north africa and sicily r e n ai c (from casablanca in the...
TRANSCRIPT
North Africa and Sicily(from Casablanca in the West
to Cairo in the East)
N
S
EW
A U S T R I A
I T A L Y
T U N I S I A(Vichy)
SPANISHMOROCCO
A L G E R I A(Vichy)
L I B Y A(Italy)
G R E E C E
ALBANIA
Y U G O S L AV I A
T U R K E Y(neutral)
M O R O C C O(Vichy)
S P A I N(neutral)
P O R T U G A L(neutral)
H U N G A R Y(Axis ally)
R O M A N I A(Axis ally)
B U L G A R I A(Axis ally)
F R A N C E
G E R M A N Y
S O V I E TU N I O N
P O L A N D
B L A C K S E A
Strait ofGibraltar
Sicily
Sardinia(Italy)
Corsica(Vichy)
Balearic Islands(Spain)
CreteRhodes
Cyprus(Britain)
SuezCanal
Malta(Britain)
CapeMatapan
SWITZ.(neutral)
E G Y P T0
0
200 miles
200 km
V I C H YF R A N C E
(German militaryoccupation Nov. 1942)
C Z E C H O S L O VA K I A
Cyrenaica
Jebel
Akdar
W E S T E R N D E S E R T
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
A T L A N T I C O C E A N
Sofia
Tripoli
El Agheila
Benghazi
Mareth
Salûm
GazalaTobruk
Alexandria
El Alamein
Rome
AnkaraIstanbul
Cairo
Athens
Naples
Tunis
BizerteAlgiers
Casablanca
Lisbon Madrid
Gibraltar
Oran
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page xxiii
PD
F
MaoriMaori
NoceraNocera
AmalfiAmalfi
BattipagliaBattipaglia
VesuvioVesuvio
SorrentoSorrento
CastellammareCastellammare SalernoSalerno
PaestumPaestum
AvellinoAvellino
NaplesNaples
Gulf of NaplesGulf of Naples
Gulf of SalernoGulf of Salerno
CLARKCLARK
PompeiiPompeiiN
S
EW
00
00
200 miles200 miles
200 km200 km
Maori
Nocera
Amalfi
Battipaglia
Vesuvio
Sorrento
Castellammare Salerno
Paestum
Avellino
Naples
Gulf of Naples
Gulf of Salerno
CLARK
U.S. 36th DIVISION
PompeiiN
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
BRITISH
U.S.COMMANDOS
U.S. RANGERS
Operation Avalanche—Clark’s Invasion at Salerno
ParatroopDrops
German Response
AlliedBeachheads
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:46 AM Page 892
PD
F
BRADLEYBRADLEY
AMPHIBIOUSAMPHIBIOUSASSAULTSASSAULTS
PATTONPATTON
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
CataniaCatania
BroloBrolo
EnnaEnna
MessinaMessina
I TA L YI TA LY
NicosiaNicosia
St. StefanoSt. Stefano
TroinaTroina
StraitsStraitsofof
MessinaMessina
S I C I L YS I C I L Y
Mt. EtnaMt. Etna
N
S
EW
00
00
10 miles10 miles
10 km10 kmA
ug. 8A
ug. 8
Aug. 2
Aug. 2
Aug. 11
Aug. 11
Aug
. 13
Aug
. 13
Aug. 14
Aug. 14
Aug. 15Aug. 15
Aug. 14Aug. 14
Aug. 15Aug. 15
Aug. 13Aug. 13
Aug. 11Aug. 11
Aug. 8Aug. 8
Aug. 2Aug. 2
BRADLEY
AMPHIBIOUSASSAULTS
PATTON
MONTGOMERY
Catania
Brolo
Enna
Messina
I TA L Y
Nicosia
St. Stefano
Troina
T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A
Straitsof
Messina
S I C I L Y
Mt. Etna
N
S
EW
0
0
10 miles
10 kmA
ug. 8
Aug. 2
Aug. 11
Aug
. 13
Aug. 14
Aug. 15
Aug. 14
Aug. 15
Aug. 13
Aug. 11
Aug. 8
Aug. 2
The Race for MessinaBritish German Retreat
German Line (date) Aug. 15
American
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 815
PD
F
BRADLEYBRADLEY
KEYESKEYES
PATTONPATTON
PATTONPATTON
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
CataniaCatania
MarsalaMarsala
TrapaniTrapani
CaltanisettaCaltanisetta EnnaEnna
MessinaMessina
ITALYITALY
SyracuseSyracuseGelaGela
LicataLicata
AgrigentoAgrigento
NicosiaNicosiaTroinaTroina
PalermoPalermo
Straits ofStraits ofMessinaMessina
S I C I L YS I C I L YMt. EtnaMt. Etna
N
S
EW00
00
20 miles20 miles
20 km20 km
BRADLEY
KEYES
PATTON
MONTGOMERY
Catania
Marsala
Trapani
Caltanisetta Enna
Messina
ITALY
SyracuseGela
Licata
Agrigento
NicosiaTroina
Palermo
Straits ofMessina
S I C I L YMt. Etna
N
S
EW0
0
20 miles
20 km
T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A
Montgomery’s Plan for Sicily—Patton’s Response
Montgomery’s Plan
Patton’s Advance
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 792
PD
F
CataniaCatania
MarsalaMarsala
TrapaniTrapani
CaltanisettaCaltanisettaEnnaEnna
NiscemiNiscemi
ScoglittiScoglitti
MessinaMessina
ITALYITALY
SyracuseSyracuseGelaGela
LicataLicata
AgrigentoAgrigento
NicosiaNicosiaTroinaTroina
PalermoPalermo
Straits ofStraits ofMessinaMessina
S I C I L YS I C I L Y
Mt. EtnaMt. Etna
N
S
EW00
00
20 miles20 miles
20 km20 km
Catania
Marsala
Trapani
CaltanisettaEnna
Niscemi
Scoglitti
Messina
ITALY
SyracuseGela
Licata
Agrigento
NicosiaTroina
Palermo
