Battle of North Africa
"Two dominate generals, on a battlefield neither knew."
An Attack Brought On By Italy
The Battle of North Africa was caused by Italy just entering the war, and seizing the Horn of Africa, which was a vital point for the British military, causing a military conflict between the Ally nation of Britain and the Axis nation of Italy.
North African Campaign
The North African Campaign was started when the two main Axis powers, Italy and Germany, invaded British controlled Africa and Egypt, from Algeria to Morocco, and into Tunisia. The Axis powers were controlled by General Erwin Rommel, and the British power was controlled by General Montgomery. The point of the Axis powers invasion was just to expand their space, and their power. They needed more land to expand on and North Africa had been controlled by the British who was already declaring war against Germany, the main Axis power, so when Italy joined the war, they almost immediately joined the fight up in Northern Africa. The British had controlled and neighbored Egypt and North Africa since 1882. In September of 1940, Italy began to invade Egypt, and most of North Africa. Later that year in December the British replied with a counterattack of their own. British Commander General Montgomery's Eighth Army broke through the Italy defense and drove them all the way back to Tunisia. Later on Operation Torch brought in thousands of British and American forces, they surrounded the Axis army in western North Africa, and forced them to surrender in May 1943, and thus ending the Campaign of North Africa. After the Campaign, this relieved so much pressure on the soviets, that they were able to combine their forces, and join the British, French, and American armies together. 250,000 German and Italian soldiers were taken prisoner. With the combined forces and morale of the armies, the Ally powers were able to push forward on in the war to victory.
North African Campaign
North African Campaign
North African Campaign
Generals
The British Army in North Africa was controlled by General Montgomery, probably one of the most inspirational General's in WWII. He was also General during American D-Day, and retained his position of General until the war ended. General Montgomery was born in 1887, and at the age of 21 he received Commission in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. During WWI he served on the western front. His key military strategy was to keep offensive on his own land, and protect what was rightfully British Territory. But he risked ruining this with a quick counterattack in December 1940.
The Italian general was General Erwin Rommel. He was born on November 15, 1891, and he was one of Hitlers greatest successors until his plans to overthrow Hitler and become the new Dictator of Europe were found out, he committed suicide soon after. His tactics were quick maneuvers, and to never keep men in one spot. He kept men moving at all time so it was difficult to flank him. His tactics were unbelievably courageous, and brave and all other general respected him. But his tactics also made his partners and superiors distrust him.