Chapter 7 The Big Picture: A Short History of World War II | 129 |
sides losing about 25 planes, but the RAF stings the Luftwaffe by swatting 35 bombers out of the sky and damaging scores more. The raids on September 15 mark the last major effort by the Luftwaffe to destroy the RAF. On September 17, Hitler postpones Operation Sealion indefinitely. The scales of victory are now tipped in favor of the RAF.
During the last weeks of September and into October, the Germans continue nightly bombing of British cities. While there is much damage and loss of life, the effect is much less than the English government and military anticipated. Although German bombing of England will continue until March 1941, the Luftwaffe’s effort to destroy the RAF has failed.
The British victory in the Battle of Britain changes the course of the war. The RAF’s triumph points out the weaknesses of the Luftwaffe and Goering’s leader- ship, and makes possible the next phase of the European air war the Allied bombing of Fortress Europe.
The Desert Fox The North Africa Campaign
Starting in early 1941, Axis and Allied forces surge back and forth across Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia for nearly 18 months. The prize is control of the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East and, most importantly, enough oil fields to slake the victor’s thirst for fuel.
This campaign is important for several reasons. It involves a number of the key players in the Normandy Campaign, including Eisenhower, Rommel, Montgomery, Bradley, and Patton. It is the first combat that pits American soldiers against German soldiers. The campaign reaffirms
the power of the tank, the advantages of air superiority, and the need for effective supply lines.
General Erwin Rommel, with the sweet taste of his victories in France and Belgium still lingering, is given command of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (Afrika Korps). Rommel immediately begins pushing east from Tripoli on February 12, 1941. By April 11, Rommel has performed brilliantly; he has disregarded orders from above and driven the British all the way from El Agheila to Tobruk. There are attacks and counterattacks around Tobruk, but the British are compelled to retreat into Egypt on June 17. Rommel’s performance is masterful; he is now known as the Desert Fox.
