North Africa
Field Marshals Erwin Rommel & Gerd von Rundstedt
by Michael HaskewThe Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe was inevitable as the tide of World War II turned against Germany. Read more
North Africa
The North Africa campaign during World War II included major operations from early 1940 through the spring of 1943 as Allied forces fought Axis armies of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. For the Allies, victory in North Africa was critical for control of the Mediterranean Sea and future offensive operations in Italy. Axis forces hoped to dominate the Mediterranean and seize British-held Egypt, the Suez Canal, and potentially the oil fields of the Middle East. The Allies were victorious in North Africa campaign, and the defeat of Axis forces at the Battle of El Alamein was a turning point during World War II.
North Africa
The Kingdom of Italy & the Triple Entente
by Michael HaskewWhen the Triple Alliance was concluded between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in the spring of 1882, Italy was, like Germany, a young nation recently unified after years of military conflicts and occupation by various European powers. Read more
North Africa
Eisenhower and MacArthur: an In-Depth Comparison
by Michael HaskewTwo of America’s most famous senior commanders to emerge from World War II were Eisenhower and MacArthur. These officers were largely responsible for command decisions that resulted in Allied victories in the South Pacific and in Europe. Read more
North Africa
Patton and Montgomery: Fighting the Nazi Army (And One Another)
By Michael HasewThe most contentious of command rivalries during World War II involved General George S. Patton, Jr., of the U.S. Read more
North Africa
Ferdinand Porsche’s ‘Elefant’ Tank Destroyer Could Have Excelled
By Jonathan F. KeilerWorld War II tanks usually had aggressive- or ferocious-sounding names, such as Hellcat, Panther, or Tiger. Yet the tendency was not universal, as with British Cruisers or the American M-3 Honey. Read more
North Africa
Erwin Rommel’s Victory at Gazala: Becoming the ‘Desert Fox’
By Eric NiderostOn April 15, 1942, Generaloberst (Colonel General) Erwin Rommel summoned his subordinate commanders of the Panzerarmee Afrika to a conference to outline his plans for the coming offensive against the British Eighth Army. Read more
North Africa
Crusader Crucible: The Horns of Hattin
By Robert SuhrThe Saracen host commanded by Saladin—Sultan of Egypt and Damascus—crossed the Jordan River south of Lake Tiberius (the “Sea of Galilee”). Read more
North Africa
Armor vs. Armor in the Desert
by Eric NiderostThe North African campaign has been aptly described as a “tactician’s paradise and quartermaster’s hell.” The contested area was large, stretching some 1,400 miles from Tripoli in the west to Alexandria in the east, a vast expanse of waterless desert wastes. Read more
North Africa
The Assassination Of Reinhard Heydrich, The Butcher Of Prague
By Wil DeacThe morning sun caressed the hills of the Czech capital of Prague, coaxing a slight haze from the ancient city. Read more
North Africa
Orde Wingate And His Chindits Pioneered Guerrilla Warfare
By Michael D. HullShort, wiry, and with baleful blue eyes and an Old Testament beard, Maj. Gen. Orde Charles Wingate was unorthodox in thought and action. Read more
North Africa
Air Force Profiles: Pilot Phil Cochran
By Gerald AstorSuperficially, Phil Cochran personified the WWII fighter pilot, a combat daredevil, nonchalant about the niceties of rank and zealous in pursuit of what he called “chicks.” Read more
North Africa
Operation Torch: The Allied Invasion of North Africa
By Roy Morris Jr.The Allied decision to invade North Africa, codenamed Operation Torch, was reached in the summer of 1942 after lengthy—and sometimes bitter—arguments between interested parties. Read more
North Africa
Benito Mussolini & Count Galeazzo Ciano
by Michael HaskewAllied victory in North Africa and the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, meant only one thing for the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini. Read more
North Africa
The Military Misadventures of Benito Mussolini
By Michael HaskewAfter assuming dictatorial powers in Italy, Benito Mussolini remained a popular figure with the Italian people – for a time. Read more
North Africa
WW2 Leaders: Field Marshal Archibald Wavell
by Christopher MiskimonIn late 1940, fortune seemed entirely against the United Kingdom. France had fallen, Italian troops threatened imperial holdings, and Britain’s few allies were still gravely threatened. Read more
North Africa
Important Women in World War 2: Virginia Hall
By Michael D. HullSlender, five feet, seven inches tall, and with a warm smile that belied toughness and leadership ability, Virginia “Dindy” Hall of Baltimore had a wooden leg and a price on her head. Read more
North Africa
Daring POW Escapes: Allied Officers at Austria’s Oflag XVIIA
By Jacqueline Vautrain CollinsSpring had finally arrived in the mountainous area of the Austrian Waldviertel, land of long winters and short summers. Read more
North Africa
Who is Julius Caesar? Facts vs Myth
by Brooke C. StoddardFew men’s names resonate after two thousand years, for it is a very long stretch of time. Read more
North Africa
Hannibal of Carthage: Scourge of Rome
By Jonas L. Goldstein
The accomplishments of Hannibal from his departure from Spain, his crossing of the Alps, and his battles on the Italian peninsula, climaxing with his great victory at Cannae, were enough to permanently etch his name among the greatest military leaders of history. Read more
North Africa
A Daring Desert Campaign
By David H. Lippman“It is not a question of aiming for Alexandria or even Sollum,” the message read. “I am only asking you to attack the British forces facing you.” Read more
