History - War at a Glance

The Allies Attack Throughout the last days of March, the Allies attack the Germans on every front. In many places the Germans and Italians inflict heavy losses on the attackers, but by the 26th the Germans are pushed back on the ground and hammered from the air. The Americans have quickly learned from the British how to coordinate ground and air attacks. The Axis forces begin to fall back. When Montgomery launches his assault against the Wadi Akarit Line, the intensity of the fighting grows and what few German reserves remain are brought up. By the end of the day on April 7, the fight has turned against the Axis troops, and they begin to retreat. One week later, the Germans establish their final defensive line. Two massive air transport efforts are made to resupply the Axis troops, but well over half the planes are shot down. Using the support of artillery and air attacks, American V Corps smashes into what is left of the 15th Panzer Division and drives toward Tunis. Farther north, the Americans also break through the Axis line in three places. The next day the German line crumples. Before they can concentrate their forces, the 8th Armored Division slams into the retreating columns and panic ensues. There is no hope for evacuation, and mass surrenders begin. The campaign in North Africa is over. For the Allies, it has been a successful campaign in many ways. Not only have they defeated the Axis forces in North Africa; they have also defeated one of Germany’s best field commanders, Rommel. Perhaps more importantly, the Allies have learned a great deal that they will apply in Normandy - and they have learned it the hard way. The British learned how to better coordinate infantry and armor, something Rommel mastered before arriving in North Africa. The British also learned how to use their artillery effectively, massing batteries rather than dispersing them along the front. Finally, they learned the importance of air superiority over the battlefield and beyond. British air superiority contributed greatly toward preventing German reinforcements and supplies from reaching the front. This superiority also led to the development of ground support sorties - air attacks on targets specified by spotters or commanders on the ground. The British shared what they learned with the Americans, and the Americans learned quickly. This ability to rapidly implement lessons learned and to adapt to the particulars of a given battlefield was a hallmark of the American military during World War II. The Allies also learned a great deal about German weapons. While Allied tanks were usually outgunned by their German counterparts, mechanical reliability, maneuverability, and a seemingly endless supply of ammunition helped make up any shortcomings. German antitank guns took a heavy toll in North Africa, whereas Allied antitank weapons often proved too light to stop many panzers. This situation would still exist when the Allies landed in Normandy. The Germans learned some lessons, too. They were astonished at the richness of the equipment they found abandoned by American troops. One German soldier said that fighting the Soviets was man to man but fighting the Americans was man against machine. Clearly, the industrial might of the United States made itself felt in North Africa; without American industry, the British could not have maintained numerical superiority in tanks. And American manpower helped to tip the balance; American troops faced German troops for the first time in North Africa. Although the Americans were inexperienced, they learned quickly - and they had manpower reserves the Germans could not match.