Why Is It Important To Have A Beach Landing On Africa

November 8-11 of 1942 saw the largest amphibious attack and beach landing on the continent of Africa ever attempted by a modern day military known as, “Operation Torch” commanded by Major General George S. Patton Jr. It was World War 2, the African theater; which was selected to be America’s early entry into the global conflict. The war was not going well for the allied nations, to include Great Britain, France, and Russia. Germany, the lead axis power was easily defeating any opposition in its quest for world domination. Through military might and political deception, the Germans were able to seize every obvious advantage to this point. The year 1942 saw the introduction of the United States engaging in the war militarily, shedding the isolationist
By this point, time was not a luxury that the Allied nations possessed, which prompted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to implore the United States and President Roosevelt’s to fully commit to entry into the war earlier than it would have liked. The suggested and accepted coarse of action was to execute a beach landing at several locations in Morocco, North Africa in order to seize and secure specific objectives and control the region. Additionally, seizing the specified objectives would secure the region for subsequent landings and offensive operations from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, while gaining control of French bases in order to enlist their support in defeating Germany and to assist the British in the Libyan desert. The allied forces also hoped to push Germany out of Africa, while relieving pressure on Russian forces struggling against a renewed German offensive in their homeland. A sub- taskforce code named, “Brushwood” fell under the Western Taskforce and was commanded by Major General Jonathan Anderson. Taskforce Brushwood’s structure consisted of the 3d Infantry Division, 7th, 15th, and 30th Infantry, A. Co and C. Co. of the 756th Tank Battalion, the 10th, 39th, and 41st Field Artillery Battalions. Also, Battery A, B, and C. of the 9th Field
The first shaping operation occurred before any transport craft left the ships. President Roosevelt and the Allied Command broadcast to the people of North Africa that the landing was impending and that they should point their searchlights into the sky and stack weapons if they intended to cooperate. The allied forces had no knowledge as to how the French soldiers under the command of the Vichy would respond; however, this effort was intended to sway them not to resist. After the radio warning, the action accelerated