The Desert Fox in Normandy: Rommel's Defense of Fortress Europe

As 1943 came to a close, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was given his most challenging and important assignment to date--to repel the impending Allied invasion. The German high command anticipated that 1944 would be the year for the long-awaited amphibious cross-channel invasion. This invasion could be a critical strategic opportunity if the Germans successfully repelled it, but a failure to do so would severely hinder their ability to reestablish military superiority in Europe. Covering the Battle of Normandy from the German point of view, this book examines the impact that the "Desert Fox" had on the strengthening of German defenses in Normandy and elsewhere. Dubbed by the Propaganda Ministry as "The Atlantic Wall," Rommel realized how deceptive this term was upon his inspection of German defenses in 1943. Convinced that the Allies knew more about the actual state of German readiness than many of his officers did, the Desert Fox set out to fortify German positions.