 | North African Campaign: Encyclopedia II - North African Campaign - Western Desert Campaign
North African Campaign - Western Desert Campaign
Main article: Western Desert Campaign
The Northern African Campaign, was a strategical advantage for both Allies and Axis-Powers, Allies could use the land as a second front against the Axis Powers that were in Fortress Europe, and help the Russian front. The Axis planned that if a win in North Africa was possible, then taking the Rich Oil fields located in the Middle East would be an easy task. Taking that land, The Axis could also stop the Oil supplies that were being shipped to the allies.
On September 13th, Italian forces stationed in Libya launched a small invasion into British-held Egypt and set up defensive forts at Sidi Barrani.
The British forces were greatly outnumbered, 35,000 to 500,000, and only half of the British 35,000 were combatants. Nevertheless they launched a counter-attack, Operation Compass. It was far more successful than expected and resulted in massive surrenders of Italian forces and the advance of the Allies to El Agheila. The stunning defeat of the Italians did not go unnoticed and soon German troops, the Deutsches Afrikakorps under Rommel, were sent in to reinforce them.
Although ordered to simply hold the line, Rommel launched an offensive from El Agheila which, with the exception of Tobruk, managed to press the Allies beyond Salum, effectively putting both sides back at their approximate original positions.
During the following stalemate, the Allied forces reorganised as the Eighth Army, which was made up of units from the armies of several countries, especially the Australian Army and the Indian Army, but also including divisions from the South African Army, the New Zealand Army and a brigade of Free French under Marie-Pierre Koenig. The new formation launched a new offensive and recaptured almost all of the territory recently acquired by Rommel, failing only to take the garrison forces at Bardia and Salum. Once again, the frontline was at El Agheila.
After receiving supplies from Tripoli, Rommel again attacked. Defeating the Allies at Gazala and capturing Tobruk, he drove them back to the border of Egypt where his advance was stopped in the First Battle of El Alamein.
At this point General Bernard Montgomery took over as commander of Allied forces in North Africa and, after victory in the battles of Alam Halfa and Second El Alamein, Montgomery began to push the Axis forces back, going as far as capturing Tripoli.
Other related archives11, 1940, 1943, Afrika Korps, Afrika Korps (game), Alam Halfa, Algiers, Alphonse Juin, American, Australian Army, Axis, Bardia, Battle of Gazala, Battle of Kasserine Pass, Bernard Montgomery, British, British Commonwealth, Deutsches Afrikakorps, Dwight Eisenhower, Eastern Front, Egypt, Eighth Army, Eisenhower, El Agheila, Erwin Rommel, Field Marshall, First Battle of El Alamein, François Darlan, Free French, French North Africa, Gazala, German, Indian Army, Italian, Italian Campaign, Libya, Mareth Line, Marie-Pierre Koenig, Mark Clark, May 13, Military history of Britain during World War II, Military history of Egypt during World War II, Military history of Germany during World War II, Military history of Italy during World War II, Morocco, New Zealand Army, North African, North African Campaign timeline, November 10, Operation Battleaxe, Operation Brevity, Operation Compass, Operation Crusader, Operation Torch, Oran, Salum, Second Battle of El Alamein, Second El Alamein, September 13, Sidi Barrani, Siege of Tobruk, South African Army, Soviet Union, Tobruk, Tripoli, Tunisia, Tunisia Campaign, US, Ultra, Vichy, Vichy France, Western Desert Campaign, World War II, coup d'état, frontline, invasion of Sicily, prisoners of war
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Western Desert Campaign", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
