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British Quote by Manfred Rommel

“It was very strange, because my father [ Erwin Rommel] received the first call at seven o'clock in the morning. And [Hans] Speidel told my father, "I will call you up in one hour when I see more clearly what's going on." After an hour, Speidel said, "Yes, the landing took place in Normandy." And…” quote by Manfred Rommel
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“It was very strange, because my father [ Erwin Rommel] received the first call at seven o'clock in the morning. And [Hans] Speidel told my father, "I will call you up in one hour when I see more clearly what's going on." After an hour, Speidel said, "Yes, the landing took place in Normandy." And the German Navy had told my father that it was too stormy. And that the British and the Americans and the French can't come. And my father believed him.”

Manfred Rommel

About This Quote

Source Book: The Rommel Family, 2020

A father trusted a misleading report about the Normandy invasion, highlighting how misinformation can mislead even close to authority

In simple terms: Blind trust in faulty intelligence can cause grave errors

Key Takeaway

Question sources before acting

Themes

trust misinformation war decisions

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

historical cautionary

When to use this quote

  • family discussions
  • historical research
  • military training
  • media literacy

Key Concepts

cognitive bias propaganda military intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

  • How did the false report affect decisions?
  • What safeguards could prevent such errors?
A Different Perspective

Even trusted sources can be wrong; verify facts independently

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