Straits ofMessina
S I C I L Y
Mt. Etna
N
S
EW0
0
20 miles
20 km
T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A T Y R R H E N I A N S E A
Allied Position on July 14—Actual Paratroop Drop Positions
Demarkation LineAllied Forces
German/Italian Forces Actual ParatroopDrops
AlliedBeachheads
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 754
PD
F
off from the various fields around Kairouan, buthe knew the men, knew that thirty-four hundredparatroopers had gone aloft in the skies aroundhim, every one with the same job, the same infor-mation, and every one carried the same piece ofpaper, the final message passed out to them fromColonel Gavin.
Soldiers of the 505th Combat TeamTonight you embark upon a combat
mission for which our people and the freepeople of the world have been waiting fortwo years.
You will spearhead the landing of an
THE RISING TIDE 697
ScoglittiScoglitti
BiscariBiscari
GelaGela
NiscemiNiscemi
VittóriaVittória
PianoPianoLupoLupo
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
S I C I L YS I C I L Y
PATTONPATTON
N
S
EW
00
00
4 miles4 miles
4 km4 km
TheThe“Y”“Y”
Scoglitti
Biscari
Gela
Niscemi
Vittória
The“Y”
PianoLupo
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
S I C I L Y
U.S. 1st Division
U.S. 45th Division
PATTON
N
S
EW
0
0
4 miles
4 km
Plan for 82nd AirborneParatroop Drop
Paratroop Drop Zones
American Troop Landings
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 697
PATTONPATTON
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
CataniaCatania
MessinaMessina
T U N I S I AT U N I S I A
SyracuseSyracuseGelaGela
LicataLicata
AgrigentoAgrigento
PalermoPalermo
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
Straits ofStraits ofMessinaMessina
MALTAMALTA
S I C I L YS I C I L Y
Mt. EtnaMt. Etna
N
S
EW
00
00
40 miles40 miles
40 km40 km
PATTON
MONTGOMERY
Catania
Messina
T U N I S I A
I TA LY
SyracuseGela
Licata
Agrigento
Palermo
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
Straits ofMessina
MALTA
S I C I L Y
Mt. Etna
N
S
EW
0
0
40 miles
40 km
Plan of Attack for Sicily“Operation Husky”
Route of ParatroopAircraft & Gliders
Allied Troop Landings
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 647
PD
F
N
S
EW
FaidFaid
FondoukFondouk
SousseSousse
KasserineKasserine
Le KefLe Kef
BizerteBizerte
EnfidavilleEnfidaville
SfaxSfax
KairouanKairouan
TunisTunis
Sidi Bou ZidSidi Bou Zid
Souk elSouk elKhemisKhemis
FrenchFrench19th Corps19th Corps
British 8th ArmyBritish 8th Army
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
BRADLEYBRADLEY
ANDERSONANDERSON
JUINJUIN
MEDITERRANEAN SEAMEDITERRANEAN SEA
0
0
200 miles200 miles
200 km200 km
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
U.S. 2nd CorpsU.S. 2nd Corps
British British 1st Armyst Army
N
S
EW
Faid
Fondouk
Sousse
Kasserine
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Bizerte
Enfidaville
Sfax
Kairouan
Tunis
Sidi Bou Zid
Souk elKhemis
U.S. 2nd Corps
British 1st Army
French19th Corps
British 8th Army
MONTGOMERY
BRADLEY
ANDERSON
JUIN
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
0
0
200 miles
200 km
VON ARNIM
Position for FinalAttack in Tunisia
AlliedGerman
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 605
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Médenine
Gafsa
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Tunis
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Feriana
Médenine
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Kairouan
Tunis
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
PATTON
MESSE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
Patton and MontgomeryOffensives (Spring 1943)
Allied AdvanceGerman Retreat
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 585
MédenineMédenine
MarethMareth
ToujaneToujane
GabesGabes
ROMMELROMMEL
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
N
S
EW00
00
100 miles100 miles
100 km100 km
Médenine
Mareth
Toujane
Gabes
ROMMEL
MONTGOMERY
N
S
EW0
0
100 miles
100 km
The Battle ofMédenine
British
German
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 547
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Kasserine
Gafsa
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
FondoukFondouk
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Fondouk
