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In World War II, the North African campaign was a roughly three-year struggle between Axis and Allied forces for control of the North African portion of the Mediterranean Basin. With the help of Australian troops, among many others, Great Britain advanced from Egypt to meet up with American troops advancing from the west such that, in early 1943, North Africa was Allied-controlled.

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During World War II, the armies involved in the North African campaign were basically two in number. On the one side, the Axis forces consisted of German and Italian troops. On the other side, the Allied forces initially consisted of British, Indian, Australian, New Zealand, and Free French troops (among others); then, in late 1942, American forces joined the campaign through the successful implementation of 'Operation Torch' in western North Africa.

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10y ago
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In 1935, Italy instigated a war so they could conquer Ethiopia. Then they expanded into Somalia and attacked British Somalia. After Germany became a threat to world peace, Italy pushed to conquer more countries in North Africa. England felt that their shipping lanes through the Suez Canal would be threatened and fought to defend their colonies in North Africa. Then Germany sent troops to aid Italy. Eventually, General Rommel was sent as the tactical commander and he was later placed in overall command when he was promoted to Field Marshall. The war continued there for more than a year until the Americans and more Allied air power arrived to defeat the Germans and Italians.

Answer The Axis forces were decisively defeated at the Second Battle of El Alamein, by British Commonwealth forces, before US Forces had engaged the enemy (which were in large part, wavering Vichy French in NW Africa).

The Anglo-American forces moving in from the west did however force remaining Axis forces into Tunisia where they were finally defeated.

The main purpose of the Axis campaign was to secure oil supplies from the Middle East, and to deny Allied use of the Suez Canal.

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16y ago
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From 1939 to 1943.... had Britain taken Tripoli in 1940 it could have been so very different. Forces were redirected to Greece & then Rommel turned up & it was a desperate struggle until the US arrives in 1942. Many Axis forces were taken prisoner in Tunisia.

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The US led operation TORCH which was the invasion of North Africa, pushing the German forces led by Rommel back into Germany. This allowed the US to gain control of the Mediterranean Sea and surround Italy with naval forces causing Italy to surrender.

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14y ago
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Q: What armies were involved in the north African campaign?
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