Desert Fox: The Storied Military Career of Erwin Rommel - Hardcover

by Samuel W. Mitcham (Author)

Just who was Erwin Rommel?

War hero or war criminal? Hitler flunky or man of integrity? Military genius or just lucky?

Now, bestselling military historian Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. gets to the heart of the mysterious figure respected and even admired by the people of the Allied nations he fought against. Mitcham recounts Rommel's improbable and meteoric military career, his epic battles in North Africa, and his fraught relationship with Hitler and the Nazi Party. Desert Fox: The Storied Military Career of Erwin Rommel reveals:

- How Rommel's victories in North Africa were sabotaged by Hitler's incompetent interference
- How Rommel burned orders telling him to commit war crimes
- Why it wouldn't have helped Patton if he really had read Rommel's book
- How Rommel was responsible for the Germans' defense against the D-Day landing
- Why the plot to overthrow Hitler was fatally compromised when Rommel was gravely injured in an Allied attack
- The reason Rommel agreed to commit suicide after his part in the plot was discovered by Hitler

Mitcham's gripping account of Rommel's life takes you through the amazing adventure of the World War II battles in North Africa. Again and again, Rommel outfoxed the Allies--until the war of attrition and Hitler's blunders doomed the Axis cause. Illustrated with dozens of historical photos, this illuminating biography paints a fascinating and tragic picture of the man known as the Desert Fox.

Author Biography

SAMUEL W. MITCHAM JR. is a military historian who has written extensively on the Civil War South, including his book It Wasn't About Slavery. A U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, he remained active in the reserves, qualifying through the rank of major general. A former visiting professor at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, he has appeared on the History Channel, CBS, NPR, and the BBC. He lives with his family in Monroe, Louisiana.