Serving Hitler
When Hitler marched into the Sudetenland, in Czechoslovakia and Austria Rommel was one of Hitler's bodyguards. During the Polish campaign in September, 1939, Rommel's role was that of spectator. He was able to deduce modern warfare methods which he employed in his own personal campaigns in France and North Africa
Rommel's first command as a Major-General was actually smaller than the battalion he had in 1917. It was in the Fuhrer Headquarters train with signalers, clerks, orderlies and so forth; with an escort of four anti-tank guns and twelve anti-aircraft guns. This train was where Hitler supervised the invasion of Poland. Rommel attended conferences on the war situation.
It was this time, during the invasion of Poland, that Rommel developed an admiration for the Fuhrer that would stay with him until 1943. The invasion of Poland had taken three weeks.
Rommel thought the invasion of Poland was a great success, but he would never have guessed what was in stall for the defeated Poles.
