Kasserine Pass Research Paper

1. DEFINE THE SUBJECT:
The-battle of Kasserine Pass
A. Took place in North Africa in the Kasserine Pass of Tunisia.
B. The Commanders and leaders that were in charge:
i. United States- Lieutenant General Lloyd Ralston Fredendall ii. United Kingdom- General Kenneth Anderson iii. British 1st Army Commander - LTG K.A.N. Anderson iv. Germany- Colonel-General Hans Jurgen Von Arnim
v. Germany- Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Also, known as the “the desert fox” for being one of the most able tank commanders of the war.
C. The Battled occurred February 19-24, 1943
2. REVIEW THE STRATEGIC SETTING
A. By January of 1943 the German strategic situation had worsened perceptibly. The Russian counter-attack at Stalingrad threatened to engulf all of VIth Army.
In the West, large numbers of German troops-were tied down in occupation duties and preparing for the anticipated Allied landings. In Africa, Rommel held two fronts roughly one hundred miles apart. Strategically, the initiative was clearly shifting to the Allies through the power of the offensive. While Allied military strength in Africa steadily increased, German resources were drawn off by higher priorities. Seeking the initiative as always, Rommel planned a counter-stroke through the Americans and behind the British and French forces to his west. The stage was set for the first battle of Kasserine.
B.
Fighting for the Kasserine Pass was already underway by December 1942 when Jurgen von Arnim, German V Panzer Army attacked in the hope that he would be able to link with Rommel’s army which was at the time withdrawing from Libya to the southern part of Tunisia. Arnim’s goal was to control the Eastern Dorsale, a mountain range extending from Tunis. If he had control of the mountain passes he could basically control most of the movement that happens through the Eastern Dorsale. This would also have forced Allied troops to use passes that are further away from their supply lines while it would allow him and Rommel to combine their
troops.
The Germans were, at least in theory at a disadvantage in North Africa, mainly because they couldn’t successfully supply their forces but they also had an advantage over the Allies, their command structure was unified. It was very easy to tell who commanded the German forces but when one takes a look at the command structure of the Allies, it’s a lot more complicated. Eisenhower had control over all of the Allied forces in that area, but the problem was that he was 400 miles away from Tunisia so Eisenhower made Major-General Lucien Truscott Jnr. his representative in the area but there was yet another problem, Truscott was 200 miles away from the frontline as well. In the end the day to day command was in the hands of Lieutenant-General Sir Kenneth Anderson who was the commander of the 1st British Army. Of course, Anderson had problems as well, part of his command included the 19th French Corps whose commander wouldn’t take orders from Anderson.
On 3rd January 1943, the Germans led by Arnim attacked the French troops. Because of the great success, the Germans had with the attack Eisenhower decided to remove the French forces from the direct battle and move them to the rear, and their previous position was filled with new American troops but before this happened the Germans attacked again, and the second attack was just as successful as the first.
By February 1943, Armin had around 100,000 men, Rommel had some 70,000 men and the combined forces of the Allies were around 150,000 men. The German Fifth Panzer Army in North Africa launched, a limited offensive to drive Allied forces out of Tunisia's Eastern Dorsae. The 10th and 21st Panzer Divisions struck Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division, in the western exit of Faid Pass. Converging German elements overran the American artillery positions, drove off a tank battalion with heavy loss, and surrounded the U.S. 164th Infantry-Regiment. Although the encircled farces, defended their positions stubbornly, an armored counterattack. To relieve the failed disastrously on 15 February, Leaving the 168th no alternative but to attempt a breakout on. The night of 16-17 February. Only a handful of soldiers succeeded in reaching Allied lines
.
C. STUDY THE AREA OF OPERATION
1. Weather
During the period of the Axis offensive, February 1943; the weather in and around battle of Kasserine pass was variable.
Although February is normally considered early spring in central Tunisia, wind, rain, hail, and even snow was still encountered. While the sun was out the weather could be pleasant, but when the clouds rolled in a penetrating cold prevailed. Axis forces located initially in the sunnier lowlands and dressed in light summer uniforms were attacking into the Allied forces whose defensive locations were generally in higher ground to the east where the weather was characterized by cloudier and wetter
weather.

The weather was described miserable. With violent winds that caused sandstorms. Although the sky remained half covered with heavy clouds, high winds persisted aid the temperature remained cold, the atmospheric conditions became favorable for offensive operations. Strong westerly wind picked up a sandstorm. The German staff weatherman had accurately predicted these conditions, and when combined with the normal early morning haze, observation of the Faid Pass exit had become impossible, from the American positions at Djebels Ksaura and Dejebels Lessouda.
Primarily due to the difficult weather conditions the screening elements forward of the American positions, the attached 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry and the 81st Reconnaissance Battalion failed to intercept attacking German forces and the carefully prepared artillery concentrations.