Rommel’s Success in North Africa
On February 6, 1941, Rommel was appointed to head the Deutsches Afrika Korps or DAK. Troops, including the 15th Panzer division and the 5th Light division were being sent to North Africa to aid struggling Italian troops. This mission provided the nickname that remains in use for Rommel, “the desert fox”.
In late March, Rommel, in direct violation of his orders, went on the offensive. He had been ordered to stall and maintain a defensive position until the 15th Panzer division arrived. At this time, only the 5th Light division was present in North Africa.
The attack was effective, as it was entirely unexpected. He pushed forward, even as he received orders from the Germans and Italians to stop. Rommel moved on in an attempt to take control of the port city of Tobruk; however, this was ineffective. He requested reinforcements, but German officials refused. The British were briefly able to advance offensively, in Operation Battleaxe, before Rommel defeated British forces and retook lost land in Africa. In August 1941, Rommel was appointed commander of Panzer Group Africa. He held control over a larger number of troops in this role.
Over the coming months, the British made daring and successful advances against Rommel’s troops, forcing them to withdraw significantly. While withdrawal meant the loss of land, it also provided shorter and more efficient supply lines for Rommel’s troops. On January 5, 1942, Rommel, with new reinforcements, moved to offensive tactics against the British. By June 1942, Rommel had gained control of the port of Tabruk.
Axis successes were relatively short-lived, and by that October and November, the British had clear intelligence on German and Italian movements, and were successfully blocking the majority of supplies. British assaults were increasingly successful, and by the fall, Rommel attempted to retreat with his troops.
Rommel continued to retreat into Tunisia. His last battlefield success came in February 1943, against American forces at Kasserine Pass. Rommel returned to Germany in March 1943, and was later sent to Italy. The following year, Rommel managed preparations in Northern France for the coming invasion by the Allies. On July 17, 1944, Rommel was injured in an automobile accident; he suffered significant head injuries.