185 - Rommel Leaves Africa - March 12, 1943

by Panzer
so he ordered him into the city?
Okay.
What he didn’t go? he made a counter-offer.... to Hermann Hoth?
What?
Balls of steel?
yeah, you can say that again... you didn’t have to actually say it again.
We’ve seen his fortunes ebb and flow, though mostly flow, over the two years and one month
he has been in Africa.
Erwin Rommel has had some brilliant successes, often with forces inferior to those of his
enemy, becoming world famous in the process, and well respected by both Axis and Allied
Commands, but this week that chapter comes to an end; this week Rommel leaves Africa.
I’m Indy Neidell; this is World War Two.
Last week the Japanese had 8 out of 8 transports sunk in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
In the Soviet Union, the Germans evacuated the Rzhev Salient, but their offensive further
south continued gaining ground, and they are now in position for a drive on Kharkov.
And in Tunisia, an Axis offensive failed, but a new one was planned to go off this week.
As the week begins there for the Allies, American General Lloyd Fredendall loses his position
as commander of 2nd Corps because of the disaster at the Kasserine Pass two weeks ago.
Well that was the final straw.
As Rick Atkinson observes, “If, as Moltke once claimed, a general needed to lose an
entire division before becoming truly experienced, then Fredendall’s seasoning was well advanced.”
American Commander Dwight Eisenhower has, in fact, received reports from all quarters
about Fredendall’s poor performance, and British General Harold Alexander, who arrived
two weeks ago to take over all ground forces in Tunisia, said to Eisenhower, “I’m sure
you must have a better man than that.”
Fredendall is US Army Chief of Staff George Marshall’s protege, though, so this has
to be handled delicately.
So Fredendall will receive a third star, and be sent to command a training army in Tennessee,
and will receive a hero’s welcome.
He leaves by car the 7th.
George Patton will replace him, and Omar Bradley will be Patton’s deputy.
As for the Axis, their offensive, Operation Capri, kicks off at 0630 the morning of the
6th.
This is the Battle of Medenine.
As we saw last week, the Axis forces do not have surprise or the advantage in numbers,
and they do have trouble straight off the bat as the panzers hit open ground.
“Lessons learned by the 8th Army at Alamein proved to be deadly.
British artillery held its fire until its guns could be used at close range in concentrated
barrages.