DK - World War II Map by Map

WAR IN EUROPE AND AFRICA 131

Allied successes

Hitler’s military strategy was based on the calculation

that he could defeat the Soviet Union and so place Germany

in an impregnable position in Europe before American

strength was brought to bear. However, Soviet forces

exhibited formidable resilience, despite suffering great

losses of men, equipment, and territory. The encirclement

and destruction of a German army at Stalingrad in the

winter of 1942–1943 demonstrated that, at the very least,

the Soviet Union was not going to be defeated soon.

While battle raged in Stalingrad, the British scored

a decisive victory over Axis forces at El Alamein, in the

North African desert. Largely responsible for Britain’s

success was General Bernard Montgomery—a commander

who knew how to triumph over a more skillful opponent

through patiently deployed material superiority. Meanwhile,

landings in French North Africa gave US troops their first

experience of fighting the Axis forces. By the end of 1942,

US bomber aircraft had begun arriving at bases in Britain,

and Allied leaders were discussing a future full-scale

invasion of occupied Europe. For Germany, the years

of victory were over and a long, tenacious struggle for

survival against the odds lay ahead.

◁ Decisive battle

Red Army soldiers advance through the

ruins of Stalingrad in 1943. The battle

for the Soviet city—the largest conflict

in World War II—ended in a crushing

victory for Stalin’s forces, transforming

the war on the Eastern front.

▷ British on the offensive

At the battle of El Alamein in October 1942, the infantry of Britain’s 8th

Army advanced to attack well-prepared Axis defensive positions. After

lengthy fighting, General Rommel’s army was driven into headlong retreat.

Jul 7, 1942

Rommel halted

at First Battle

of El Alamein

Jul 4, 1942

Sevastopol in

Crimea falls

to Axis forces

Aug 10, 1942

Germans reach

the outskirts of

Stalingrad

Aug 12, 1942

Churchill flies to

meet Stalin in

Moscow

Nov 19, 1942 Soviets

launch operation to

surround Axis forces

in Stalingrad

Jan 31, 1943

German general

Paulus surrenders

in Stalingrad

Jul 14, 1942

Beginning of

deportation of

Dutch Jews to

Auschwitz

Aug 19, 1942

Raid by Canadian

troops at Dieppe

is a costly failure

SEP NOV JAN 1943

Oct 23–Nov 4,

1942 Major

British offensive—

Second Battle

of El Alamein

Nov 8, 1942 Operation

Torch landings by chiefly

US troops in French

North Africa

Jun 10, 1942

Germans massacre

civilians at Czech towns

of Lidice and Lezaky

after assassination of

Heydrich in Prague

Jul 16, 1942

Mass arrest of

Parisian Jews

by French police

Jul 19, 1942

Beginning of dispatch

of Polish Jews to

extermination camps

Aug 17, 1942

US B-17 Flying

Fortresses make

first bombing raid

in Europe

JUL

US_130-131_N_War_in_Europe_and_Africa.indd 131 16/04/19 11:21 AM