Fox on the Rhine

Infobox Book |
name = Fox on the Rhine
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Michael Dobson and Douglas Niles
illustrator =
cover_artist = Tony Greco
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Alternate history, War novel
publisher = Tor Books
pub_date = June 2002
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 546 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-8125-7466-4
preceded_by =
followed_by = Fox at the Front

"Fox on the Rhine" is an alternate history book co-authored by Michael Dobson and Douglas Niles. It deals with the 1944 Plot to assassinate Hitler, which failed in reality. Heinrich Himmler comes to power through assassinations of his superiors, so he may become führer. Erwin Rommel is a main character throughout the book, and realizes that Germany is not headed in the right direction.

Plot introduction

"Fox on the Rhine" is set in Europe during World War II. Being an alternate history novel, it deals with how one small thing could change history. In this case, the man who moved the briefcase bomb behind a concrete divider did not move it, due to a sneeze. The plot to kill Hitler that failed in reality then succeeds. A new phase of the war begins.

Explanation of the novel's title

In the novel, Operation Fuchs am Rhein is Rommel's alternate Battle of the Bulge. [ [http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Rhine-Douglas-Niles/dp/0812574664 Amazon.com: Fox on the Rhine: Books: Douglas Niles,Michael Dobson ] ] This translates to Fox on the Rhine in English.

Plot summary

Hitler is killed by the real-life bomb plot put in place by Colonel von Stauffenberg, and from there, Himmler assigns the SS to kill anyone ahead of him in the chain of command until he was führer. Himmler quickly realizes that the Nazis can't win a two-front war. He gets a weak treaty with the Russians, surrendering only countries he thought were lost already. He then implements Operation Carousel, a plan to get every Nazi off the Russian front and ready to defend the Fatherland. Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, comes out of the hospital after suffering an air attack to his car, and is assigned his position of Feldmarschall on the front against the Allies.The development of jet technology is very important to Himmler, as he wants control of the skies for an attack on the Allies.

After being pushed back for so long, the Nazis attack the Allied front using their feared Blitzkrieg. The Axis reach Bastogne and finally the Meuse River, when their advance is halted except for two bridges in the Belgian town of Dinant. American tanks sneak by Tigers and Panzers to get into the city. Rommel says he will surrender to the Allies, leaving Himmler-loyal SS forces in chaos. Himmler orders Rommel and anyone associated with him traitors and enemies of the Reich. Rommel survives an attempt on his life and surrenders his men to American General Patton.

Historical Characters in "Fox on the Rhine"

Germans:
*Adolf Hitler-German dictator and Nazi führer
*Heinrich Himmler-SS and Gestapo leader
*Joachim Peiper- Waffen-SS officer
*Sepp Dietrich- Waffen-SS general
*Erwin Rommel-Wehrmacht field marshal
*Hans Speidel- Rommel's Chief of Staff, member in plot to kill Hitler
*Fritz Bayerlein- Wehrmacht general
*Heinz Guderian- Wehrmacht general
*Joachim von Ribbentrop- Nazi Foreign Minister
*Colonel von Stauffenberg-ringleader in plot to kill Hitler
*Werner von Haeften- Stauffenbergs Adjutant
*Carl Goerdeler- politician, member in plot to kill Hitler
*Adolf Galland- fighter pilot and ace
*Hermann Göring-ReichsMarshal, WWI War Hero, next-in-line to become führerAllies:
*Franklin D. Roosevelt- US president
*George Patton-American general
*Omar Bradley- American general
*Courtney Hodges- American general
*Dwight D. Eisenhower-Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe
*Bernard Montgomery-British Field MarshalSoviets:
*Joseph Stalin-Soviet Dictator
*Vyacheslav Molotov-Soviet Foreign Minister
*Georgy Zhukov - Marshal of the Soviet Union
*Nikolai Bulganin- politician
*Lavrentiy Beria- chief of NKVD

Footnotes

External links

*"Fox on the Rhine" on Barnes and Noble. [http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&ean=0812574664]
*"Fox on the Rhine" on Google Book Search. [http://books.google.com/books?id=LufLEyhWZG8C&pg=PA418&ots=sZuP8ZjJlA&dq=isbn:0812574664&sig=qRWkbOvWGa4Y0TmFSsum6g49rP4#PPP7,M1]
*Review [http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/niles.html]
*Review [http://www.changingthetimes.net/bookreviews/fox_on_the_rhine.htm]