History Of The Desert War

The north african campaign also know as the Desert War took place in the early 1940's during world war II. “The North African campaign had three phases: the Western desert campaign (western Egypt and eastern Libya); Operation Torch(Algeria and Morocco); and the Tunisia campaign”.
After the defeat of France and the withdrawal of British forces at Dunkirk, the center of warfare soon came to be north africa between the axis and allied forces america wasnt involved in the desert war physically but materilistic Rosevelt made that clear in his university of virgina speach “On this tenth day of June, 1940, the hand that held the dagger has struck it into the back of its neighbor. On this tenth day of June, 1940, in this University founded by the
first great American teacher of democracy, we send forth our prayers and our hopes to those beyond the seas who are maintaining with magnificent valor their battle for freedom.In our American unity, we will pursue two obvious and simultaneous courses; we will extend to the opponents of force the material resources of this nation; and, at the same time, we will harness and speed up the use of those resources in order that we ourselves in the Americas may have equipment and training equal to the task of any emergency and every defense. All roads leading to the accomplishment of these objectives must be kept clear of obstructions. We will not slow down or detour. Signs and signals call for speed—full speed ahead.” America was helping up until 1942 when they entered.”In 1940 each of the five territories along the North African coast -- Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco -- had a colonial or semi-colonial status under a European power. Britain formally established a protectorate over Egypt in 1914”. The desert war was fought for two main reasons first was the suez canal because it was crucial to controling the middle east, and the middle eastern oilresources was the other main reason for war.
When the italian director declared war he all ready had more than 1 million men in libya out the britishes 36,000 men the early half of the wars was pretty much who could wait out the other with lackages of supplies as the demand grew longer. Majority of the battles took place far to the east of the Italian bases and supply depots in Libya. By 1942 the Royal Navy had beat the Italian fleet out of the Mediterranean, which allowed their own transports free movement.American forces soon after landed in the western north africa around 1942 in the first allied push the siege of tobruk took place and allied forces caputured tobruk and held against many odds.
On october 23 1942 the second battle of el alamein commensed and was known as the turning point for the north afican campaign. “At the heart of the Allied effort was the 2nd New Zealand Division. From Operation Crusader to the final victory in Tunisia, ‘The Div’ took part in some of the fiercest battles of the desert campaign - at El Alamein, El Mreir, Minqar Qaim, Ruweisat Ridge, Sidi Rezegh, Takrouna, Tebaga Gap and elsewhere. “
Casualties in the war was very emense ”During the entire North African campaign, the Germans and Italians suffered 620,000 casualties, while the British Commonwealth lost 220,000 men.
American casualties in Tunisia alone totaled more than 18,500. The Allied victory in North Africa destroyed or neutralized nearly 900,000 German and Italian troops, opened a second front against the Axis, permitted the invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland in the summer of 1943, and removed the Axis threat to the oilfields of the Middle East and to British supply lines to Asia and Africa. “ Living conditions in the desert were near ferocious freezing nights and blazing daylight temperatures made troops very uncomfortable there was no shade and any type of shelters or shacks built couldn't block out the sun, and raging sandstorm, and dust from moving vehicles covered the camps and equipment under sand. “The lack of water to drink, let alone to wash or shave in, was a constant source of annoyance. So were the flies. Desperate for moisture, they settled on lips or sweaty shirts by the hundreds. During daylight hours men struggled to eat as flies swarmed on their food or dived into their drinks. One inevitable result was dysentery, a miserable experience. Mosquitoes were less prevalent but more lethal, for in some areas they carried malaria. Adding to the men's misery were desert sores – any scratch rapidly became a suppurating mess. Everyone, it seemed, sported bandages.” the result of the
mainly returned power back to those governments under new treaties resluting at the end of the desert war and world war II “France established a formal protectorate over Tunisia in 1881; the Tunisian ruler was supervised by a French Resident-General. Morocco, ruled by a Sultan, had become a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fez in 1912; as in Tunisia, a French Resident-General supervised the Sultan and his bureaucracy. France began its conquest of Algeria in 1830. By 1940, Algeria had been made a formal part of France ruled directly by a Governor-General. With the collapse of France and the establishment of the Vichy regime in 1940, the French North African colonies came under Vichy control. “
"Military Operations in North Africa." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 01 Aug. 2015.
"North African Campaign." North African Campaign. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Aug. 2015
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 01 Aug.
2015.
"World War II: North Africa Campaign." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Aug. 2015.
"The North African Campaign Of World War II." The North African Campaign Of World War II. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Aug. 2015.