World War II: Disobeying a direct order by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler" id="mwog" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Adolf Hitler">Adolf Hitler</a>, General Field Marshal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Rommel" id="mwow" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Erwin Rommel">Erwin Rommel</a> begins a retreat of his forces after a costly defeat during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" id="mwpA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Second Battle of El Alamein</a>. The retreat would ultimately last five months.