Figure 1.-- |
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British and Italin/Germany armies launches offensives which swung back and forth between Egypt and Libya. It looked like Rommel's Africa Corps might reach Suez in 1942, but the British stopped him at El Alemain. Here the two armies prepared for a massive battle. The Africa Corps supply lines crossed the
Mediterranan where with the help of Ultra, the British destroyed large quantities of supplies. The British in turn had longer supply lines, but their new American allies delivered vast quantities of weapons and supplies. This enabled Montgomery's 8th Army to smash the Africa Corps (October 1942). While this made headlines,
the more decisive action occurred to the west in French North africa. Amercan and British landings in North Africa known as Operation Torch sealed the fate of the Axis desert campaign. Even if Rommel had broken through to Suez, he would have been forced to turn west to deal with the Allied landings in French North
Africa. The Allies driving east from their Moroccan and Algerian beachheads linked up with the Brish advancing west (November 1942). While generally given less attention than other campigns, the Anglo American offensive, joined by the French French played an important role in assisting the hard-pressed Soviets on the Eastern Front. The Wehrmacht's strategic reserve had not yet been committed in November 1942. All rational calculations argued for it to be committed against the Soviets in the struggle over Stalingrad. Hitler instead used major components to hold Tunisia. The Luftwaffe was ordered to launch a massive operation to transport troops to Tunisia and support them. More than 1,000 Junkers transport planes were loss in the effort, planes and crews which could have been used to supply the 6th Army at Stalingrad. The Axis lost 200,000 soldiers at Stalingrad, but 250,000 in Tunisia--about Half Germans. These were losses of such magnitudes that the Germans could not replace them. [Atkinson] North Africa was also notable because the Anglo-American military operation was worked out and the Allied armies
first learned the techniques of modern war needed to defeat the Blitkrieg tatctics of the German military machine. The American army obtained its first combat experience in North Africa.
Many histories of World War II suggest that El Alemain and Stalingrad were the turning points of World War II. Certainly the British victory at El Alemain does not compare with Stalingrad in terms of the massive size of the engamement. It was the Soviets who turned back the vast proportion of the German Wehrmacht. El Alemain and the Torch landings were, however, a vital part of the Allied war effort. They not only did take considerable pressure off the Soviets, but it was in North Africa that Allied commanders, both Americans and British, learned to fight the Germans. It was a huge stratehic error for the Germans. North Africa was at the outer limit of the Axis strategic reach. The campaign in Russia restricted the forces that the Germans could deploy and the Allied naval and air forces limited their ability to supply the forced that they could deploy. Thus Allied commannders learned the techniques of modern worn fighting Rommel and other German commanders that could not bring the forces to bear to defeat the Allies. It is no accident that before El Alemain and Torch, the Western Allies never won a campaign against the Wehrmacht. Afterwards they ne ver lost a campaign. One factor was of course that American industrial capacoty, the Arsenal of Democracy, steadily expnded production. The other key component of victory was, however, the mastery of the techniques of modern war. In addition, Torch brought the French Army back into the Allied camp.
Once it was clear that the French Army was defeated, Mussolini decided to join Hitler and declared war on France and Britain. Even though German armies were pouring through France, Mussolini's attack in the south was unsuccessful. Mussolini also invaded Egypt from Libya, hoping to seize the Suez Canal (September 13, 1940). Although badly outnumbered the British 8th Army not only stopped the Italians but counter attacked (December 9, 1940). The British move toward Benghazi with a series of victories. The Italians are near collapse. Hitler in order to prevent the fall of Libya orders a small armoured force to Libya to support the Italians. The force under Erwin Rommel begins to arrive March 22, 1941. Rommel and his Africa Korps stop the British and even though he has only a small force launches a counter-attack (March 30, 1941). Rommel drives the British back into Egypt. Here Rommel's inovatic tactics and the superority of the German Panzers were critical. ANZAC resistance at Tobruck helps to stop Rommel. A British counter offensive drive Rommel and the Italians back into Libya (November 18, 1941). Rommel strikes and again drives into Egypt (January 21, 1942). This time Rommel takes Tobruk (June 21, 1942). He moves toward Suez, but is stopped after a ferocious battle at El Alemain (July 2, 1942). A standoff occurs as the two armies prepare for a show down. Churchill gives Montgomery command of the 8th Army (August 13, 1942). This is thehighwater of the German war effort. Rommel is only a few miles from Suez and Von Paulitz's 6th Army is investing Stalingrad. Here America's entry into the War begins to swing the ballance. American industry provided Montgomery, with supplies and equipment in massive quantities. The Germans bogged down in the Soviet Union can not devote the men are material needed by Rommel. The British defeat of the Italian Navy in the Mediterrean means that much of the supplies sent to Rommel are sunk. The British are assisted in this effort by Ultra.
It looked like Rommel's Afrika Corps might reach Suez in 1942, but the British stopped him at El Alemain.
