1. North African Theater of Operations How the Allies Kept the Axis from Taking Over the World By Brooke Baldwin and Caroline Nguyen

2. What is “Theater”? NOT drama or acting performances Refer to land and seas areas to be invaded or defended Large land mass where continuous military operations take place B

3. Big Playas in the War Axis Powers: Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany Allied Powers - “The Big Three”: Soviet Union, U.S., United Kingdom Mussolini and Hitler of the Axis Powers The Big Three: Stalin, FDR, Winston Churchill B

4. A Look At the World

5. Reasons for Attack Italy: –Bragging Rights –Territorial Chips –Suez Canal –Roman Empire –Troops

6. Protect What’s Ours Britain: –Prevent Axis from taking Egypt –Control of North Africa = Control of Mediterranean –Ideal Location –US Entry

7. Sept 13 th, 1940: Italy invades Egypt Get in towards Egypt Get to Sidi Barrini (60 miles into Egypt) ordered to stand and fight B

8. Britain + Italy Italians: poor equipment, poorly trained, low morale Feb 1941: Victories for Britain under General Wavell –Pushed Italy out of Egypt – 130,000 Italians captured –Capture Libyan port of Tobruk B

10. Hitler to the Rescue? Germany: –Alliance w/ Italy –Stop Britain –Hitler’s goal of world domination Feb 12, 1941: German General Erwin Rommel arrives in North Africa to lead Italian/German forces B

11. The Desert Fox "In the absence of orders, go find something and kill it."

12. Erwin Rommel General of the Afrika Korps Master of timing/surprise Great desert battle tactics Anticipated enemies Revered as great leader by Germans and Allies

13. Rommel and the Afrika Corps Pushed Britain out of Libya Capture Western Desert of Libya and Egypt Had to fight British forces with few supplies Regained Tobruk

14. Rommel’s Tactics Surprise-attacks on British, fooling code- breakers Daring move at Galaza - – go around rear of British army and attack, although running short on supplies Took gambles and made his opponents guess Had decryptions from Italians B

15. THE BATTLES THAT HELPED BRING THE AXIS DOWN Operation Torch (Nov 1942) El Alamein (Oct – Nov 1942) B

16. Battle of El Alamein Fight for access of oil Gen Montgomery (UK) had Rommel’s plan of attack and supply line Rommel attacks even though short on supplies Cannot fight w/ Britain, retreats B

17. Africa’s unique challenge? There was a reason why it was called the “Desert War” B

18. Sand British bombs the Afrika Korps, making them retreat further Expected to attack again, Monty decides not to Sandstorm covers Rommel’s tracks, allowing him to get away B

19. Monty’s Tactics That Won the War Foot soldiers take away mines, move tanks in Brought out dummy tanks in front line Rommel comes back to battle after sickness B

20. Monty’s Tactics That Won the War Operation supercharge: Germans expect attack north, Allies surprise south Panzer are surprised and cannot fight Rommel orders massive retreat against Hitler’s word B

21. Operation Torch November 8, 1942 Russians want Britain and US to create a 2 nd front to get focus off battles in Stalingrad Three front amphibious attack (Western Task Force : French Morocco, Center: Oran, Eastern: Algeria)

22. Plans for Operation Torch US would head all three landings because they have better relations with France than Britain Capture Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia – trap Germans between Tunisia and British in east

23. Met resistance from French colonies, but split in opinions cause ineffectiveness Overall successful, trapped Germans, who were put on defensive

25. WOWERS! Force Hitler to focus back onto Europe Germany no longer had invincibility Showed huge flaws in the Panzer army Crushed Hitler’s mentality Boosted Allies inspiration and desire to fight and win! El Alamein: closed the North African war front

26. "Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." – Winston Churchill

27. Bibliography War in the Desert. http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the- desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1940.htm. 12 Feb 2007.http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the- desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1940.htm Nationalism – Post WW1. http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01218/textonly/nationalism/comingofww2. html 12 Feb 2007. http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01218/textonly/nationalism/comingofww2. html Egypt. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWegypt.htm 15 Feb 2007.http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWegypt.htm Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch 15 Feb 2007.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch November 1942: Operation Torch. http://www.olive- drab.com/od_history_ww2_ops_battles_1942torch.php 12 Feb 2007.http://www.olive- drab.com/od_history_ww2_ops_battles_1942torch.php Commanders and Their Tactics in the Western Desert. http://www.topedge.com/panels/ww2/na/tactics.html 15 Feb 2007. http://www.topedge.com/panels/ww2/na/tactics.html Rommel in the Desert. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/rommel_desert_02.shtml 15 Feb 2007. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/rommel_desert_02.shtml The Battle of El Alamein. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_el_alamein.htm 17 Feb 2007. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_el_alamein.htm