Chapter 502: Great Minds Think Alike
Those who are familiar with Rommel know another of his famous sayings, one that expresses his character to the extreme: “Deceive the enemy whenever you have the chance.”
Now, he held the best deception card in his hand, and naturally, he thought of deceiving his opponent. He had been freed from the shackles of the order restricting his attack, and he had unintentionally allowed his opponent to confirm that he “would not attack in the short term.” Coupled with his own preference for attack over defense, it would seem too out of character for him not to launch an offensive at this time.
In sports, the athletes who truly become world champions all have a passionate side. And the generals on the battlefield often have their own will and inclinations. A moderate general without a distinct personality may be adequate for defense, but they are often lacking when it comes to offense. And a passionate general like Rommel was undoubtedly a hero forged by the times.
After the classic intelligence deception that had already been implemented, Rommel once again resorted to his old tricks. He ordered his troops to kick up dust to conceal their positions, and in the dust, he used wood, bushes, and tents to create dummy targets to deceive the British reconnaissance planes that were risking their lives to fly over.
Soon, his efforts paid off. Montgomery received confirmation that the main force of the German panzer units was still deployed on the main front and had not been withdrawn for a new offensive.
The second deception was to conceal his true direction of attack. He made a bold decision and presented his meticulously prepared operational plan to General Friederici. “This time, I have decided to carry out the attack according to this plan. What do you think?”
General Friederici took the plan from Rommel’s hand and, after a look, a wry smile appeared on his lips. He put down the document, looked up at the general who was a few years his junior, and said, “General, just like in the Tunisia campaign, you are going to use the same means to attack the same southern flank of the enemy?”
“Yes, General Friederici. This way, they will never imagine that I would fight a battle by repeating an old trick. This increases the element of surprise and will catch the enemy even more off guard,” Rommel said, full of confidence in his plan. He was very eager to rout the Anglo-American forces in one fell swoop and achieve his second victory in North Africa.
This was the Desert Fox. This was the cunning master of tactics who emphasized using firepower at top speed to suppress the enemy and win victory. He loved to use the large army corps under his command to “embroider flowers” in the vast desert, to outflank and intersperse, then outflank and intersperse again in a limited space, to make all his opponents run themselves ragged and unable to counter his terrifying attacks.
This time, Rommel had more tank units at his disposal. If the operation succeeded, the results he would obtain would be even greater. It was very likely that the British and American allied forces on the main front would be routed in one blow, and Tobruk would become a frontline fortress exposed to German fire.
And in another operational command post, General Patton was also placing his attack plan on Montgomery’s desk. He was always smoking one cigar after another, with an arrogant expression that made one feel a little uncomfortable just looking at him. But this general from the United States of America was indeed a formidable commander. His operational deployment was grand and sweeping, with a fierce and powerful flavor to it.
If Rommel’s style was the elusive and elegant path of the Wudang school, then this Patton was the orthodox Diamond Devil-Subduing technique of the Shaolin Temple. The attack plan he presented this time drew great praise from Montgomery and was a very exciting offensive plan indeed.
This plan was derived from the battle on the outskirts of Tunisia commanded by Rommel. Patton had reversed Rommel’s flanking maneuver, following roughly the same route to cut into the flank of the German-Italian allied forces and disrupt the German operational deployment.
According to the intelligence, their tanks had a slight numerical advantage. As long as the surprise attack on the flank succeeded, they could, to a certain extent, compensate for the qualitative deficiencies of their armored forces and completely rout the Afrika Korps west of Tobruk. As long as they won this battle, the restless India and Southeast Asia would once again have to submit to the might of the British Empire, and Britain would truly get its breathing room.
“General Patton, leave the flanking maneuver to the high-spirited main force of the Eighth Army, under your personal command. This time, we are going to give Rommel a real show of force, to let him see that war is not fought however he wants to fight it!” Montgomery said to Patton, putting down the operational plan.
“I will lead my troops south immediately! At dawn on April 22nd, I will launch a flanking attack on time. I ask General Montgomery to coordinate with the American actions at that time!” Patton said, standing up. Without looking back, he walked out of Montgomery’s office, out of the tent, and got into a jeep with a roaring engine, which then drove off into the distance.
