Infantry Attacks Wonderful! Infantry Attacks is a very good read very tough to put down. Rommel gives the reader a personal view of command that is rare in books about WWI. His compassion for his men and his icy cold view of battle combine into a very compelling account of his early learning curve. Highly recommended.
Crisp informative and wellwritten Worm'seye view of infantry combat in the First World War. Rommel's tactical boldness has applications beyond military improvisation training and determination are easy to glean from this work.
Rommel on Infantry Rommel on InfantryErwin Rommel wrote this book originally titled Infanterie Greift An Infantry Attacks in which he examined and analyzed the many battles he fought in during First World War. It was published in 1937 and became essential reading for both German and allied commanders during World War II. Recounting his First World War experiences and lessons learned Rommel does for tactics in Infantry Attacks what Manstein did for operations and campaigns in
Infantry Excellence I purchased Rommel's book because of its historical significance expecting a dry military reference. I am delighted to report that 'Infanterie Greift An' is far more than that. Rommel was in fact quite a story teller probably recognizing that a book of exciting infantry action would sell far better to a general audience than a dry tract on military tactics. If there is any doubt of this there are Rommel's letters to his wife while he was fighting in the desert in World War II. Time and again he asks her how the sales of his book are going. A military tract would have a small limited audience. Rommel clearly hoped for a broader readership.If anyone else were telling such amazing tales of military adventure and success I would suspect considerable embellishment and outright lies. In Rommel's case however judging by the awarding of the 'Pour Le Merit' and his future performance in the deserts of North Africa it is obvious that Rommel is reporting the facts exactly as he sees them.His success is all the more remarkable when we recognize how young Rommel was. He started the Great War at 22 or 23 and during his amazing success against the Roumanians and especially the Italians he could have been no older than 25 or 26. Even then Rommel was the very picture of military aggression and calculation. He is never satisfied to rest triumphantly on a captured position. He always considers the best possibilities of discomfiting the enemy still further.His is a study of military stealth and subterfuge. If conditions warrant he is quite capable of a calculated charge into fire. Usually however he is able to determine less dangerous oftentimes more effective options. Pin the enemy down on one flank and then using his main force advance far into his rear even if such an advance should entail incredible exertion and heroism on the part of his obviously superb troops. It is better to sweat than to bleed. Of course Rommel's confidence in the quality of his soldatens' training and courage is a major component in Rommel's success. Time and again his relatively few soldiers capture huge numbers of enemy troops and mountains of material with relatively low casualties to themselves or the enemy.The last sentences of his book are an indirect criticism of headquarters macrotactics and strategy. He is 'PeterPrincipled' and taken from the front where he has been a devastating success and turned into a staff officer where his contribution is definitionally less impressive. He complains that his 'own' magnificent mountain troopstroops he lead against the Roumanians and Italiansare done to death in pointless trench warfare in France.In reading Rommel's book of WW I infantry and mountain troop action we recognize that much of Rommel's excellence is due to some freedom and independence of action an area in which Rommel clearly excelled.
Rommel infantry Book arrived in great condition. It was a little hard to read at times and I am a big war buff. Lots of interesting facts and ideas. not a bad book just not great.
Not JUST a Tanker! While Erwin Rommel is justly famed for his ability to conduct armored warfare his introduction to combat operations took place in the First World War as an Infantry Commander. More specifically Rommel gained great experience and was a primary innovator in the field of MOUNTAIN warfare not only in the Alps against the French and Italians but also in the Balkans as well. As such he developed and exemplified the tactics and methods necessary to deal with enemy forces in a realm which not only included the usual two dimensions of land battle but the VERTICAL aspect as well.
Don't by this one in particular. I'm not sure about this one but a lot of infantry Attacks are just reprints of the hastily translated version with parts missing and sections cut that might embarrass the Allies printed in 1944.Attacks published by Athena press went back and translated the original book and isn't missing any maps or drawings it is also a lot better laid out.It is called 'Attacks' and not 'Infantry Attacks' and is also available on Amazon.But review wise on 'Attacks' that i am reading right now Five Starts and a half. Rommel inspires me and it is a great read.
Great insight Bearing in mind that1 The pictures on the front are of wwii stuff while this book is about wwi Why??2 Rommel fought on the evil side in not just one but two world wars3 He sounds like a notverynice chap4 It's obvious that there's a bit of self promotion going on hereI highly recommend this book. The man was clearly a military genius and I think this book gives you a bit of an insight into that. As an avid reader of military history and a wargamer I was inspired by this.Perhaps an interesting compare and contrast would be Slim's Defeat into victory
INFANTRY ATTACKS INFANTRY ATTACKSFIELD MARSHAL ERWIN ROMMELZENITH PRESS 2009QUALITY SOFTCOVER 288 PAGES MAPS $19.99INFANTRY ATTACKS in German INFANTERIE GREIFT AN is a classic book on military tactics written by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel about his experiences in World War I. Subtitled ERLEBNIS UND ERFAHRUNG it covers his engagements in Belgium and France 19141915 Romania 19161917 and Italy 1917. Each section is followed by Betrachtungen which point out the military lessons drawn from each action. In it were his Stoistruppen shock troops tactics which used speed deception and deep penetration into enemy territory to surprise and overwhelm.
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