Infantry Attacks

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Infantry Attacks, originally Infanterie greift an, is a 1937 German book by Erwin Rommel about his World War I combat experiences. Written when Rommel was a lieutenant colonel, it presents his fast, surprise-heavy shock-troop tactics (Stoßtruppen). The approach uses small groups to approach from the expected attack direction, shouting and throwing grenades to simulate the assault, while other units slip around to strike the flanks and rear. The aim is to overwhelm the enemy quickly, intimidate surrender, and reduce casualties and ammunition use. The work is part of the Grey Library series and is organized into six chapters. It helped Rommel gain high command in the early years of World War II. By 1945 about 500,000 copies had been printed in Germany, and the book has remained in print. It influenced Western infantry tactics, and General George S. Patton is reputed to have read it. English translations appeared: an abridged edition in 1944 (Infantry Attacks) and the first complete edition in 1979, translated by J. R. Driscoll. Rommel later planned a follow-up on tank warfare, Panzer Greift An, but never finished it after his forced suicide following a failed plot to kill Hitler. The German edition was reissued in 2015.