Killing Rommel - Another Masterpiece From Steven Pressfield

 by Steven D. Laib  

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Killing Rommel is not your average piece of military fiction.  It is a story of survival and of those who did not survive.  It is coverage of war on a human scale, written from the perspective of a small group of men working together under extreme circumstances and in extreme danger.  There are no “good guys” and “bad guys.”  There are only the people who fight because it is what they have to do at the time.  It shows the conflict that exists between fighting and giving up, killing or being killed and how men deal with it, not because they want to, but because they must.  In so doing it provides understanding and even justification for military service, while accepting the fact that war is not desirable, but that it sometimes becomes necessary.

Pressfield’s insight into the motivation, camaraderie and willingness of the soldiers to accept adversity by necessity is brilliant.  Chapman’s personal conflict over his place in the war, his duty to his men and the need to kill others who are people just like him, central to the book, but it exists as a subtle undercurrent that appears only when needed, with a significant impact each time, then returning to the background.  His description of the desert makes me recall the style of my personal favorite from years back, Ray Bradbury.  He builds us a remarkable picture through the eyes of his characters that is genuine, and not the washed out version that some military veterans or authors provide, ignoring the man versus environment aspect in favor of “us vs. the enemy.”  This environmental development is extremely important because in this war, as in many, the environment is often even more of an enemy than the opposing army. 

Beyond the military and personal conflicts is the character of General Rommel and his role in the war as a opposing leader who the English want to remove, and his personal influence on both sides through his ability to maintain a level of honor and chivalry in an era and in an army where it was in many respects totally out of place.  It led him to disobey orders that he believed were immoral, and to treat opposing soldiers in a way that earned him tremendous respect, while causing consternation in the Nazi high command.  

he result of this excellent depiction is a battlefield setting the stands in stark contrast to the absolutism of anti-war advocates who see no justification for military action under any circumstances.  It enables us to see that while war is not something we should desire, it can still be something that brings positive results.  It may be the crucible that enables people to find inner strength, to learn their true limits and to demonstrate nobility.  It is a view that is often missing from the current mainstream of literature; something that is necessary for a proper understanding of the reality of war, both the good and the bad.  It also shows that warfare is possible in an environment of nobility and chivalry.  That proper leadership is frequently what makes the difference between a war of hate and war without hate; something that set Rommel apart from the Nazi leadership, and placed him frequently at odds with those who he was supposed to obey.  But Rommel was a soldier, and not a politician.  He fought because it was his profession, and not because he believed in what drove his superiors.  It is something that becomes central to the eventual meeting between Chapman and Rommel under unexpected circumstances that illustrate the characters of both men.  In this age where the military is often poorly appreciated many pretend to support the troops but fail to do so through a lack of essential understanding.  There exists in many people an inability to appreciate the nature of those who make sacrifices to nation, honor and duty, and who are willing to put their lives on the line in service to what they see is something higher.  It is this nature that permeates Pressfield’s characters.  He graphically depicts traits which were common in 1942, but have become significantly scarce in today’s world.  These men were not glory seekers, but merely doing a job, aware of the risks, but willing to accept them because it was necessary.  Despite what one German officer told Chapman in a field hospital, they were not professional soldiers, but ordinary people who rose to the occasion.  They became soldiers when they would rather have carried on their normal lives.  They recognized the need to do this, and accepted the opportunity with grace and understanding.

The Germans’ withdrawal from North Africa and the destiny of Rommel are treated only briefly, as a summing up of that portion of the story line.  The book then moves to an epilogue covering Chapman’s funeral and Pressfield’s meeting up with one of the other members of Chapman’s team, drawing everything to a tidy close. 

One can make an excellent case in this modern era that Killing Rommel should be required reading for all high school students to provide them an effective counterpoint to the idea that military service is valueless, and that all warfare is pointless and dishonorable.  It may make a considerable difference in how this unfortunate aspect of human nature is understood.  It is illustrated with two excellent maps showing locations and terrain features which may be most helpful to the reader. 

Consider this work most highly recommended for literary content, historical authenticity, and human drama.  It is a book that should become a classic in military and historical fiction. It is available from Amazon.com .  Further information can be found at www.StevenPressfield.com along with an excellent video featuring the author.  

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