the north african campaign .ppt

The North African

Campaign 1940 - 43

The North African CampaignWhy?

• 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 Britain’s only chance to halt the Axis.

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.

The North African CampaignStrategies & 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.

The North African Campaign

• Britain -v- Italy– Began with Italy’s 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.

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.

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.

The North African Campaign

• Rommel Strikes Back- Jan 1942: Rommel’s 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 Churchill’s demands to attack because he believes the troops are not yet ready.

The North African Campaign• Oct 1942: The Battle of El-

Alamein– the battle begins with artillery

bombardment & an overwhelming Allied superiority (2:1 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.

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.

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.

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.– USA’s entry into the war.– Allied numerical superiority.– German codes broken.– the little things (food, water, medicine, etc).

The North African Campaign

• 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

Significance of the outcome of the Battle of El-Alamein (1)

The North African Campaign

• Historians’ differences:– John Bierman/Colin Smith call

it a major ‘turning point’– Russian historians claim it was

small compared to the Eastern Front

• Churchill’s 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.’

Significance of the outcome of the Battle of El-Alamein (2)