2009 HSC
Assess the significance of the conflict in North Africa to Allied victory in
the European War
North Africa heavily contributed to overall Allied victory in the
European War of 1939 to 1945 as it heavily limited Germany’s access
to resources and was of immense strategic importance, laying the
foundation for an Allied invasion of Sicily under Operation Husky. As
a key turning point of the war, the North African campaign crippled
German supplies and morale, while affirming the strength of the
Anglo-American Atlantic treaty. Often considered within the context
of the Russian campaign, lessening its respective significance, the
North African front was a crucial victory on the peripherals of the
European War that ensured the Allies long-term success.
One of the most significant consequences of the North African
campaign was Germany’s failure to attain access to supplies in the
Middle East, largely due to Britain’s retention of the Suez Canal. Prior
to the outbreak of war, Britain’s control over Egypt and the Suez
Canal allowed them unopposed access to trade routes to India, the
Far East, the Persian Gulf and much of the Commonwealth Empire.
The failure to hold this imperative link could also see Germany obtain
access to Middle Eastern oil supplies, of which the Axis were in
desperate need. Victory at El Alamein on the 13th May 1943, not only
gave the Allies control over North Africa but it most importantly
retained British control over the Suez Canal. This forced Germany to
remain in short supply of raw materials, most significantly oil, the
significance of this factor emphasised by Churchill; “before Alamein
we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat”. By
preventing Germany from attaining critical access to raw materials
through the imperial trade route of the Suez Canal, their military and
industrial capacity was detrimentally weakened, thus contributing to
Allied victory in the European War.
The North African campaign was also of great strategic significance,
severing communication between Axis forces and allowing the Allies
the opportunity to launch an invasion into Sicily. Strategically, North
Africa was crucial to the Allies as their weakness throughout the
Mediterranean area exposed the potential for the Axis powers to link
with their forces in southern Russia. Victory at El Alamein however
prevented this from occurring, instead the Allied exploiting this
passage to their advantage. According to Thomson, the North African
campaign “made possible the next steps – an attack upon the Balkans
and upon Italy, and immediately exposed these areas to bombing
attack”. This manoeuvre, Operation Husky, made possible only by the
victory at El Alamein, saw the Allies drive Axis air, land and naval
forces from Sicily, open Mediterranean sea lanes for Allied merchant
ships and displace Benito Mussolini as Italian figurehead. Although
Thomson argues North Africa did little to relieve the pressure of the
Russian front, Atkinson suggests El Alamein forced Hitler to “cancel a
major offensive at Kursk…reducing in reduction of German strength on
the Eastern Front”. By opening up a third front in Italy, the North
African campaign was of great strategic importance for the Allies,
forcing Germany into a further compromised position.
As well as crippling German supplies, the North African campaign
resulted in a great decrease in German morale with the defeat of the
Afrika Korps. Following the defeat of Italian forces in Tobruk, in
February 1941, Hitler launched General Rommel and the Afrika
Korps. Impending defeat however forced the Axis military to
surrender, conceding 130, 000 soldiers as prisoners of war, adding to
the 380, 000 already captured and 40, 000 killed. Shirer stresses
North Africa as a significant turning point of the war, suggesting, “The
initiative had passed from Hitler’s hands, never to return…a great and
terrible Nazi dream was destroyed”. Combined with the devastating
loss on the Eastern Front, El Alamein delivered Germany a crippling
blow that was to resonate on both Germany’s home front and fighting
front for the remainder of the war.
The North African campaign was a testament to the unity between
the Anglo-American forces and victory provided the Allies with the
morale boost necessary to maintain the momentum that would
ensure their victory in 1945. With the launch of Operation Torch, a
120 000 strong Anglo-American force led by American General
Eisenhower landed in Morocco and Algeria. The unity of the US and
British forces achieved a crushing defeat for Germany, Thomson
calling the North Africa campaign “a complete testing and vindication
in action of the Atlantic Alliance”. Knowles suggested that Allied
victory at El Alamein occurred at a time when Britain’s fortunes were
low, thus a considerable impact of the North African campaign being
the boost of Allied morale. By demonstrating the unity between the
trans-Pacific allies, the North African campaign boosted the morale of
both American and British troops and furthered weakened
Germany’s hope for victory.
The North African campaign was a significant factor in ascertaining
victory for the Allied forces, as it possessed great strategic
significance. By preventing Germany’s access to potential oil supplies
and the opportunity to link with remaining Axis forces, the Allies
gained an unparalleled advantage over their adversaries. The
campaign further allowed the opening of a third front, launching
Operation Torch into Sicily, a strain on both German morale and
resources. The North African campaign was of great significance and
was a crucial factor in the Allies victory in the European War.