Here the two armies prepared for a massive battle. The Africa Corps supply lines crossed the Mediterranan where with the help of Ultra, the British destroyed large quantities of supplies. The British in turn had longer supply lines, but their new American allies delivered vast quantities of weapons and supplies. This enabled Montgomery's 8th Army to smash the Africa Corps (October 1942).
American President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill decided that the Allies needed to open a Second Front to take pressure off the hard-pressed Red Army reeling under the German summer offensive driving toward Stalingrad and the oil-rich Caucauses (July 1942). Joseph Stalin demanded an invasion of Europe. Wisely Roosevelt and Churchill targetted French North Africa. American General George Marshall, in many ways the architect of the American victory, was opposed to Totch, considering it a diversion. Roosevelt insisted. While Montgomery's victory at El Alemain often receives more attentiin, it was the Torch landings that were the decisive action. The Amercan and British landings in North Africa sealed the fate of the Axis desert campaign. Even if Rommel had broken through to Suez, he would have been forced to turn west to deal with the Allied landings in French North Africa.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed Allied commander to oversee the Torch Landings. The Allies driving east from their Moroccan and Algerian beachheads linked up with the Brish advancing west (November 1942). Although Hitler rushed reinforcements to Tunisia, the end result was the first major defeat of a German Army by the Western Allies.
Germman Führer Adolf Hitler threatened Vichy leader Henri-Philippe Petain that he would order the Wehrmacht into the un-occupied area of France if the Vichy forces in North Africa did not oppose the Allied landings. After Darlan surrendered (November 11). Hitler ordered the Wehrmacht to occupy Vichy. The Vichy
Government did not resist the Germans. Naval commanders, however, scuttled the French fleet to keep it out of German hands, denying thge Germans a major prise. Admiral Raeder in particular had hoped to seize French vessels for his surface fleet.
General Jurgen von Arnium took control of the German forces in Tunisia (January 1943). Rommel and the Afrika Korps reached southern Tunisia (January 1943). Rommel had lost huge amounts of equipment at El Alemain and many men, but he had defied Hitler's orders and extracted the Afrika Korps. He used the French fortifications (the Merrith Line) to prepare a strong defensive line. This was a series of strong points and fortificatiins that the french had built against a possible Italian invasion before the War. The German defense of Tunisia was compromised by the conflict between Von Arnium and Rommel. Von Arnium represented the Prussian aristocrats that had dominated the Army before the NAZIs. Rommel was a political general with a middle class background that owed his advance to the political patronage of Hitler.
While generally given less attention than other campigns, the Anglo American offensive, joined by the French French played an important role in assisting the hard-pressed Soviets on the Eastern Front. The Wehrmacht's strategic reserve had not yet been committed in November 1942. All rational calculations argued for it to be committed against the Soviets in the struggle over Stalingrad. Hitler instead used major components to hold Tunisia. The Luftwaffe was ordered to launch a massive operation to transport troops to Tunisia and support them. More than 1,000 Junkers transport planes were loss in the effort, planes and crews which could have been used to supply the 6th Army at Stalingrad.
Montgomery faced with the Merith Line devted several weeks in Libya preparing his forces and building up supplies. Arnium and Rommel turned to contront the Allied forces to the west. German forces attacked Allied forces at Faid Pass (February 14) and Kasserine Pass (February 19, 1943). The Afrika Korps then headed for Thala but were retired after meeting increased Allied forces (February 22). Arnium and Rommel were unable to closely coordinate operarions. In addition Rommel was unwilling to commit his forces to a major campaign realizng that Montgomery was preparing a major offensive. Kasserine was a major blooding of the American Army. The losses were substantial, but easily replaceable. The real importance of Kaserine was that was an important lesson in modern warfare. America had a lot to learn. Incompetent commanders had to be weeded out. Competent commanders found. The techniques of combined operations, especially close air support had to be learned. From Kaserine there was a steep learning curve. The results would be apparent by the time of the invasion of Sicily (July 1943).
General Harold Alexander was put in command of land operations of the Allied firces pushing east from Algeria. The Allies driving east from their Moroccan and Algerian beachheads linked up with the Brish advancing west. Although Hitler rushed reinforcements to Tunisia, the end result was the first major defeat of a German Army by the Western Allies. Rommel was recalled to Germany (March 9). The overall German commander in the south, Kesseling, felt that he had lost his fighting edge. Hitler concurred. His recall was explained on the basis of his health. Arnium assumed command of the German forces concentrating the German forces in a 100-mile defensive arc around the ports of Tunis and Bizerte at the northeastern tip of Tunisia.
The Axis lost 200,000 soldiers at Stalingrad, but 250,000 in Tunisia--about Half Germans. These were losses of such magnitudes that the Germans could not replace them. [Atkinson]
North Africa was also notable because the Anglo-American military operation was worked out and the Allied armies
first learned the techniques of modern war needed to defeat the Blitkrieg tatctics of the German military machine. The American army obtained its first combat experience in North Africa.
Atkinson, Rick. The Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-43 (Henry Holt, 2002), 681p.
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