The Tunisian Campaign - Philip Lamb

The outbreak of World War II started on the 1 September 1939 when Germany [under Adolf Hitler] invaded Poland. On the 3 September 1939 the United Kingdon and France in support of Poland declared war on Germany. At the start of World War II, the battles were fought mainly in mainland Europe. However, Mussolini not to be out done signed a pact with Hitler and the Axis Force of Germany and Italy were formed. The Axis Force would be operational in North Africa, Italy, Greece and the Baltic States.The Axis Force aim was to capture and secure the rich oil reserves found in Egypt, Iraq and Iran. You may ask Why? To keep their joint forces operational Hitler or Mussolini need vast quantities of oil and fuel and the oil reserves found in the then Middle East would serve them well.With Churchill now Prime Minister, one of his major concerns were the rich oil fields found in the Middle East, and he was determined to ensure that these did not fall into the arms of the Axis Force.Allied forces from around the world and the commonwealth were quickly assembled and were posted to North Africa. The battles fought during the North African Campaign, such as Tobruk and El Alamein are all well recorded.During the North Africa Campaigns of 1940 to 1943 the Allied Forces were confronted by a formidable force of German and Italian troops known as the Axis Force who were determined to defeat the Allied Forces and capture the oil rich countries of Egypt, Iraq and Iran. At the time Churchill had directed the Allied Forces to stop and prevent this from happening “at all costs”. After the Battles in North Africa especially after the allied win at El Alamein 1942, the Axis Forces were made to retreat and were forced back to Tunisia, which is where the book is set.On December 11, 1941, the United States of America entered World War II, following the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941. The USA along with other allies landed in Morrocco and Algiers under Operation Torch - November 1942 to May 1943.With the 8th Army having pushed the Axis Force back westward into Tunisia, it became imperative that the captured 250,000 Axis Troops were prevented from evacuating to Sicily and mainland Europe. D-Day 6th June 1944, being just 13 months away. We will never know what impact if any the 250,000 troops would have had on D-Day, suffice to say the battles would certainly have been considerably harder.