What was the purpose of the Battle of El Alamein?
What was the purpose of the Battle of El Alamein?
The Allied victory was the beginning of the end of the Western Desert Campaign, eliminating the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal and the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields. The battle revived the morale of the Allies, being the first big success against the Axis since Operation Crusader in late 1941.
What was the battle of El Alamein and why was it important?
The Battle of El Alamein, fought in the deserts of North Africa, is seen as one of the decisive victories of World War Two. The Allied victory at El Alamein lead to the retreat of the Afrika Korps and the German surrender in North Africa in May 1943.
What was the El Alamein campaign?
Fought near the western frontier of Egypt between 23 October and 4 November 1942, El Alamein was the climax and turning point of the North African campaign of World War Two (1939-45). The Axis army of Italy and Germany suffered a decisive defeat by the British Eighth Army.
What regiments fought at El Alamein?
South African 1st Infantry Division
- 8th Royal Tank Regiment.
- 3rd South African Armoured Car Reconnaissance Regiment.
- Regiment President Steyn (machine gun battalion)
- 2nd Regiment Botha (in reserve until 31 October)
- 1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery, South African Artillery.
Why did Germany lose the battle of El Alamein?
The Axis defeat at El Alamein meant that North Africa would be lost to Hitler and Mussolini. The defeat was due to a variety of factors. These included insufficient Axis numbers, overextended supply lines, and Allied air superiority.
Is El Alamein in Libya?
El Alamein is the eastermost point reached by the Axis drive from Libya.
Why was El Alamein a turning point in ww2?
It ended the long fight for the Western Desert, and was the only great land battle won by the British and Commonwealth forces without direct American participation. The victory also persuaded the French to start cooperating in the North African campaign.
Who commanded the Eighth Army at El Alamein?
However, he proved unable to build on his success at Alamein and was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle-East in August 1942 by General Harold Alexander and as Eighth Army commander by Lieutenant-General William Gott.