Tank Attacks

Tank Attacks documents Erwin Rommel's experiences as an infantry commander during World War I. The book follows his tactical decisions and leadership during key battles in Romania, Italy, and France between 1917-1918. Rommel provides detailed accounts of specific engagements and combat maneuvers, emphasizing the importance of speed, mobility, and decisive action. His firsthand observations cover the practical challenges of coordination between infantry units, the use of terrain, and methods for maintaining troop morale under fire. The text includes maps, tactical diagrams, and analysis of both successful and failed operations. Rommel wrote this work in 1937 while serving as an instructor at the German War Academy. Beyond its historical value as a WWI memoir, Tank Attacks reveals the tactical philosophy that would later influence Rommel's approach to armored warfare in WWII. The book demonstrates how lessons from infantry combat shaped the development of mechanized warfare doctrine.

Readers value this as a first-hand account of WWI tank warfare from Rommel before his WWII fame. The book focuses on tactical details and practical combat experiences during his time leading infantry units. Readers appreciate: - Detailed maps and battle diagrams - Clear explanations of small-unit tactics - Personal combat narratives - Translation quality from German Common criticisms: - Very technical writing style - Limited strategic/big picture context - Some repetitive descriptions - Narrow focus on Rommel's specific experiences Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (89 reviews) Notable reader comments: "Maps make it easy to follow the action" - Goodreads reviewer "More of a military manual than a memoir" - Amazon reviewer "Focuses on infantry attacks despite the title - tanks play a minor role" - Military History forum user

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🔹 While most know Rommel as the "Desert Fox" of WWII, this book details his experiences as a young infantry officer in WWI, where he earned the Pour le Mérite (Germany's highest military honor) for his innovative small-unit tactics. 🔹 "Tank Attacks" was originally published in 1937 under the German title "Infanterie Greift An" (Infantry Attacks) and served as a military training manual in Nazi Germany before WWII. 🔹 General George Patton read this book before America's entry into WWII and was so impressed that he kept a copy with him throughout the war, studying Rommel's tactics to better understand his future adversary. 🔹 The techniques described in the book emphasize speed, surprise, and the importance of commanding from the front lines - principles that would later define Rommel's famous Afrika Korps campaigns. 🔹 Rommel planned to write a follow-up book about his tank warfare experiences in WWII titled "Panzer Greift An" (Tanks Attack), but his involvement in the plot against Hitler and subsequent forced suicide in 1944 prevented its completion.