The North African Campaign War in the Desert 10 June 1940 7 July - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The North African Campaign War in the Desert 10 June 1940 – 7 July 1942 1

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The Start of World War II In North Africa Viewed by Hitler as a “Sideshow” Gibraltar – Nazi Goal - Capture from British – Spain joins the Axis British occupy the Suez Canal and Egypt  Protect lines of communication  Protect the oil fields of the Middle East. Italy occupies Libya – Vichy France occupies Algeria and Syria Tripoli to Alexandria – 1,400 miles  Poor road network along the coast  Few ports along the coast for resupply  Mountains and desert begin 30 – 50 miles inland 3 3

The Start of World War II In North Africa Viewed by Hitler as a “Sideshow” War in North Africa will be fought within 50 miles of the coast War will be a war of movement – ships (tanks) in the desert 4 4

The Start of World War II In North Africa Viewed by Hitler as a “Sideshow” War in North Africa will be fought within 50 miles of the coast War will be a war of movement – ships (tanks) in the desert Tanks and artillery will make the difference • German “88” 5 5

Italian North African Forces = 300,000 vs. British forces in North Africa = 40,000  Italians begin the campaign with advance on British Egypt  Italians halted by the British commanded by General Archibald Wavell  British will push the Italians back – Capture nearly 130,000 Italians soldiers 6 6

 In order to help Italians Hitler sends two under-strength divisions and support personnel under the command of Major General Erwin Rommel (“Desert Fox”) in March 1941 (“Afrika Korps”)  Rommel immediately goes on the offensive – pushes the British back, captures the British commander General O’Connor  Rommel halted at Tobruk 7

Tobruk Holds Out Against Germans for a Year April 1941 – June 1942 8

The Battle Becomes a See-Saw of Positions 9 9

The Siege of Tobruk – April 1941 – June 1942 Captured -- Opens Supply Port for Rommel  Longest Siege of British Military History  Australian, Indian and  Rommel Pushes Towards other Commonwealth Soldiers hold out until the Egypt end.  Halted at El Alamein 10 10

World War II Desert Battlefield Debris 11

Hitler Turns to the East – Fall 1940 Failure of the Operation Sea-Lion Plan Planning begins for the invasion of Russia German goal of Lebensraum (“ Living Room/Space ” - Mein Kampf)  Unable to move westward – population – societies – focus on larger, less inhabited countries in order to have space for the expanding Greater German society  Make use of the available natural resources of these areas / eliminate the “inferior races” that currently populate the areas / repopulate with Germans 12

Balkan Campaign - Spring 1941 Italy invades the Balkans – Albania – Greece  Greeks and British push back the Italians April 1941 Hitler invades the Balkans & Greece  Chase the British to the Island of Crete  Disrupts the German timetable for invasion of Russia  Axis controls much of the Middle East and southern Europe 13 13