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Title: INSIDE THE AFRIKA KORPS: The Crusader Battles, 19411942 by Rainer Kriebel, Us Army Intelligence Service, Bruce I. Gudmundsson, United States War Dept Military Intelligence Service, by Colonel Rainer Kriebel, edited by Bruce Gudmundsson the U.S. Army Intelligence Service ISBN: 1-85367-322-6 Publisher: Stackpole Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 1999 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A unique "insder" look, with a bonus desert combat primer
Comment: Inside the Afrika Korps is a rare operational account of some of the battles in North Africa from the German perspective. The material covers the campaign in the fall of 1941 (the British "Crusader" offensive), the retreat of Axis forces out of Cyrenaica, and the counterattack in early 1942 back to the Gazala positions. During these battles, Kriebel was the senior staff officer of the 15th Panzer Division, one of the units in Rommel's Afrika Korps. As a key member of the forces under Rommel, Kriebel is in an excellent position to analyze both the decision making of Axis commanders as well as the combat performance of the fighting units. This is in contrast to the typical accounts of the desert theater, which rely heavily (indeed exclusively for many) on Allied reports. So, at the very least, Kriebel provides a unique account of some familiar engagements.
The book is divided into two sections. The first is Kriebel's coverage of combat operations from fall 1941 through January 1942. These operations include the opening Crusader battles (the British offensive to relieve Tobruk), Rommel's "dash to the wire", the subsequent retreat of the Axis forces out of Cyrenaica, and Rommel's counterattack through Cyrenaica back to the Gazala positions. Kriebel's description of combat is quite good, and he has a very interesting technical and tactical story to tell. He is conscious of the various effects of different types of weapons and units, and is clear in his explanations of use and usefulness. He is also very clear about what he thinks were the key events that shaped each engagement. For example, one battle went poorly for the Germans due to a failed recon mission. This is very "nuts and bolts" stuff...the very sort of stuff that cannot be gotten from any other source. As a result, the "inside view" of the battles of the Afrika Korps is fascinating.
In this section, Kriebel also takes the opportunity to assess Rommel's leadership. In short, he does not deify him. Instead, a frank analysis of Rommel's abilities and shortcomings is presented. For example, Kriebel directly faults Rommel for micromanaging Afrika Korps units, typically to the detriment of those units. By ignoring the chain of command, Rommel created confusion, issued conflicting orders, and made tactical mistakes that a commander more familiar with the particular tactical situation would not have. He also identifies key moments where Rommel misinterpreted or ignored intelligence reports about the location and intentions of Allied forces. This got him into trouble several times, particularly in his failed "dash to the wire". On the other hand, Kriebel credits Rommel for occasionally perosonally leading critical units and commanding loyalty, so although the assessment of Rommel shows his flaws, the final conclusion is that his leadership was a decisive factor in the successes (even in retreat) of the Axis forces in North Africa. In any event, Kriebel's picture of Rommel is undoubtedly more accurate than some of the traditional Western assessments that portray Rommel as an infallible god of war.
Throughout this section, Kriebel offers assessments of the situation on the ground (disposition and state of units), the supply situation, and the air situation. Thus, the book offers a rare view of how logistics, air power, and land power came together to dictate how operations went. The supply situation is particularly interesting, as both sides relied heavily on captured booty, and the vagaries of Axis supply shipments made consistent operations difficult (Kriebel seems very frustrated at times, recounting how pursuits had to be called off due to a complete lack of fuel). Editor Bruce Gudmundsson clarifies a few points here and there (particularly unit information) but for the most part his touch is not visible.
The second section is written by the U.S. Army Intelligence Service, and is titled "Artillery in the Desert". It is an analysis of Axis and British combat tactics and weaponry. Much of this is very straightforward, and is presented as sort of a manual on "how to conduct desert warfare". This includes everything from how to set up defensive strongpoints, how to employ FOOs, at what ranges to begin firing different types of weapons, and how to conduct (or defend against) an armored attack. Much of this is interesting, particularly to game designers, as it presents good detail on how to prepare for and carry out battle. However, some of it is quite fanciful, and is obviously the result of faulty intelligence that has not been revised. One strikingly absurd example is the claim that the short 75mm gun of the Pz IV had a maximum range of 9000 yards and that these AFVs were employed as "sniper tanks" at this extremely long range. While Gudmundsson apparently has edited the material, he obviously missed this mistake. Although the other information provided regarding tactics and practices of combat seem accurate, this problem should make the reader at least somewhat skeptical.
I enjoyed this book, mostly because of its "inside view" of the Axis forces. Although it can not be the "final word" on the winter 1941/1942 battles in North Africa, nor should it be the first book you read on the topic, it certainly should be the second one you read. The battles covered are familiar, but the perspective is unique, and so I recommend this book.
Rating: 5
Summary: An Indispensible Source
Comment: I first became aware of the Kriebel manuscript when reading "Sidi Rezegh Battles, 1941" (OUP, 1957), the official South African account of Operation "Crusader". The text provides some vital insights into how and when the Afrika Korps made its transition to the Plains March style of formation, armored cars, tanks, armored personnnel carriers, towed howitzers, anti-tank guns, flak 88s, etc. during the interval between "Battleaxe" and "Crusader". This has not been widely reported in English, not even in Correli Barnett's provocative study of British generalship in the desert, "The Desert Generals".
The full manuscript has not been available to me before; the National Archives wanted $80 for a typescript copy a few years ago, and I could not afford that, unless I could secure viable commercial publication, which Stackpole beat me to. What the reader should understand is that German victory in the desert in winter of 1941 was not certain, and the eventual recovery was not certain either.
Kriebel gives the perspective of a detached staff officer analyzing a situation; he was the Ia (or first general staff officer)of the 15th Panzer Division, one of the principal units of the Afrika Korps, with operational planning authority, so he knows of what he speaks. The book takes the reader through a full narrative of the series of winter battles after giving one pertinent background, and then it analyzes significant factors contributing to success or failure, and provides rare portraits of Rommel and his three divisional commanders.
What more could you ask for in such a book?
As for my background: I have been researching the desert war, since 1961, trying to untangle the mosaic of information, misinformation, and missing information. I pointed out a few small technical errors and suggested a need for further interpretive analysis in the celebrated Barnett classic, which resulted in corrections and some further analysis in the second edition of The Desert Generals, which caused almost as much controversy as the first. The person who enjoys looking at the "how to's" of battle will enjoy this book.
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