The Great Desert Battle

El Alamein

El Alamein (small town in northern Egypt)

Location

Key Figures

Erwin Rommel

Claude AuchinleckBernard Montgomery

Allied Forces- Britain, France, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand

Axis- Germany and ItalyAllied forces get defeated in the Battle of

Gazala and retreat to El AlameinAxis Forces had occupied most of Northern

Africa

Background

Strategic Area(supply roots for allied forces)Axis forces already taken over much of AfricaAxis forces wanted to occupy Suez Canal to

gain access middle-eastern oil fields

Reasons for the Battle

Rommel’s plan:

Axis Plan: First Battle

Send divisions to flank British forces in order to keep the army in a small area

To end the battle quickly to keep costs minimal

Auchinleck’s plan:

Allied Plan: First Battle

Hold position and defend Suez Canal Place mines and barbed

wire Made sure to have a route to retreat in case they lost

Dear Diary, June,30th 1942Today was a very depressing day for the allied force, yet again we were humiliated by the axis forces in the battle of Gazala, even though we had more troops and supplies, and this wasn't the first time, the axis army has always been more under supplied than us and it has still always come out on top. Now with this recent defeat we are being forced to retreat even further east. The Axis forces are quickly advancing and not giving use any time to prepare this has been one of their most successful strategies thought the war. I think that  Auchinleck will try to make a last stand near the small railway town of El Alamein, this location would be the best place that we have to try and stop the axis forces, because the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression would cover our flanks making it harder for the axis army to push us back. I hate to say it but even with this ground I don't think we can win. The tropes are also starting to lose respect for Auchinleck, and the general knows that some of the troops respect Rommel even more than him because today I received a letter saying ``....You must dispel by all possible means the idea that Rommel represents anything other than the ordinary German general....PS, I'm not jealous of Rommel``, and because of his recent defeats there is talk of him being replaced. We don't really know who would replace Auchinleck, but the main candidate so far would have to be Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Not only has he proven that he is an amazing leader but the troops respect him much more than Auchinleck. Well it's been a long night and now I think it's time to go to sleep and hope that tomorrow will be better day.

 

Allied Forces Member

July 1st to July 27th 1942The focal point of the battle was when the

Allied Forces initiated “Operation Manhood”Due to bad coordination from Allied Forces,

the Axis Forces were able to push them back

First Battle

Allied Forces Axis Forces

150,000  troops 96,000 troops

179 tanks 70 tanks

1,000+ artillery 650 artillery

1,500+ planes 500 planes

Axis forces pushed back Allied ForcesGeneral Auchinleck was replaced by Bernard

Montgomery

Outcomes

Claude Auchinleck Bernard Montgomery

Rommel’s plan:

Axis Plan: Second Battle

To attack the British Forces while they were still preparing Changed battle formation between the Germans and Italian

Did not want a large scale battle because of minimal resources

Montgomery’s Plan:

Allied Plan: Second Battle

Make a three staged planned which consist of the break-in, the dogfight, and the breaking

Initiate “Operation Lightfoot” which purpose was to penetrate enemy lines.

Engineers would disable mines in order to clear paths for artillery (e.g. tanks, anti-air missiles)

October 23rd to November 4th 1942 The battle is divided into 5 phases:

Second Battle

Phase 1: The Break In: Executed “Operation Lightfoot” Phase 2: The Crumbling: Allied Forces broke the Axis defences Phase 3: The Counter: Rommel repositioned troops to the Mediterranean Sea Phase 4: Operation Supercharge: Allied Forces attack Axis front lines in order to make them fight in the openPhase 5: The Break-Out: Rommel knew he was beaten and retreated even though Hitler warned him not to

Allied Forces Axis Forces

195,000 troops 116,000 troops

1,029 tanks 547 tanks

435 armored cars 192 armored cars

750 aircrafts 900 aircrafts

908 artillery 552 artillery

1,451 anti tank guns 1,063 anti tank guns

Dear Diary, NOVEMBER 4, 1942

This is the 13th day in the battle and I disobeyed Hitler’s order and surrendered and retreated my troops. I believe this was the right thing to do because if we continued fighting, countless lives would have been lost for no reason. Hitler told me earlier today not to retreat and should continue fighting. I told him it’s not use. But he gave me the “Victory or Death” speech. I got frustrated and without thinking, told him to go screw off. He’s crazy! He wanted us to continue fighting knowing that we’re going to lose anyway.  The astonishing thing was that the authorities, German and Italian, looked for the fault not in the failure of supplies or in our lack of air units, but in the command of troops. They’re blaming ME! THE GENERAL! Looking back the only mistake I made was not retreating earlier. I called for reinforcements but got freaking three people—okay, maybe more, but it wasn’t nearly enough for us to take on a battle. The German authorities basically set me up to fail. Now everybody thinks it’s my fault except for my troops that are still alive who still respect me as their general. Now I finally see how big a lunatic Hitler is. He doesn’t give a crap about his men and is a self centered idiot. That being said, I hope he’s not that mad at me because I still want to serve as General in future battles and earn back my honour. I heard two of my closest friends are planning a conspiracy to kill Hitler and want me part of it. I say there crazy. There’s no way I’m going to risk my life to kill Hitler. He has too much power. On top of that killing Hitler will just create another Civil War which I think is just as bad. Anyhow, the defeat in El Alamein is just the beginning. I hear we’re going to have another battle in Northern Africa but I just don’t know where. I’m probably going to lead it as well because of my experience in desert battles. I learned a lot in the battle of El Alamein and next time I will surely win and reclaim my fame and honour.

Erwin Rommel General of Axis Forces

The Axis forces retreated from Egypt25,000 Germans and Italians had been killed

or wounded13,000 Allied troops had been killed or

woundedAllied Forces successfully defended Egypt

Outcome

Stopped Axis forces from gaining access to massive oil reserves

Stopped Hitler from taking over all of Northern Africa

http://www.history.co.uk/videos.html?bctid=73368335001&El-Alamein

Importance

THE END