The Crusader Project

Eisenhower wanted to land in Europe and beat the Germans, but cooler heads prevailed and opined entering Europe near Germany would be a suicide. The allied leaders stated it would be very dangerous and perhaps foolish. So, Eisenhower started to plan Operation Torch which became the US campaign in N Africa. The US will ultimately enter N Africa from a handful of entry points.

I must confess I am not intimately familiar with all the battles. I believe in Rommel had his way with the Brits. The US got its ass kicked all over the place. Patton took over command in N Africa. In a week he provided leadership and fire. At the end of the week he fought a large battle against 50 German tanks and other mechanized vehicles.

He defended a pass at the Battle of El Guettar in Tunisia. The German tanks made good progress until they hit a minefield. They became stationary targets. Patton had placed tank destroyers on the high ground on both flanks of the German army. That is how the US won its first battle in N Africa. That battle was the start of Patton’s brilliant story of his genius in WWII.

Now let’s go into the strategic aspects of Operation Torch. The US and English navies commanded the Mediterranean Sea. Eventually the Germans would try to fly in supplies, but tanks and mechanized vehicles require a lot of fuel.

The coup de grace was a huge and well planned artillery barrage by the English that bracketed the German tanks which destroyed all the remaining German tanks. They had no tanks nor fuel. They had no choice but to surrender the whole army.

Stalingrad was the same. The Germans flew in supplies but it was not enough.

Great history share.

Ever since I took c g s o c oh, I have been more interested in the North Africa campaign. Remember we had to do a discussion and was given a crude operations Order of Operation Torch?