Nordafrikafeldzug
In den Wüsten Nordafrikas kämpften Achsenmächte und Alliierte in einem erbarmungslosen Krieg, der Legenden wie Rommel schuf und das Schicksal des Zweiten Weltkriegs mitentschied.
Quick Facts
- Period
- 1940 - 1943
- Region
- Africa
- Casualties
- Over 400,000 total casualties (killed, wounded, missing, or captured) among all sides, including significant civilian suffering.
- Outcome
- The Allied forces decisively defeated the Axis powers in North Africa, paving the way for the invasion of Italy and shifting the momentum of World War II.
- Key Figures
- Archibald Wavell, Bernard Montgomery, Dwight D. Eisenhower +2 more
Key Figures
Archibald Wavell
General, Commander-in-Chief Middle East
Britain/AlliesGeneral Archibald Wavell was a paradoxical figure: reserved yet resolute, cerebral yet capable of audacity, and above al...
Bernard Montgomery
Commander, 21st Army Group
Britain/AlliesBernard Montgomery remains one of the most intensely scrutinized commanders of the Second World War—a man whose brillian...
Dwight D. Eisenhower
General, Allied Supreme Commander (North Africa)
USA/AlliesDwight D. Eisenhower’s wartime persona was forged in the crucible of coalition warfare—a labyrinthine environment where ...
Erwin Rommel
Commander, Army Group B
Germany/AxisErwin Rommel, known to history as the “Desert Fox,” remains one of the most enigmatic commanders of the Second World War...
Giovanni Messe
General, Italian First Army Commander
Italy/AxisGiovanni Messe occupies a complex and often conflicted place in the annals of Italy’s military history. Born in 1883, he...
The Story
This narrative combines documented history with dramatized scenes for storytelling purposes.
Spannungen & Vorboten
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Funke & Ausbruch
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Eskalation
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Wendepunkt
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Entschluss und Nachwirkungen
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Timeline
Italian Invasion of Egypt
The Italian Tenth Army launched an invasion from Libya into Egypt, marking the opening move of the North African campaign. The advance was slow and ultimately stalled at Sidi Barrani.
Location: Sidi Barrani, Egypt
Operation Compass beginnt
Britische und Commonwealth-Truppen starteten eine Überraschungsgegenoffensive gegen italienische Stellungen in Ägypten und Libyen, was zu einer Reihe schneller Siege und der Gefangennahme von Tausenden italienischen Truppen führte.
Location: Western Desert, Egypt/Libya
Ankunft des Afrika Korps
Deutsche Verstärkungen unter General Erwin Rommel trafen in Tripolis ein, was das Kräfteverhältnis in Nordafrika dramatisch veränderte und eine neue Phase der mobilen Kriegsführung einleitete.
Location: Tripoli, Libya
Belagerung von Tobruk beginnt
Achsenkräfte umzingelten den strategischen Hafen von Tobruk und begannen eine langwierige Belagerung, die 241 Tage dauern würde und zu einem Symbol des alliierten Widerstands wurde.
Location: Tobruk, Libya
Operation Crusader
Die britische Achtzehnte Armee startete eine große Offensive zur Entlastung von Tobruk, was zu intensiven Kämpfen, schweren Verlusten und schließlich zur Aufhebung der Belagerung führte.
Location: Cyrenaica, Libya
Fall von Tobruk
Nach erneuten Offensiven der Achsenkräfte fiel Tobruk an Rommels Truppen, was einen schweren Schlag für die Moral der Alliierten darstellte und den Weg nach Ägypten öffnete.
Location: Tobruk, Libya
Erste Schlacht von El Alamein
Achsenkräfte erreichten El Alamein, wo es der britischen Achtzehnten Armee gelang, ihren Vormarsch in einer verzweifelten Verteidigungsschlacht zu stoppen.
Location: El Alamein, Egypt
Second Battle of El Alamein
The British Eighth Army, now under Montgomery, launched a massive offensive that decisively defeated Axis forces and marked a turning point in the campaign.
Location: El Alamein, Egypt
Operation Torch
American and British forces landed in French North Africa, opening a new front and eventually surrounding Axis forces in Tunisia.
Location: Morocco and Algeria
Battle of Kasserine Pass
Axis forces under Rommel exploited inexperienced American troops, inflicting heavy casualties in Tunisia before being driven back by Allied reinforcements.
Location: Kasserine Pass, Tunisia
Capture of Tunis
Allied forces captured Tunis and Bizerte, sealing the fate of Axis forces in North Africa and leading to mass surrender.
Location: Tunis, Tunisia
Surrender of Axis Forces in North Africa
The remaining German and Italian troops in Tunisia surrendered to the Allies, marking the end of the North African campaign.
Location: Tunisia
Sources
- wikipediaNorth African Campaign - Wikipedia
Comprehensive overview of the campaign.
- encyclopediaThe Desert War: The North Africa Campaign 1940-43
Encyclopedia Britannica entry with detailed chronology.
- book_reviewThe Path to Victory: The Mediterranean Theater in World War II
Review of Douglas Porch’s work on the Mediterranean theater.
- newsBBC History: The North African Campaign
BBC History’s summary and analysis.
- bookThe Second World War, Vol. 3: The Grand Alliance
Winston Churchill’s account of the Mediterranean and North Africa.
- bookThe Rommel Papers
Rommel’s own perspective and correspondence.
- bookThe Eighth Army: The Triumphant Desert Army that Held the Axis at Bay
Robin Neillands’ detailed history of the Eighth Army.
- official_historyThe Mediterranean and Middle East, Volumes I–VI
Official British history of the Mediterranean campaigns.
- bookWar Without Hate: The Desert Campaign of 1940-43
John Keegan’s analysis of the campaign’s unique character.
Connected Across The Archives
Explore specific connections to other archives—civilizations, dynasties, companies, and treaties that share history with this conflict.
Civilization Archive
(6)Almohad Civilization
The Almohad civilization's legacy of religious and political unity in North Africa informed the strategic considerations during the WWII North African Campaign.
Ancient Egyptian Civilization
The North African Campaign unfolded in a region once unified by Ancient Egypt, emphasizing the area's enduring strategic and cultural significance.
Berber Civilization
The Berber civilization's enduring presence in North Africa shaped the cultural and geographical strategies during the North African Campaign.
Carthaginian Civilization
The strategic importance of North Africa, underscored by Carthaginian dominance, was a focal point during WWII's North African Campaign.
Fatimid Civilization
The Fatimid civilization's historical influence in North Africa laid a foundation for the geopolitical tensions that erupted during the North African Campaign.
Mamluk Civilization
The Mamluks' historical military dominance in North Africa provided strategic insights that were revisited during WWII's North African Campaign.
Treaty Archive
(2)Camp David Accords
The North African Campaign's outcome highlighted the strategic importance of regional alliances, influencing the Camp David Accords' focus on lasting peace.
Treaty of Sèvres
The North African Campaign's outcomes, reflecting regional power shifts, influenced the Treaty of Sèvres, which redrew Middle Eastern boundaries post-WWI.
Explore Related Archives
Wars reshape borders, topple dynasties, and transform civilizations. Explore the broader context of history's conflicts.
