magnetic, maybe hypnotic strength emanates from him…”.
I think most people do or did have a certain admiration for Rommel…I think his nickname was the Desert Fox…I have watched some programs about him on the military and history channels…His son is talking of the last time he was with his father after the plot failed…SS men came to Rommel’s home and basically gave him the option of a honorable way out…with morale the way it was at the time in Germany…I don’t Hitler thought he could survive executing Rommel…who was a national hero…He definitely didn’t deserve death…does anyone know of any good books or websites to research more about Rommel?
regards,
robbielynne
you can try;
Knight cross’: Life of Field marshall of Erwin Rommel, by Sir David Fraser
its a good book about him,. covers most of his aspect, from early time to his death.
Erich Meinstein…he gave his dedication to his countrymen…
If you would know shit about him, you wouldn’t have repeated the misspelling of his name!
In what way?
With the benefits of hindsight I would have to go with Patton. Many of the troops at the time might not have liked him on a personal level because of his rigid discipline and because he pushed his men hard but those are qualities that make a good General. He also realized that even if you lost 10% of your strength but accomplished your objective in one day it was better than suffering 1% casualties a day but spending two weeks gaining the same objective.
i gladly served with Erwin Rommel
Care to elaborate?
Don’t push him now! I think this here was his first post with more than three words.
I have a fondness for Wavell, he was constantly given tasks beyond the ability of his meagre forces yet carried them out.
Disliked by Churchill he was always going to be doomed as a field commander.
Of Wavell, Auchinleck wrote: "In no sense do I wish to infer that I found an unsatisfactory situation on my arrival - far from it. Not only was I greatly impressed by the solid foundations laid by my predecessor, but I was also able the better to appreciate the vastness of the problems with which he had been confronted and the greatness of his achievements, in a command in which some 40 different languages are spoken by the British and Allied Forces.
Perhaps Gen. Verbosity should be added to the list…
I’m surprised Guderian and Von Paulus were not included in the poll.
Equally, I’d have mentioned Galland, Bader, Harris, Spatz, and Doenitz, along with King, Somerville, Horton.
Polls like this imho don’t really achieve anything, other than the portrayal of the originator’s awareness of the level of post-war press/fame those named in the poll achieved.
One could, with much justice, mention the likes of Otto Skorzeny and David Sterling.
Innovative men, who, despite not having been General by rank, certainly achieved with often minimal equipment and great daring feats which their more augustly-reputed seniors would never have dared to attempt themselves.
Courage, inventiveness and daring are human qualities, not unique to one nation, nor one corner of this often troubled world.
Accordingly, it is rare indeed for me to vote in polls such as this, because all great men have great failings, great flaws: much like the rest of humanity surrounding them.
Kind and Respectful Regards, Uyraell.
Had I been called upon to serve in WW II, and been fortunate enough to be able to pick my CO, I would have chosen Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves.
He never held a combat command, never was assigned overseas, and never so much as saw an enemy soldier, yet he held an extremely important job, had the ear of General Marshall and the President, enjoyed absolute top priority in damn near everything, and to invoke his name opened just about any door one wished.
He was not particularly loved by those who served under him, but all respected his abilities, and most felt he was fair, extremely competent, and dedicated to getting the job done. Most importantly, he cared about his people and few, if any became casualties during the war.
I chose Patton, despite that he died in the most stupid possible way, he had huge balls, a big mouth and cared about his troops. I like his oldschool style and personality.
While I put down Gen. Patton, after all he did fight in the Punitive Expedition of 1916, even a shootout on rooftop with Villas men, there were still many great commanders like Halsy I’d had love to serve under. And even more at the lower ranks of Major or Col.
I prefer leaders who get out front and lead!!! Always have perfered those.
Deaf