The events that unfolded in the North African campaign from September 1940 to April
1943 were ones that were crucial for the Allies ultimate success in the Second World War.
During the three years of battle, the Allies were focused on the ability to sustain a tactical
advantage over the Axis powers while fighting in Europe and had brought about two of the most
notable tacticians in the war’s history. In the following paragraphs, I will be discussing the main
events that took place in the North African Campaign, explain how these events that occurred
affected the war, and theorize on what would have been the outcome of the war if this event
transpired out differently.
The North African campaign of the Second World War has often been compared to a
'real life chessboard'. The campaign primarily surrounded important resources and the fight to
access these resources. The main objective of the campaign was to gain control of the Suez
Canal, a narrow canal that leads from the Gulf of Persia towards to the Mediterranean sea. This
access route was very important for the transportation of oil for both the Axis and Allied powers.
Specifically, the oil route allowed Britain to manage the machines being used to defend France
(Britain’s main focus at the time) but Germany also needed oil to keep its war machines going.
In October 1935, with the objective of capturing Egypt and North Africa in an attempt by
Mussolini to recreate the Roman Empire, Italy first attacked Ethiopia. King Farouk of Egypt
granted Britain access to Egyptian territory, in order to prevent further Italian advancements.
The outbreak of the war brought Italy and Britain into conflict in East Africa. The smaller British
presence in the region was able to defeat Italian forces. With Italy weakened and control of the
canal being lost to Britain, Hitler sent in its newly formed ‘Afrika Korps’ under the command of
Erwin Rommel, the ‘Desert Fox’. After months of back and forth fighting, Germany had taken the
upper hand in the region. With the concern of defeat, Churchill recruited a new field marshal,
Bernard Montgomery, who changed the outcome of the war for the British dominions in Egypt.
After a fierce attempt of capturing El Alamein, Rommel was pushed back by Montgomery’s
forces and eventually dug into a defensive position. The Battle of El Alamein, fought by two
brilliant military tacticians, pressed on for one month (October - November 1942). A second front
on Rommel was opened with Operation Torch, consisting of American and British troops landing
in Morocco and Algeria in order to perform a pincer movement. With a last ditch effort in May
1943, German reinforcements attempted a powerful offensive out of Tunisia but failed.
Outnumbered and outflanked, Rommel and Germany were defeated in North Africa. With the
Italian and German forces defeated in North Africa, the Allied forces quickly took Sicily and
opened a direct route into Italy.
The North African campaign was the first successful Allied campaign that lead to the
overall defeat of the Axis powers. Many key events took place within the three years of battle to
bring about this conclusion. The consistent fighting early in the campaign allowed Britain to
increase troop flow into Egypt. As a result, Italian forces were pressured into battle for months
on end, giving Britain a chance to swiftly take them out. Germany was then introduced in the
aftermath of Italy’s loss, bringing forth Erwin Rommel, the field marshall that single-handedly
pressured British and Australian forces out of much of Africa and nearly Egypt. Rommel was the
biggest factor that lengthened the campaign and proved a great challenge to the Allies. Yet this
changed when Montgomery was put in command of the 8th infantry army. Montgomery studied
Rommel during 1942 and learned the many strategies that Rommel used. Montgomery quickly
adapted to Rommel’s tactics and became a worthy adversary. The introduction of Montgomery
was very significant to the outcome of the campaign as he ultimately was able to outwit the
Desert Fox. With German forces gone in North Africa, Allied control over the Suez Canal was
assured. The victory also gave the Allies a great advantage over German and Italian forces in
Europe. The control of oil, North Africa and soon to be Italy, the Allies had gained assets that
gave them an edge for the rest of the war.
What would have happened if the Italian’s or Germans had won the campaign? First, the
control of the southern Mediterranean by the Axis powers would have protected the
vulnerabilities of the Axis powers from the Allies at the southern edge of the conflict. Italy would
not have been exposed and Germany would not have lost a vital war partner. Second, Germany
would not have had to split its forces to continue to fight in the region. Hitler could have used
both his military and one of its most brilliant tacticians, Rommel, to concentrate his battle against
Russia. If Germany had won the battle of Stalingrad, the outcome of the war would have been
very different. Third, the control of oil from the Persian Gulf states, fully in the control of
Germany, would have increased the relative advantage Germany had over the Allied powers,
including Britain and America. The North African campaign was a battle for control of the Suez
Canal and ultimately the oil needed to keep the war going. A German victory in this campaign
may have led to Germany’s ability to retain a defensive posture in Europe and a diminishing of
Allied strength in trying to take Europe back. Therefore, without the many events that occurred
in the North African campaign, the outcome of the Second World War would have been critically
different.
The North African campaign was a compilation of many key events that greatly affected
the war. The Suez Canal, Montgomery and the battle of El Anaheim, were some components
that brought about the momentous victory for the Allies’. With Italy in hand and North Africa
conquered, the Allies’ were able to maintain oil flow, and have access into southern Europe.
Without the North African campaign, the Allies’ would have been at a great disadvantage,
further showing how influential the North African campaign was.
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