WI 7th Panzer needs New Commander

On May 13, 1940 during the German invasion of France, the 7th Panzer Division reaches the Meuse River, 30 miles south of Liege. They are forced to build a bridge while under heavy fire from the Belgians. One Belgian sniper manages to shoot one German officer who was assisting the engineers, killing him instantly. That officer is Erwin Rommel.

How does this affect the rest of the war?
 

Germaniac

Donor
Well for one Guderian would be Much more well known. He would be known as the "Ghost of France" and would be much more influential later in Barbossa. We might not see him go to North Africa, and follow on his historical path in WW2. We might also see Hitler change his mind when his favorite general, guderian, disagrees with the Lotzen decision. Guderian will capture Moscow in late september (fighting in the city will continue for a while But the german control of the city is obvious). The war stalls and turns into a war of attrition in urals.

Guderian become outspoken about being in the East on a stagnent front, Hitler removes him from command in Russia and places him in command of the North African campaign, without Rommel Kesselring takes a more centralized role in the campaign and a more defensive stance. Guderian does not have the moody uncontrollable character of Rommel, and does not argue against the invasion of Malta. The Folgore Parachute Brigade and the Fallschirmjäger-Brigade Ramcke land in Malta on July 1st 1942

Not sure how the war would go after that

As you can tell im a fan of guderian :)
 
Guderian does not have the moody uncontrollable character of Rommel, and does not argue against the invasion of Malta.

I thought it was Guderian that had that character flair.
On 28th March 1945 There was a great row between Hitler and Guderian
over the Frankfurt am der Oder attack.

Hitler blames General Busse (commander of the Ninth 'Army') for the failure of the attack (not using his artillery, when there was actually not enough shells for them), Guderian defends. As a result Guderian is fired temporarily ('on health reasons') and replaced by Hans Krebs.
 
I thought it was Guderian that had that character flair.
On 28th March 1945 There was a great row between Hitler and Guderian
over the Frankfurt am der Oder attack.

Hitler blames General Busse (commander of the Ninth 'Army') for the failure of the attack (not using his artillery, when there was actually not enough shells for them), Guderian defends. As a result Guderian is fired temporarily ('on health reasons') and replaced by Hans Krebs.
To argue with your superior to defend a subordinate, especially when the Boss is a person like Hitler is not a character fault.
 
To argue with your superior to defend a subordinate, especially when the Boss is a person like Hitler is not a character fault.

I said flair, i.e.
'1 : a skill or instinctive ability to appreciate or make good use of something : talent ‹a ~ for color› ; also: inclination tendency ‹a ~ for the dramatic›
2 : a uniquely attractive quality : style ‹fashionable dresses with a ~ all their own›'

Which is not necessarily bad.
 

Typo

Banned
I thought it was Guderian that had that character flair.
On 28th March 1945 There was a great row between Hitler and Guderian
over the Frankfurt am der Oder attack.

Hitler blames General Busse (commander of the Ninth 'Army') for the failure of the attack (not using his artillery, when there was actually not enough shells for them), Guderian defends. As a result Guderian is fired temporarily ('on health reasons') and replaced by Hans Krebs.
I seem to remember reading an account where Guderian got smashed on Cognac right before a general staff meeting with Hitler (this was right when the Soviets were on the Oder) so he has enough courage to recommend that army group Courland be moved to defend Germany proper. Hitler got -really- mad about that one and sacked him afterwards.
 
I seem to remember reading an account where Guderian got smashed on Cognac right before a general staff meeting with Hitler (this was right when the Soviets were on the Oder) so he has enough courage to recommend that army group Courland be moved to defend Germany proper. Hitler got -really- mad about that one and sacked him afterwards.

Yes, though it's viewed by some as a justification for him (Guderian) to fly off the handle like that. Panzer Leader had it, so did the German Generals Talk.
 
Getting back to the main subject, I was wondering how things might have played out in North Africa without Rommel. The fighting there was largely due because Rommel was running around in the desert when he was told to stay put in Tripoli.

Would the British have secured North Africa before America entered the war? Would another general have done things different?

But since this is currently talking about Guderian, remember one important thing: German commanders in WWII got to their positions because they were either toadies or were damn good, and the latter only kept you around for so long.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
Depending on his replacement the war in North Africa might take a lot longer. Rommel stretched his supply-lines way to much.
 
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