How Rommel became the Desert Fox | Operation Sonnenblume

Video

Mark Cartwright
by Imperial War Museums
published on 26 June 2024

In February 1941, Erwin Rommel arrived in Libya to save an Italian army in disarray. But instead of following orders to defend his position, Rommel attacked. Leading from the front, he pushed the understrength British and Commonwealth forces back to the Egyptian border. He had them on the run, but to advance any further Rommel needed more supplies and that meant capturing the port of Tobruk. The fate of the entire campaign rested on the town. But despite multiple attacks, the British and Commonwealth garrison held firm and Rommel’s offensive was over. His surprise victory earned him the nickname The Desert Fox.

In this episode of IWM Stories, John Delaney explores Rommel's first campaign in the desert. How did he pull off such a stunning reversal? How did the British stop him at Tobruk? And is Rommel’s reputation deserved?

A short history of the desert war: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-guide-to-the-war-in-africa-during-the-second-world-war

History of the 8th Army: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-brief-history-of-the-eighth-army-and-the-desert-war

How the British won the desert war: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-the-british-secured-a-victory-in-the-desert-during-the-second-world-war

The tanks and guns of the Desert War: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-tanks-and-guns-of-the-second-world-wars-desert-war

Licence the clips used in this film: https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/c/2466

For information about licensing HD clips please email [email protected]

Remove Ads
Advertisement

The video and its description text are provided by Youtube. This website claims no authorship of this content; we are republishing it for educational purposes.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Museums, I. W. (2024, June 26). How Rommel became the Desert Fox | Operation Sonnenblume. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3180/how-rommel-became-the-desert-fox--operation-sonnen/

Chicago Style

Museums, Imperial War. "How Rommel became the Desert Fox | Operation Sonnenblume." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified June 26, 2024. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3180/how-rommel-became-the-desert-fox--operation-sonnen/.

MLA Style

Museums, Imperial War. "How Rommel became the Desert Fox | Operation Sonnenblume." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 26 Jun 2024. Web. 28 Jun 2024.

Membership