When the “Desert Fox” was trapped

By Ahmet Abdulaziz….

Last week , while surfing the movies on the internat regarding the Second World War, I came across some wonderful write ups regarding the “The Desert Fox”. The generation who lived through the Second World War,  knew him very well. Even my generation, born after the end of the War, have heard a lot about him.

Yes I am talking about Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. one of the mıost celebrated Generals of Germany, who is well known for his unorthodox war tactics. He proved himself as a genius, while leading the Afrika Korps, in the northern African  deserts. The Allied forces suffered heavy losses, in the vast desert areas of Libya, just because Rommel went out for an all out attack strategy, with limited resources, when he was supposed to being defensive. His bravery and tactical genius, resulted in very heavy losses for Allied Forces.

His brilliant performance in the war led to Hitler promoting him to the rank of Field Marshall. Subsequent to his great performance in African deserts, in 1943  he was put in command of the  “Atlantic Wall” defences along the coast of France. The Germans had sensed that one day the Allied Forces would try to land on the French beaches, to gain an entry back into France. Hitler wanted Rommel to make such possible landings impossible.

It was during this period when Rommel, started sensing the inevitable as he realised that it was not possible for Germany to achieve her goals of capture and domination of countries. While travelling around Germany, he realised that the German people had suffered great losses, and their moral was fast going down.

Rommel realised the need to change the policies so far applied by Hitler, but he knew that it was not possible. He came into contact with some other people, who too had thought that Germany would not be able to succeed in the end with Hitlers policies. They all wanted to work for a peaceful Germany, minus Hitler.

On 17th July 1944, Rommel was injured, and pulled back to rest in his home. Hitler survived an attempt on his life on 20th July and that particular attempt on the life of Hitler changed everything for Rommel. His name was mentioned in the secret list of members of the conspiracy. “The Desert Fox” was trapped and caught.

There are doubts about his direct involvement in the plot of assasination of Hitler but he was associated with people who wanted a new order in Germany and did not want the war anymore. That was sufficient evidence to put him in the list of the conspirators.

However, the biggest problem for Hitler was how to eliminate Rommel, without letting people know. Declaring a celebrated General and Field Marshall  as a conspirator, and to put him in front of the firing squad, was not easy for Hitler to do. He did not want the German people to know that he had ordered the death of Rommel, so he made an another plan.

Trapped, “The Desert Fox” was given two options and he was asked either to face public trial, or commit suicide. Very much aware of the situation, Rommel decided to accept the second option. He knew that in a public trial, he did not have any chance, particulary with Hitler in control of everything.

Hitler offered Rommel, that if he agrees to commit suicide, he would be honoured as Field Marshall and his death was to be announced due to his injuries, and his family would not suffer.

According to the plan, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, died of poison, on 14th October 1944. The official statement mentioned that he succumbed from his injuries.