We watched a documentary on the Mediterranean and North African fronts.
Mussolini was in conflict with Hitler quite a lot during the invasion of the Mediterranean area. The Mediterranean was important for trade and fuel. Allied troops defended against Stuka dive bombers on the island of Crete. Hitler's decision to support Mussolini was paying off however, as the Allies suffered heavy casualties. Rommel was chosen by Hitler to retake North Africa for the Axis powers and lend a hand to the Italians. The Axis powers (Afrika Corps) outnumbered the Allies stationed in North Africa. The British troops retreated to the Egyptian border, with Rommel pushing them back the whole way because the Germans also outgunned the British. Rommel's trademark tactic was outflanking the British troops. He gained the name Desert Fox. Rommel was once defeated, and retreated temporarily, then resumed his campaign. However, Rommel was finally defeated at El Alamein by the British troops. Bernard Montgomery became one of the new and important generals in the British army. The island of Malta became an important Navy base for Britain. The British launched a major offensive against the Italian navy, crippling half of their fleet's battleships. The Italian navy was no longer a problem. The Axis powers mounted a large attack against Malta. The British had orders from Churchill to crush Rommel's army. The invention of the Sherman tank helped the Allies win the second battle of El Alamein against the Axis forces. The battle lasted 10 days, and the following day Rommel retreated. Montgomery's army chased Rommel towards Tunisia. The Americans launched Operation Torch and started moving eastward. The Germans and Italians were soon outmaneuvered and surrendered to the Allies.
I think that this victory in North Africa was very important to the Allies because it was the end of the beginning for Germany, as they were soon being pushed out of various locations across Europe. The victory in North Africa proved that the Germans could be defeated, and this raised morale and helped all the Allied armies defeat other German armies. Rommel was a smart general, but the intelligence of the two British generals and the entrance of America into the war spelled defeat for him in the long run. This video was very interesting and shed light on the events that happened in this segment of the war. I think that this campaign doesn't get enough attention from historians, so I liked this video.
Comments
I agree with your last sentence. Well done!