That afternoon, the British Eighth Army began to move its main forces south. Under the desperate cover of the Royal Air Force, they evaded the eyes of the German reconnaissance planes and set off on the path to outflank the Germans.
One after another, the tanks drove out of their concealed camouflaged garages. The new M4 Sherman tanks converged into a mighty torrent of steel and, along with a stream of trucks filled with infantry, rolled forward.
The white pentagram on the engine hoods of the vehicles was extremely conspicuous, its edges slightly chipped by the wind and sand, which made these cold war machines look even more weathered. Patton stood in his car, watching the tanks, their cannons raised high, drive past him, and put his cigar into his mouth with satisfaction.
This time, that Rommel won’t get away! I will definitely capture him alive, as an honor for me, Patton! General Patton thought to himself, squinting as he watched his troops stretch endlessly forward.
On the trucks, the American GIs held their M1 Garand rifles, chewed gum, and hummed various hometown tunes. On the trucks beside them were piled crates of artillery shells. These trucks were towing large-caliber 155mm howitzers, their killing intent palpable as they headed straight for the pre-determined battlefield in the distance.
They were under orders to attack the German positions from the flank, to cut into the German defensive lines, destroy the German fortifications, and, after defeating those Germans, to receive the commission that had been promised to them. After all, they were not participating in the war as the United States Army. They were mercenaries, so-called volunteers.
“Let’s show those Germans what we Americans are made of!” an American soldier shouted, sitting on a tank with a constantly vibrating and roaring engine, holding his rifle. “If I see Akado, I’ll definitely make him kiss my ass! He’s just a bastard! Understand? A bastard!”
At the same moment, at the German general headquarters in North Africa, Rommel was also standing in his convertible, smiling as he handed over command of the main defensive front to General Friederici. “General, I will begin the general offensive at dawn on April 22nd, to completely annihilate the British Eighth and Ninth Armies in front of us. I am entrusting the command of my main defensive line entirely to you!”
“I wish you a triumphant victory, General. I will do my utmost to hold the defensive positions to the very last second! Heil Führer!” General Friederici raised his right hand and gave the German salute to Rommel on the car.
At the command, a concealed German Panther tank charged out of its shelter. The commander, with half his body exposed, saluted General Rommel. Soon, a second tank followed, the black Iron Cross on its turret chilling to the bone.
Several armored cars set off at the same time, following on the flanks of these tanks. The German panzergrenadiers on the armored cars had the same cold expression in their eyes. They held their rifles and guns, swaying slightly with the movement of the vehicles. The faces of these men were filled with a resolute expression. They were the most elite and proud panzergrenadiers of the German army.
The tanks and armored cars seemed very small in the vast yellow sand. Soon, more tanks, trucks, and rocket launchers joined the column. The German swastika battle flag was hung by the soldiers on the roofs of the cars and tanks, because in the sky, dozens of fighters responsible for covering them roared past, flying into the distance amidst the cheers of the soldiers.
The Panzer III tanks also kept pace with the Panthers. Rommel not only had advanced behemoths like the Panther and Tiger but also many Panzer IIIs and even anti-tank guns modified from Panzer IIs. These armored vehicles formed the immensely powerful tank offensive group under Rommel’s command. Kicking up a cloud of dust, they charged towards their destination.
An astonishing coincidence occurred on the battlefield. The military commanders of both sides had drawn up almost identical operational plans and had implemented them at almost the same time. Rommel was now leading his armored forces in a southern flanking maneuver, charging towards the Allied defensive line. And at the same time, Patton was also leading the American and British armored divisions, hoping to take out Rommel in one fell swoop.
Soon, these two flanking forces would collide. And this sudden encounter battle would be a test for the soldiers and commanders of both armies. Whoever won this encounter would be able to shake the opponent’s defensive line and thus seize the initiative on the North African front.
And at this moment, neither Rommel nor Patton had expected that they would be the ones to raise the curtain on the decisive battle between land-based tank forces. The first battle involving nearly a thousand tanks in human history had officially begun.
Rommel, sitting in his convertible, and Patton, sitting in the back of his jeep, both had the same thought at the same time: “North Africa! The future victory belongs only to me!”
Published: 2025-08-31T02:09:27.000+00:00
Last Edited: 2025-12-02T17:05:47.000+00:00
URL: https://www.patreon.com/caleredhair/posts/mtr-c502-great-137749557
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