Brouwer, Jaap Jan The German Way of War in the North African Campaign

A Lesson in Tactical Management

Much has already been written about the Second World War and, in particular, about the campaigns in North Africa. While a historical perspective is often chosen, this book takes a more organisational approach in addition to a historical one. The reason for this is that the course and outcome of military actions can only be understood if one has a clear picture of the organisational dimensions of the armies involved. After all, the combination of manpower and weapons is decisive for the way the war is fought and for the outcome of the conflict. This includes elements such as the organisational structure, the degree of decentralisation, the leadership style, the level of training of the troops, team building, the command, control and intelligence structure, etc. When we talk about North Africa, we are of course also talking about Rommel, a central figure in the events described. Other names forever associated with North Africa are El Alamein, one of the turning points of the Second World War, and Montgomery, the British general who succeeded in turning the tide. This book begins with an outline of the organisational dimensions of the German and British armies, but also deals with the dynamics of the fighting in North Africa and the demands it placed on soldiers, officers, equipment, leadership, training, logistics, planning, etc.