8 Erwin Rommel Quotes on Warfare

Erwin Rommel quotes on warfare

3. In view of my services in Africa, I have the chance of dying by poison. Two generals have brought it with them. It is fatal in three seconds. If I take the poison, none of the usual steps will be taken against my family; that is, against you. They will also leave my staff alone.

8. Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning.

14. The future battle on the ground will be preceded by battle in the air. This will determine which of the contestants has to suffer operational and tactical disadvantages and be forced throughout the battle into adopting compromise solutions.

17. I didn't die nor win.

20. Good soldiers, bad officers; but remember that without them we wouldn't have civilization.

21. Dialogue with Italian general Barbasetti at Capuzzo. Barbassetti: 'it was very painful the sacrifice of the X Army Corps abandoned in the desert'; Rommel: 'is this a critic? no disapproval words have come from the Fuhrer'; Barbassetti: 'I watched the endless column of retreating companies, German drivers rejected to pick up on their trucks the Italians'. After these words Rommel silenced.

22. If I had to take hell, I would use the Australians to take it and the New Zealanders to hold it.

23. We have a very daring and skillful opponent against us, and, may I say across the havoc of war, a great General.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.