Transcript Interesting Facts - terryfoxhistory12

North Africa & Italy
By:
Dustin Alvarez
Rory Erickson
Alexandrea Gaetz
Sefanit Habtom
Emily Lunde
Kristi Wilson
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Operation Husky (Invasion
of Sicily 1943) was the largest
amphibious operation in
WW2
Operation Mincemeat was a
deception plan carried out
by Allied troops. An
unknown corpse was
dressed in an Allied uniform
and sent to sea in Scotland.
Attached to the corpse were
many highly confidential
army plans about an
invasion in Sardinia instead
of Sicily. The Germans found
the corpse and believed the
documents, sending many of
their troops to Greece.
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When the US Army landed
in North Africa, among the
equipment brought ashore
were 3 complete Coca Cola
bottling plants.
Gran Sasso, the highest point
in Italy was where Mussolini
was hiding when he
surrendered to the Allies on
Sept.9th, 1943.
No deportation of Jews
occurred in Italy until
Mussolini declared armistice.
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The last commander of the
Afrika Corps, General Hans
Cramer, was made a POW in
Wales after the May 13th
surrender of North Africa.
He was very ill and was sent
by train to London, he was
allowed to see all the tanks
and planes being sent off for
D-day but he did not know
where he was in England.
When he went back to
Germany, he told the troops
they were in S.E. England
and attacking Calais, adding
to Allied propaganda.
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Just before the Battle of
El-Alamein, the British
army hired men to
build an entire battalion
of paper tanks and
attached them to
regular cars. These
“tanks” were driven
very far north and the
Germans followed. This
aided in the Allies
defeat of German forces.
Battle of Gazala
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Was fought between
May 26- June 21, 1942
Fought around the port
of Tobruk
Axis combatants
consisted of German
and Italian Units
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Led by “Desert Fox” Colonel-General Erwin
Rommel
Allied combatants consisted of the Eighth
Army
Led of Major General Neil Ritchie and GeneralSir Claude Auchinleck
Resulted in Tobruk being recaptured by Axis
powers.
-Battle
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Rommel makes a flanking attack
Panzer Army Afrika retains the initiative in “the
cauldron”
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The British Armour is heavily defeated
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Eighth Army withdraws from the Ganzala line
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Tobruk falls, and is recaptured by the Axis forces.
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Took place between August
30- September 5, 1942.
Last major Axis offensive of
the Western Desert
Campaign.
Rommel planned to defeat
the British Eighth Army
before Allied reinforcements
Would make Axis victory
impossible.
-The Battle That Wasn’t
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British Eighth Army leader Montgomery was forewarned of Rommel’s
intentions.
Deliberately left a gap in the southern sector at the front
Deployed bulk of his artillery and armor around Alam el Halfa, behind
the front.
Rommel’s supply was precious, and his attacks were failing, causing him
to withdraw.
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Montgomery did not exploit this “defensive victory”.
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Decided to save his troops for the upcoming Battle of El Alamein.
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Was fought between
October 23- November
4, 1942.
Product of “Operation
Lightfoot”
Allie’s success in this
battle turned the tides
in the North Africa
Campaign.
-Battle
The Break-in
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The Crumbling
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The Counter
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Operation Supercharge
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The Break-Out
-Significance:
Proved the power of the British artillery.
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Proved effectiveness of British tanks in large numbers.
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Allied victory ended Axis’s hope of occupying Egypt.
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Marked the end of Axis expansion in Africa.
Second Battle of
El Alamein
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The Second Battle of El Alamein was a major
turning point in the Western Desert Campaign
of World War II. This battle lasted from
October 23rd to November 5th 1942. The
success of this battle ended Axis hopes of
occupying Egypt, gaining access to Middle
Eastern oil fields and controlling access to the
Suez Canal. The defeat of the Axis powers by
Allied powers at El Alamein ended the Axis
expansion in Africa.
German Afrika Korps
Axis Powers
Italy Commanders
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Specifically: Erwin Rommel (The Desert Fox)
In charge of Afrika Korps in North Africa.
Lead Afrika Korps to help shore up Italian
forces.
On 24 March 1941 Rommel launched a limited
offensive with only the 5th Light Division
supported by two Italian divisions.
Wanted to expand into Africa and successfully
pushed the bounds of Nazi control across the
North African region.
Major Operations
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Operation Compass (December 8, 1940 – February 9, 1941)
Allies move east and push through Libya, gaining a great
portion of it
Operation Crusader (November 18 – December 31, 1941)
Allies first victory over Axis, relieved Tobruk, Libya
Operation Torch (November 8 – November 10, 1942)
Allies invasion of Algeria and Morocco
Major Personalities
Erwin Rommel
‘Desert Fox’
- Perhaps the most famous Field
Marshal of the German Army
- Commander of the Afrika
Korps who were known for
their skilful desert military
campaigns
- Later was in command of
the Axis German forces
opposing the Allies at their
invasion in Normandy
Desert Fox
- His success as a Marshal earned
him success and praise not
only from Hitler but from the
Allies as well
- He was known for treated
Allied POW humanely and
orders to kill Jewish POW and
civilians were largely ignored
- The Afrika Korps was not
accused of any war crimes
Wüstenfuchs
- Was accused of an attempted
assassination of Hitler
- on 14 October 1944.
Burgdorf offered him a choice
of either facing the People’s
Court and committing suicide
quietly. He chose the latter.
- Hitler to cover this up set up
a day of mourning and told
the public that he had died
from a heart attack
Claude Auchinleck
- Led the British in the decisive
turning point Second
Battle of El Alamein.
- After the win he was
made commander of the
forces in Italy and
Northwest Europe
- Led 21st Army Group in
the invasion of Normandy
Monty
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Although difficult he
garnered admiration for
his hard work and refusal
to conform
- Also was known for
being humane and at the
same time being able to
inspire great loyalty from
his soldiers