Question 1

What is Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel about?

Accepted Answer

Infantry Attacks is Erwin Rommel's classic military tactics book detailing his World War I combat experiences as a young officer. Written in the mid-1930s, the book chronicles Rommel's innovative Stoßtruppen (shock troops) tactics across six campaigns, from Belgium and France to the Italian front. It emphasizes speed, deception, deep penetration, and terrain exploitation to overwhelm enemy forces while minimizing casualties and resource expenditure.

Question 2

Who was Erwin Rommel and why did he write Infantry Attacks?

Accepted Answer

Erwin Rommel was a German field marshal who gained fame as the "Desert Fox" during World War II's North African Campaign. He wrote Infantry Attacks in the mid-1930s as a lieutenant colonel to document his WWI tactical innovations and leadership principles. The book emerged from his experiences commanding mountain infantry and shock troops, where he earned Germany's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite.

Question 3

Who should read Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel?

Accepted Answer

Infantry Attacks is essential reading for military officers, tactical leaders, and students of military history seeking timeless combat principles. Modern military professionals will find relevant insights on mission command, combined arms coordination, and small-unit leadership that remain applicable today. History enthusiasts and those interested in WWI tactics, leadership under pressure, and the development of modern warfare will also benefit from Rommel's detailed battlefield accounts.

Question 4

Is Infantry Attacks worth reading in 2025?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Infantry Attacks remains remarkably relevant despite being nearly a century old. The book's principles on terrain analysis, logistics constraints, mission command, and adaptive leadership transcend their WWI context and apply directly to modern military operations. Readers consistently note that without dated nomenclature, many passages could describe contemporary warfare, making it a timeless military leadership text valued by professionals and historians alike.

Question 5

What are the main tactical concepts in Infantry Attacks?

Accepted Answer

Infantry Attacks introduces Stoßtruppen (shock troops) tactics emphasizing **speed, deception, and surprise**. Rommel's approach involved using small diversionary forces to simulate expected attacks while main assault elements infiltrated enemy flanks and rear positions. This **combined surprise with psychological warfare**, often intimidating enemies into surrendering without costly frontal assaults. The tactics prioritized careful terrain exploitation, reconnaissance, and flexible mission command over rigid adherence to original plans.

Question 6

How does Erwin Rommel use terrain and weather in Infantry Attacks?

Accepted Answer

Rommel attributes his tactical successes to meticulous map analysis and reconnaissance to exploit even the smallest terrain irregularities. In Infantry Attacks, he demonstrates using draws, ditches, and berms to penetrate defenses at minimal cost, such as during the Mount Cosna capture. He also describes indirect terrain effects—delaying attacks when rocky ground would slow enemy entrenchment, or directing artillery onto cliffs to rain stone fragments on enemies below.

Question 7

What leadership lessons does Infantry Attacks teach?

Accepted Answer

Infantry Attacks emphasizes **front-line leadership** and personal reconnaissance, with Rommel consistently sharing risks with his men to earn their loyalty. The book illustrates disciplined initiative and mission command, showing how junior leaders must understand complete operational plans to make safe deviations when circumstances change. Rommel demonstrates calculated disobedience when necessary—once ordering an immediate forward attack instead of a withdrawal that would have exposed his troops to devastating fire.

Question 8

What does Infantry Attacks reveal about logistics and supply challenges?

Accepted Answer

Infantry Attacks repeatedly illustrates how ammunition and artillery support constrained WWI operations. Rommel recounts numerous last-minute plan abandonments due to unavailable resources, forcing adjustments to less optimal approaches relying on sheer surprise and violence. The book emphasizes how psychological suppression from indirect fires was critical to infantry success, and how losing artillery priority or machine gun ammunition before counterattacks created contingencies that remain relevant in modern warfare.

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Key takeaways

The Battlefield as a Classroom: Rommel's Tactical Awakening

The Art of Infiltration: Developing a Signature Style

Mountain Warfare: Leadership Under Extreme Conditions

The Cosna Crucible: Leading From the Front

The Tolmein Breakthrough: Speed as a Weapon

The Longarone Pursuit: Audacity Rewarded

Lessons That Transcend the Battlefield

Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel Summary

Overview of Infantry Attacks

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Key takeaways

The Battlefield as a Classroom: Rommel's Tactical Awakening

The Art of Infiltration: Developing a Signature Style

Mountain Warfare: Leadership Under Extreme Conditions

The Cosna Crucible: Leading From the Front

The Tolmein Breakthrough: Speed as a Weapon

The Longarone Pursuit: Audacity Rewarded

Lessons That Transcend the Battlefield

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