1. The Battle of El-Alamein and Operation Torch
Aaron Correya, Harel Mizrahi, Emmett Gruber, Evan Minicucci, and John Leitch

2. Thesis
The Battle of El-Alamein and Operation Torch both expelled the Germans from North Africa, and sprouted Allied dominance in the Mediterranean Sea to create another front, of Southern Europe, for the Allies to attack from.

3. The Battle of El-Alamein

4. Objectives of El-Alamein
Axis:
Capture the Suez Canal and the Middle Eastern Oil Fields
Without the Suez it would be very hard for the Allies to supply themselves
Allies:
Stop Germans from reaching the Suez
Churchill wanted a victory to improve moral
Wanted to relieve pressure off the Red Army in the East

5. It was fought between one of the two of the best commanders in WWII…
Quick Overview
It was fought between one of the two of the best commanders in WWII…
Bernard Montgomery -- British general
Erwin Rommel -- German general
In the summer of 1942, the Allies were getting spanked by the Axis forces in Europe
If the Afrika Korps got to the Suez Canal, the Allies would have lost an extremely important supply route, and Germany would have access to tons of oil from the Middle East

6. El-Alamein Timeline
October 25th- Four Allied brigades breakthrough the German Defense lines
October 25th- Montgomery enacts “Operation Supercharge”
September 2nd- Rommels assault is thwarted, his tank forces suffering high losses and pushed back to Bab el Qattara
July 1st- General Erwin Rommel attempts to breakthrough the Allied defense
First battle of Al-Alamein
1942
July 1- July 22
August 1-30 German forces get support by another Italian division
October 23rd- Allies start break through with “Operation Lightfoot”
November 4th- Allies defeat Rommel's troops by making them retreat throughout North Africa

7. Switch to Evan’s fancy presentation

8. The Battle
El-Alamein was a bottleneck between the Mediterranean and the Qattara Depression
Montgomery got ahold of Rommel’s plans and supply lines
August 1942 Germans are low on fuel so Rommel attacks quickly
He attempts to attack in the South but there are a lot of land mines and he is forced to retreat

10. The Battle (cont.)
Rommel retreats and the British decide not to follow him
This angers Chihill as he thought Montgomery was giving up the win
Decide to enact “Operation Bertram”
Set up dummy tanks in south to convince Germans they will attack there
Execute Operation Lightfoot in the North

11. Operation Lightfoot oct. 23 1942
An Allied attack in the north were infantry would attack first
They cleared out mines and made a path wide enough for tanks to get through
This attack eventually failed as the tanks and infantry were not able to get as far as they initially thought
Caused a large backup in the Tank line
Infantry was forced to dig in

12. Operation LF
Operation LF
Dummy tanks

13. Operation Supercharge oct. 25 1942
Starts after Germans are occupied with Australians near the Mediterranean
British then flank Rommel and attack him south of his troops
Heavy losses by the Germans and they are forced to retreat back to the east

14. Germ
Aus
Brit

15. Operation Torch Timeline
Nov Allies capture Beja and Sidi Nsir
Nov Allies reach African shores
Nov 26 --> on
Allies Move East
Nov
Medjez el Bab is taken by the Allies
Nov British Paratroopers land in airfield near Bone

16. Operation Torch
British-American invasion of French North Africa during the African campaign.
Started on November 8, 1942.
Goals:
Clear the Axis powers from North Africa
Attack Vichy France (seen as allied with Nazis)
Gain control of Mediterranean to attack South Eu.
Vichy France & Germany vs. U.S, U.K, Free France

17. The Operation
2nd Major attack of North Africa designed to expel Axis troops
Multiple areas that the Allies to attacked
Vichy French troops were more of a nuisance to the Allies (Allies take the areas quickly)
Once they held the land, they pushed further east (right towards retreating Afrika Korps from El-Alamein)

19. Effects of Operation Torch and El-Alamein
By January 1943, Egypt was saved and 8th
Mediterranean army (Allies) won back the gates of Tripoli.
Rommel’s group got the absolute crap kicked out of them and the Axis forces were forced out of North Africa
Allies gain more control over the Mediterranean
“Soft Underbelly” of Europe exposed to the Allies
Turning point in war that also increased morale for the Allies who hadn’t been doing so hot before.
“Unconditional Surrender” idea created

21. Works cited