No one gives Kesselring any acclaim, he was an Air Army Marshal converted to ground action. He was in a little known front, did not achieve "massive offensive" victorys, that diminish his knowledge by most. He was the master of defense, Monte Cassino and Anzio, key examples. He made defensive preparations in layers to fall back on, had only a few panzer and panzer grenadier divisions, yes he had the elite Fallschirmjaegers, one unit. Plus the Italian front was vacated by the Germans, not conquered. Rommel's acclaim, other than the 7th Panzer, was North Africa, there, he had I believe 4 German divisions, his key was charisma and visability on the front line, many Italians I know, in action there, say they fought as good as the Germans for him, due to this fact. But again due to von Mansteins's capabilitiys, in the Don Basin, Kharkov's Backhand Blow and the Thunderclap level of progress.......he was capable in offense/defense. BTY, this was written by a history M.A., top of my class, not a bragster but I in younger days was honoured by frienships with von Manstein and von Manteuffel (why her never made Marshal is beyond me as his unit, Gross Deutshland, came the clost to Moscow, 20km)