Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck (20 March 1870 – 9 March 1964), popularly known as the
Lion of Africa (), was a
general in the
Imperial German Army and the commander of its forces in the
German East Africa campaign. For four years, with a force of about 14,000 (3,000 Germans and 11,000 Africans), he held in check a much larger force of 300,000 British, Indian, Belgian, and Portuguese troops. He is known for never being defeated or captured in battle.
Lettow-Vorbeck was the only German commander to successfully invade a part of the
British Empire during the
First World War. His exploits in the campaign have been described by historian
Edwin Palmer Hoyt as "the greatest single
guerrilla operation in history, and the most successful".
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