“Killing Rommel” (2008) by Steven Pressfield

June 15, 2019

It must first be pointed out that this is not a factual book; it is a novel and, as such, is an unusual selection to be on Military Matters, which generally deals with factual sources. The reason for its inclusion is that Pressfield manages to convey something in this book that most writers never seem to get right – the sheer confusion, boredom and terror of war.

Killing Rommel tells the story of a British tank officer who is seconded to the Long Range Desert group (LRDG) which has the mission of – surprise – killing Rommel. The book therefore has as characters some of the legendary figures of the early modern special forces.

Pressfield is known for his meticulous research into the subjects he writes on to really convey accurately the sensations that his characters are undergoing. But more than most he is able to convey the true, accurate impressions of those experiences.

The writing manages to bring to life not just the soldiering, but of the attitude of the people who lived at the time, providing a “cultural capture” by detailing the early life of the narrator, his upbringing and the society that formed the people who went off to World War Two.

In many ways the style is the same as that the writer used in his previous best seller, Gates of Fire, with the narrator being part of great events alongside legendary figures, and telling their story alongside his own as a result.

But what really stood out in this book for me was how Pressfield was able to convey the sheer confusion of war; from entire regiments wandering the desert trying to figure out where they are meant to be and what’s going on, to the panic of the sudden frantic gun fight.

He also manages to get across the dichotomy of the soldier, how war is both an awful and awesome experience, literally giving a participant the opportunity to experience both the very worst and very best of humanity and the mixed emotion that this brings.

As said, Killing Rommel is not a history book. But it is a cracking read for those interested in warfare.

The Siemens-Schuckert D.IV; Best Fighter of the First World War?

The Siemens-Schuckert D.IV; Best Fighter of the First World War?

When it comes to aircraft of great potential, those of the First World War are often overlooked. And while the dogfights between aircraft like the Sopwith Camel, the Fokker Dr.1 triplane and the SPAD XIII are often the source for historical recollection, this tends to...

The Twin 40mm Mustang; AM106

The Twin 40mm Mustang; AM106

It is well remembered that the legendary P-51 originated out of a…dare I say boast?...made by "Dutch" Kindelberger, President of North American Aviation. Asked by the British if they could build the Curtiss P-40 under licence for the Air Forces of the Commonwealth,...

King of the Rats; The Polikarpov I-185

King of the Rats; The Polikarpov I-185

The Polikarpov I-185 is one of the foremost of the “What-if” aircraft. Fast, agile and heavily armed, the I-185 easily had the potential to be the best fighter in the world when it first flew in early 1941, the ultimate evolution of the Polikarpov fighter line that...

The McDonnell Douglas F-15N Sea Eagle; Tomcat Rival

The McDonnell Douglas F-15N Sea Eagle; Tomcat Rival

The F-15 is a truly great aircraft. Built from the lessons of air combat over Vietnam, the Eagle was built to be the most capable air superiority aircraft possible at the time. The airframe’s sheer versatility has seen it undergoing continuous updating and...

Let’s Settle This. What Was the Fastest Piston Fighter Ever?

Let’s Settle This. What Was the Fastest Piston Fighter Ever?

A little while back, I wrote an article/made a video about the Republic XP-47J and titled it “The Fastest Piston Engine Fighter Ever”. It caused some comment and there were a whole raft of other aircraft suggestions, and I thought it might be worth digging into some...