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146 THE WIDENING WAR 1942

The Soviet Union wanted its Western allies to open up a second front in

Europe to relieve the pressure on the Red Army. The US backed a direct

assault on occupied France, but Churchill argued for landings in Africa

that would both reduce pressure on British and Commonwealth forces in

Egypt and enable the Allies to clear North Africa of Axis troops. The Allies

could then use Tunisia as a starting point from which to attack the Axis

through its most vulnerable member—Italy. Such a landing would also

help safeguard passage for Allied vessels through the Mediterranean to

the Suez Canal. US commanders opposed the British plan, and wanted

a three-pronged attack across the English Channel. Roosevelt, however,

saw the need for the campaign and ordered that Torch go ahead at the

earliest possible date, much to the fury of US planners and the Soviets.

OPERATION TORCH

Four days after German field marshal Rommel began his retreat from El Alamein in Egypt, US and

British troops began to land in Morocco and Algeria. Known as Operation Torch, this campaign

was intended to evict Axis forces from Africa and clear the way for the invasion of Italy.

Nov 8 The US landing

at Fedala is hampered

by bad weather and

French gunfire aimed

at the landing beaches.

Nov 8 US troops land

on two beaches west

of Oran and one beach

to the east. Nov 8 The

French naval

fleet is defeated

off Oran.

Nov 10 A French

fleet off Casablanca

opposes the landings

and is destroyed by

US naval craft.

Nov 8 French coastal batteries

open fire on the landing beaches

of Safi; Allied warships return fire.

INVADING NORTH AFRICA

The US and British task forces landed in Vichy North

Africa during Operation Torch, where they met with

some unexpected resistance. This allowed the Germans

enough time to send troops from Italy to occupy Tunisia

and protect Rommel’s retreat.

2

3

4

1

TIMELINE

NOV 1, 1942 NOV 15 DEC 1 DEC 15 JAN 1, 1943

5

KEY

Vichy French territory, Nov 1942

Axis territory, Nov 1942

Allied air base

Axis air bases

Vichy French air bases

Vichy French naval bases

1

Allied assaults

Allied landing sites

Naval battle

Nov 8 US troops

landing at Port Lyautey

face a French artillery

bombardment.

CENTER TASK FORCE NOVEMBER 8–9, 1942

Center Task Force, made up of US troops who had

sailed from Britain, landed near Oran in Algeria. Its

attempt to seize Oran Harbor failed, and the French

fleet attacked the Allied fleet. However, all of the

French ships were sunk or driven ashore. Allied

airborne landings south of Oran led to the capture of

two airfields, and heavy gunfire from British battleships

precipitated the surrender of Oran on November 9.

2

Allied assault

Allied airborne

landing

Allied landing sites

Naval battle

WESTERN TASK FORCE

NOVEMBER 8–10, 1942

The Western Task Force, made up of troops

arriving from the US, landed on the coast of

Morocco on November 8. The Vichy government

forces put up strong resistance at Port Lyautey

and Safi, and a naval battle off the coast of

Casablanca saw a French cruiser, six destroyers,

and six submarines all sunk before the city was

taken by November 10. M

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Casablanca
Fedala
Cartagena
Ouezzane
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Kasserine
Gibraltar
Granada
Palermo
El Jadida
Alicante
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Youks-les-Bains
Souk el Arba
Almería
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Trapani
Tangier
Port Lyautey
Bizerta
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Sousse
Málaga
Algiers
Médéa
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Philippeville
Melilla
Siliana
Ceuta
Rabat
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Tunis
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US_146-147_Operation_Torch.indd 146 24/05/19 1:16 PM