Erwin Rommel was one of Germany's great military leaders during World War 2. He was nicknamed "The Desert Fox" by the British, because he constantly improved plans and used tricks to defeat enemies.
In 1941, Rommel was appointed by Hitler to be in charge of the German soldiers that were going to be fighting in North Africa. Some of Rommel's greatest achievements were his victories against the British in Gazala in May 1942, and the taking of Tobruk. His greatest defeat was at El Aghelia.
"What difference does it make if you have two tanks to my one, when you spread them out and let me smash them in detail?" - Erwin Rommel to a captured British officer
When Germans were starting to experience losses in North Africa, Rommel refused to follow Hitler’s commands to fight until the last German is killed. He not only respected his men so much that he disobeyed Hitler to save their lives, but he also believed that prisoners of war should be well looked after and not abused. This is an usual belief for a Nazi general to hold during wartime, because they usually lost their morals and became very corrupt.
“In view of the tenseness of the situation, and the sluggishness of the Italian command, I decided to ignore my orders and to take command at the front with my own hands as soon as possible - at the very latest after the arrival of the first German units.” Erwin Rommel
Rommel was known for his quick thinking, ability to use enemy's confusion to his advantage, and unusual tactics. A great example of this is when he dug 88mm Flak guns in a U-shaped formation in the ground. The Flak guns only appeared slightly over the sand, and then a tent was put around them to make them look like sand dunes. The Flak guns were able to shoot planes in the sky without the enemy pilots knowing where the shots are coming from. He also found blitzkrieg "lightening war" an effective tactic.
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