[3] The Desert War 1940-42

Question 1

Countries Involved

Answer 1

British
French
Belgium
Germany
Italy

Question 2

Key Individuals

Answer 2

Adolf Hitler
Winston Churchill
General Erwin Rommel
Benito Mussolini
Bernard Montgomery

Question 3

Key Dates

Answer 3

September 7th - Italians attack British Colony in Egypt.
February 1941 - Rommel arrives with African Korps and takes Benghazi and Tobruk.
June 1941 - British operation Battle Axe fails, then in Operation Crusader Rommel is caught by surprise and Benghazi and Tobruk fall back into British hands.
May 1943 - Americans land and help, British commence Operation Torch and capture 230,000 troops marking the end of the Desert Campaign.

Question 4

Key Words

Answer 4

Desert Fox
African Korps
Operation Torch

Question 5

End Result

Answer 5

The axis became Circled in Tunisia and 23,000 troops surrendered to the allies by 1942.

Question 6

General Erwin Rommel Diary

Answer 6

Rommel was a highly decorated officer in WW1 and was awarded the pour Le mérite for his actions on the Italian Front. In World War 2, he further distinguished himself as the commander of the 7th Panzer Division during the 1940 invasion of France. His leadership of German and Italian forces in the North African Campaign established him as one of the most able commanders of the war, and earned him the appellation of the Desert Fox. He is regarded as one of the most skilled commanders of Desert Warfare in the conflict. He later commanded the German forces opposing the allied cross-channel invasion of Normandy.

Question 7

Where?

Answer 7

Mediterranean and North Africa.