142Close Combat
“I tell you no one on God’s earth can follow what’s going on. The boys are just weaving in and out… There’s everything in the air tracers, shells, bullets, ricochets, incendiaries, and bits of
British officer on tank combat near El Alamein
The Afrika Korps advances cautiously at first, but press their advantage when they discover the poor disposition of the British troops. By the end of January, Field Marshal Rommel’s troops capture all the territory the British fought so hard to take in late 1941. There is a lull in the fighting while both sides accumulate supplies.
On May 26, Rommel renews his offensive; he does not have enough fuel but has been promised more by German High Command. Through- out the battle, both sides lose many tanks, but the British are better able to sustain the losses. On May 28, the German’s lack of fuel begins to tell some of Rommel’s tanks run out of gas in the desert.
Still, the Germans meet with more success. By June 21, Rommel recaptures Tobruk, taking 30,000 prisoners. More importantly, he captures a mountain of supplies over 3,000,000 rations and 500,000 gallons of gasoline. Rommel sends a request to Berlin for permission to chase the British Eighth Army back into Egypt. He receives permission and a promotion to Field Marshal. On June 23, German forces cross the Egyptian border; the Eighth Army continues to retreat. Field Marshal Harold Auchinleck, the Eighth Army’s commander, decides to make a stand at El Alamein.
The German advance reaches the El Alamein defensive perimeter on July 1. There is fierce fighting over the next few weeks, but the British focus their counterattacks on Italian troops rather than the Afrika Corps itself. As a result the Afrika Korps consumes precious fuel trying to reinforce the Italians. On July 21, British intelligence intercepts Rommel’s reports on troop strength and supplies. When they learn Rommel has only 100 tanks compared to their 300, the British mount a major counteroffensive. The infantry, particularly the Australians and New Zealanders, make good progress initially. But again the British armor does not arrive at the right place at the right time, and the gains cannot be exploited. Although the British lose heavily in the counterof- fensive, Rommel and Auchinleck both decide to hold their ground to rest and refit.
While in London, Roosevelt agrees with Churchill that there will be no Second Front in 1942. The President agrees with the British they must find “another place for U.S. troops to fight in 1942.” A plan for amphibious landings in North Africa, previously rejected, is quickly reworked and agreed upon. It is also renamed Operation Torch. On August 14, General Dwight D. Eisenhower sets up headquarters in London to command the operation.
