The North African Campaign 1940 - 43

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The North AfricanCampaign 1940 - 43
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The North African Campaign

• Why?
• Italy attempted to increase its empire in North
  Africa
• Britain wanted to maintain control of Middle East
  possessions, including Suez Canal, oilfields.
• Germany saw it as a sideshow until too late.
• Was Britains only chance to halt the Axis.

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The North African Campaign

• The Overall Picture
• Essentially a coastal war, fought with limited
  resources troops.
• Mobility supply lines crucial.
• Main supplies needed petrol, weapons
  ammunition, food water.
• Air power vital.
• Both sides fought within the rules.
• Cult of the personality generals.

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The North African Campaign

• Strategies Tactics
• Ability to maneuver outflank the enemy was
  paramount. This would allow him to be cut off
  from his supply lines.
• Supply reached N Africa mainly by sea. From
  ports, it reached the front via truck convoy or
  on a small scale by air.
• Both sides, but esp. the Allies used
  commando/special forces to make hit run attacks
  on enemy supplies.
• Air power was crucial for scouting attacking
  supply dumps.
• Defensive lines were rare (since they could be
  outflanked - except at El Alamein), but often
  protected by huge minefields carefully placed
  anti-tank guns (AA guns were often used in this
  role).
• Main weapon was the tank, with armoured cars
  halftracks in support the terrain was too
  soft/sandy for trucks. Infantry rode to a
  jump-off point before taking part in an attack.

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The North African Campaign

• Britain -v- Italy
• Began with Italys entry into the war on June 11,
  1940.
• Light skirmishes only until September invasion of
  British-held Egypt.
• Oct-Nov failed Italian invasion of Greece.
• Dec 1940 to Feb 1941 Operation Compass, British
  counter-attack forces Italians from Africa
  halfway back to Tripoli, the capital of Libya
  (Italians lose 120,000 men)
• Jan to Nov 1941 Italian East Africa conquered.

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The North African Campaign

• Enter Rommel
• Jan 1941 Hitler announces that German forces
  (about 2 divs/20000 men) will support the
  Italians in N Africa.
• Feb General Erwin Rommel arrives with advance
  troops of the Deutsches Afrika Korps.
• Mar British withdraw troops to reinforce Greece.
• Mar to Apr Rommel drives the British back into
  Egypt, siege of Tobruk begins.
• Apr to May Axis conquer Greece Crete.
• May to June Allied forces occupy Syria Iraqi
  oilfields.
• June British attack, Operation Battleaxe, fails
  badly, Gen Wavell replaced by Gen Auchinleck.
• June Operation Barbarossa launched the Eastern
  Front receives first priority.

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The North African Campaign

• Operation Crusader the British counter-attack
• August 1941 Allies invade Iran.
• Sept British buildup now complete. British have
  8th Army (118,000 troops, 700 tanks, 650
  aircraft) against Panzerarmee Afrika (119,000
  troops, 400 tanks - 1/3 of these obsolete Italian
  designs, 550 aircraft).
• Nov 1941 to Jan 1942 British relieve Tobruk
  advance to a position similar to that of Mar
  1941.

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The North African Campaign

• Rommel Strikes Back
• Jan 1942 Rommels attack forces the British back
  to the Gazala Line, west of Tobruk.
• Both sides halted tried to build up their troop
  supply levels. British now have 839 tanks 190
  planes to 643 tanks 497 planes.
• June Rommel outflanked the British in a series
  of battles, who were forced to retreat all the
  way back to El Alamein, less than 100km from the
  port of Alexandria on the Nile Delta.
• July to Sept Rommel made a series of desperate
  attacks but failed to break through.
• Aug Gen Montgomery appointed to command the 8th
  Army. He refuses Churchills demands to attack
  because he believes the troops are not yet ready.

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The North African Campaign

• Oct 1942 The Battle of El-Alamein
• the battle begins with artillery bombardment an
  overwhelming Allied superiority (21 ratio in
  tanks, artillery manpower).
• infantry assault to clear a path through the Axis
  minefields.
• described as a WWI battle fought with modern
  weapons
• lasted 12 days
• ended with heavy Axis losses with Rommel in
  full retreat.

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The North African Campaign

• After Alamein
• Nov 1942 to Jan 1943 Rommel forced to retreat
  through Libya into Tunisia.
• Operation Torch
• Nov 1942 Allied landings in Vichy French N
  African colonies of Morocco Algeria. They
  attempt to cut off Rommel.

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The North African Campaign

• The End
• Feb 1943 Rommel defeats the Allies at Kasserine
  but is forced to retreat.
• Mar Rommel leaves Africa.
• May 7 1943 Axis troops in Africa surrender
  (60,000 dead 240,000 POWs). A disaster
  comparable to Stalingrad.

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The North African Campaign

• Why did the Allies win?
• Hitler never considered Africa as more than a
  sideshow. Rommel never got the supplies or troops
  he needed (although the Allies kept withdrawing
  troops at vital times).
• Spain stayed neutral thus British were able to
  control the western Mediterranean.
• Malta survived the most bombed place on Earth.
  Provided an air naval base to disrupt Axis air
  sea supply lines.
• Italian equipment not up to standard although
  they fought bravely.
• Allied air naval power.
• USAs entry into the war.
• Allied numerical superiority.
• German codes broken.
• the little things (food, water, medicine, etc).

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The North African Campaign
Significance of the outcome of the Battle of
El-Alamein (1)

• End of the Axis presence in North Africa
• Nov 42 Allied landings in Vichy
• N. Africa
• Apr 43 Tunisia falls
• 240 000 Axis POWs
• Strategic importance
• Suez Canal is safe
• oilfields of the Middle East safe
• threatens Italy, Balkans
• Morale booster

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The North African Campaign
Significance of the outcome of the Battle of
El-Alamein (2)

• Historians differences
• John Bierman/Colin Smith call it a major turning
  point
• Russian historians claim it was small compared to
  the Eastern Front
• Churchills view
• This is not the end. It is not even the
  beginning of the end. But it is perhaps, the end
  of the beginning.
• Before Alamein, we never had a victory. After
  Alamein, we never had a defeat.