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Erwin Rommel

In the year 1944, Germany was fighting a war that could not be won. Many Germans thought that Adolph Hitler needed to begin peace negotiations with the allies, while Germany still had the leverage to negotiate with.   Hitler would not hear of such "defeatism" from his Generals. Some German officers began planning a coup from the Fuhrer. Those conspirators looked to Hitler's most trusted General and hero of Germany, General Erwin Rommel, to become Germany's savior. Rommel was widely popular with the German people, and he was in prime position to take over leadership of the Gestapo and begin negotiations with the allies. Rommel was the perfect candidate.   Although Rommel did not want to assassinate Hitler, those acting on Rommel's behalf implicated him in the conspiracy which ultimately led to Rommel's death. Rommel was such a successful General, had the assassination worked, Rommel would have become the leader of Germany and history would be forever changed.
Rommel's military career began at an early age. Born in Heidenheim in 1891 to a middle class family, Rommel's father wanted his son to have a stable career and encouraged him to join to army.   During WWI, Rommel's military leadership was already apparent. In one battle, he suggested his CO withdraw and attack through concealing woods on the French flank. Retreat was punishable by death. The CO listened anyways and did what Rommel advised. The result was the German 2nd Battalion captured 50 prisoners, a couple machine guns, and even French field kitchens with the food ready-to-eat. The Germans only had four casualties and eleven wounded.   Not a bad start for the future General. Rommel's actions in WWI would earn him the Iron Cross first and second class.
Following the First World War, Rommel was placed in charge of the Infantry School in Dresden as a junior instructor. As an interesting aside, there was another instructor who liked to play tricks on Rommel. His name was Schoenerer. He would place silverware...