South Africans Versus Rommel

After bitter debate, South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire at the time, declared war on Germany five days after the invasion of Poland in September 1939. Thrust by the British into the campaign against Erwin Rommel’s German Afrika Korps in North Africa, the South Africans fought a see-saw war of defeats followed by successes, culminating in the Battle of El Alamein, where South African soldiers made a significant contribution to halting the Desert Fox’s advance into Egypt. This is the story of an army committed somewhat reluctantly to a war it didn’t fully support, ill-prepared for the battles it was tasked with fighting, and sent into action on the orders of its senior alliance partner. At its heart, however, this is the story of men at war.

Favouring manoeuvre over attrition and often punching above their weight, South African soldiers have become known for their tenacity, dash and ability to defy the odds. Their unique directive command style has also helped them to excel in defining battles and operations, from the campaign in German South West Africa in 1915 to the cross-border operations in Angola during the Border War. In 20 Battles, military historians Evert Kleynhans and David Brock Katz investigate the evolution of South Africa's armed forces over a century from 1913 to 2013. They track the evolution of the doctrine and structure of the defence force, uncovering historical continuity and the lessons learned from past battles and operations. What is clear is that when South African soldiers have the freedom to operate according to their manoeuvre doctrine, as they had in East Africa in 1916 and southern Ethiopia in 1941, they can achieve stunning results. But when hemmed in by rigid doctrine and a top-down command style, as at Delville Wood in 1916 and Tobruk in 1942, the results can be tragic. 20 Battles combines both battlefield drama and crisp analysis and in the process provides a much-needed perspective on the South African way of war.

In the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East some of World War II's greatest legends were born as Erwin Rommel the "Desert Fox" led his Afrika Korps against the "Desert Rats" of the British 8th Army led by Bernard Montgomery. Both sides recruited local people to their cause, winning stunning victories but planting the seeds of conflicts to come.

The Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, was the foremost strategist and tactician of his generation, and his defeat of the British forces at the important Libyan port of Tobruk in spring 1942 was the crown jewel of his military campaigns: a victory so stunning it forced a vote of confidence in the Churchill government. Mitcham Jr. (history, Hendersonville State U.) chronicles Rommel's march to Tobruk, noting the leader's ability to discern the best places and times to strike. He includes several maps and bandw photos. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

'In South Africa, the struggle for freedom was won largely through non-violent means - 95% of the struggle was non-violent. The non-violent foundations laid in the preceding years are, I believe, what made our peaceful transition to democracy possible in 1994.'Rommel Roberts' words express his conviction which was underlying all his efforts as an activist opposing the apartheid regime in South Africa. In his book 'Seeds of Peace' Rommel Roberts wants to focus on ordinary people who with their courage and commitment have achieved a change in South African conditions but have never been recognised and acknowledged.In all his stories of brave women and men and in all forms of protest and human rights activities in which Rommel Roberts played a key role this incredible spirit of non-violence was prevalent and finally successful.

The most famous battles of one of World War II's most legendary commandersTold largely from Rommel's perspective, using his papers and lettersIn a series of battles marked by daring raids and quick-armored thrusts against a numerically superior enemy, Erwin Rommel, the notorious Desert Fox, and his Afrika Korps waged one of World War II's toughest campaigns in the North African desert in 1942. The Axis campaign climaxed in June with the recapture of Tobruk, a triumph that netted 33,000 prisoners and earned Rommel a field marshal's baton. By fall, however, after setbacks at Alam Halfa and the 2 battles of El Alamein, the Afrika Korps teetered on the brink of defeat, which would come in Tunisia 6 months later.

This handbook places emphasis on modern/contemporary times, and offers relevant sophisticated and comprehensive overviews. It aims to emphasize the religious, economic, political, cultural and social connections between Africa and the rest of the world and features comparisons as well as an interdisciplinary approach in order to examine the place of Africa in global history. "This book makes an important contribution to the discussion on the place of Africa in the world and of the world in Africa. An outstanding work of scholarship, it powerfully demonstrates that Africa is not marginal to global concerns. Its labor and resources have made our world, and the continent deserves our respect." – Mukhtar Umar Bunza, Professor of Social History, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and Commissioner for Higher Education, Kebbi State, Nigeria "This is a deep plunge into the critical place of Africa in global history. The handbook blends a rich set of important tapestries and analysis of the conceptual framework of African diaspora histories, imperialism and globalization. By foregrounding the authentic voices of African interpreters of transnational interactions and exchanges, the Handbook demonstrates a genuine commitment to the promotion of decolonized and indigenous knowledge on African continent and its peoples." – Samuel Oloruntoba, Visiting Research Professor, Institute of African Studies, Carleton University