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The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

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4. THE CAMPAIGNS<br />

<strong>The</strong>se three campaigns represent the majority of conflict between American and German armored forces in<br />

World War II. Each involves different units, equipment, and terrain. From the deserts of Africa, to the<br />

mountains of Italy and the bocage country of France; all of the major battlefields upon which these forces<br />

met are represented. <strong>The</strong> historical background and major units and commanders involved in these<br />

campaigns are covered in more detail below.<br />

NORTH AFRICA<br />

Operation Torch, the Anglo-American invasion of Morocco and Algeria, allowed American and German<br />

troops to meet in combat for the first time in a major action. Fresh American soldiers with new equipment<br />

met up with the battle-weary veterans of Rommel’s Afrika Korps shortly after the landings on November 8,<br />

1942. In order to counter the strength of the US First Army under General Eisenhower, Hitler sent<br />

reinforcements, which began to arrive on November 16th. <strong>The</strong>y included the veteran 10th Panzer division,<br />

Hermann Göring Panzer Parachute division, and the 334th Infantry division, as well as the Fifth Panzer<br />

Army, which were all posted to the German western flank in order to counter the Americans. By the time<br />

they reached their positions, US forces had occupied all of the coastal areas of Morocco and Algeria, and were<br />

moving into Tunisia. Similarly, the recently reinforced British Eighth Army had pushed Rommel and his<br />

“original” Afrika Corps, weakened by a crucial lack of supplies, as far west as southern Tunisia.<br />

While the British and Commonwealth forces advanced steadily from the east, the US Army maintained their<br />

offensive pressure on the Germans from the west. Although the German forces were almost always<br />

outnumbered, they were rarely outfought. <strong>The</strong>se force dispositions led to some very difficult battles for the<br />

key passes through the Western Dorsal Mountains as well as coastal airfields and villages in December. Due<br />

to the position of the German forces and their hasty reinforcement, as well as the uncertainty and<br />

inexperience of the American troops and commanders, these actions were mostly local in nature. It was not<br />

until Rommel was pushed into northern Tunisia and given command over all German and Italian forces in<br />

the region (the late-arrived reinforcements were commanded by General von Arnim of the Fifth Panzer<br />

Army) that a co-ordinated offensive was mounted. <strong>The</strong> Afrika Korps attack threw the American forces,<br />

including the 1st Armored division and most of the US II Corps, back from their positions at Faid and Gafsa<br />

to the Kasserine Pass. <strong>The</strong>re the US forces managed to put up a stiff resistance until reinforcements arrived in<br />

the form of the US 9th Infantry division. After a short pause for reinforcement and reorganization, the Allies<br />

closed in from both east and west, forcing the surrender of some 125,000 German and 115,000 Italian<br />

troops by May 13th, 1943.<br />

ITALY<br />

On July 10, 1943, an Allied landing, codenamed Operation Husky, took place on the southern beaches of<br />

Sicily. As the British Eighth Army landed on the southeast coast, the US Seventh Army, under General<br />

George S. Patton, landed on the southwest coast. <strong>The</strong> American force included the 1st, 9th and 45th<br />

Infantry divisions, the 82nd Airborne division, 2nd Armored division, and several mixed infantry and<br />

armored brigades and regiments, including two battalions of Rangers. This force was relatively lightly<br />

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