Rommel's Army In The Desert (Images Of War - Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives)

The long and arduous campaign for North Africa and Tunisia in the Middle Eastern Theatre never really achieved the same level of historical importance as the European campaigns of 1940 and 1944, yet in their own way they were just as invaluable. For the better part of two years since the declaration of war by Fascist Italy, this criminally under resourced theatre involving mainly British and Commonwealth Forces was wholly overlooked. However, That all changed after the Wehrmacht arrived in strength to support their Axis Partners long-term goals of occupying all of The Balkans (Greece, Crete etc) and North Africa. This small force with Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine elements in support was named officially by the Wehrmacht as the 'Deutsches Afrikakorps' or DAK and it remained operational from 1941 through to 1943. First Ordered to North Africa to help reinforce the badly under pressure Italians, the campaign was fought over some of the most inhospitable wartime environments imaginable. Despite their tactical and supply difficulties these often outnumbered and out-gunned forces of the DAK and their more numerous Italian Allies, unlike in other theatres, worked together extremely well and with total respect for one another. Both forces combined together to drive the British and Commonwealth forces out of Libya and back towards Egypt, while the Luftwaffe controlled the airspace above and the newly arrived U-Boats put pressure on their vulnerable supply lines.This short but interesting photographic history of the DAK and its associated units is drawn from 3 Photo Albums now in the possession of a private collector which each contain sets of images never before published, the large majority of which remain unidentified as to their original owners. The supporting text to these images is written by Military Historian Alistair Smith, and the images themselves start with the DAK's Arrival in 1941 and end with their withdrawal in mid 1943 from Tunisia. When German General Rommel and the lead elements of what would become the Afrika Korps landed in Libya in February 1941, nobody could have foreseen the legendary status they would achieve. Sent to support the faltering Italians, they were eventually able to drive the Allies to the very gates of Egypt. Fighting over hostile and rugged terrain, often outnumbered and outgunned, they were only finally undone by their defeat at El Alamein and Allied landings to their rear. This collection of photographs is taken from the albums of three members of the vaunted Afrika Korps. For the first time the daily reality of the North African campaign can be seen from the German point of view. With numerous photographs of vehicles and men at work, this collection paints a portrait of the rugged and dangerous conditions as well as the harsh and brutal nature of desert warfare. [Elib] General Rommel and the Afrika Korps achieved legendary status fighting over hostile and rugged terrain in Libya, 1941. often outnumbered and outgunned, they were finally undone by their defeat at El Alamein. These photographs, taken from the albums of three members of the vaunted Afrika Korps, show the daily reality of the North African campaign from the German point of view