Kasserine
Feriana
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Kairouan
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
Final German Positionat KasserineAmerican /Allied
German
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 521
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
FaidKasserine
Gafsa
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
FondoukFondouk
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Fondouk
Kasserine
Feriana
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Kairouan
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
Rommel’sActual Attack
AmericanGerman
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 511
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
FaidKasserine
Gafsa
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
FondoukFondoukVON ARNIM
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Fondouk
Kasserine
Feriana
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Kairouan
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
VON ARNIM
Rommel’s Plan toAttack Tébessa
AmericanGerman
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 510
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Kasserine
Gafsa
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
FondoukFondouk
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Fondouk
Kasserine
Feriana
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Kairouan
ROMMEL
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
American Retreatfrom Sbeïtla
AmericanGerman
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 485
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Kasserine
Gafsa
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
ROMMEL
VON ARNIM
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
FondoukFondouk
SbeïtlaSbeïtla
TébessaTébessa
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Fondouk
Kasserine
Feriana
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Kairouan
ROMMEL
VON ARNIM
FREDENHALL
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
German Attack atSidi Bou Zid
AmericanGerman
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 444
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Médenine
Gafsa
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Tunis
ROMMEL
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
JUIN
FREDENHALL
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
SbeïtlaSbeïtlaTébessaTébessa
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Feriana
Médenine
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Kairouan
Tunis
ROMMEL
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
JUIN
FREDENHALL
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
Rommel’s Plan toAttack the Americans
Allied PositionGerman Position
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 423
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Médenine
Gafsa
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Tunis
EISENHOWER
ROMMEL
KESSELRING
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
JUIN
FREDENHALL
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
SbeïtlaSbeïtlaTébessaTébessa
N
S
EW
0
0
200 miles
200 km
Faid
Sousse
Kasserine
Médenine
Gafsa
Sbeïtla
Mareth
Le Kef
Thala
Gabes
Tébessa
Bizerte
Bone
Enfidaville
Sfax
Tunis
EISENHOWER
ROMMEL
KESSELRING
MONTGOMERY
VON ARNIM
ANDERSON
JUIN
FREDENHALL
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Sidi Bou Zid
AL
GE R I A
T
UN
I S I A
Souk elKhemis
Positions in Tunisia(christmas 1942)
Allied Territory
German Territory
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 372
Mareth
Homs
Sirte
Mersa elBregha
Gabes
Tripoli
Benghazi
Tunis
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
N
S
EW
0
0
40 miles
40 km
L I B Y A
T U N I S I A
A L G E R I A
Allied Line,Dec. 25
Nov. 20
Dec. 21
Jan. 23
Feb. 16
Rommel RetreatsToward Tunisia
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 342
PD
F
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E AM E D I T E R R A N E A N S E AN
S
EW
00
00
20 miles20 miles
20 km20 km
El AlameinEl AlameinMersa elMersa elBreghaBregha
TobrukTobruk
MersaMersaMatruhMatruh
BenghaziBenghazi
L I B Y AL I B Y A
E G Y P TE G Y P T
Nov. 20Nov. 20
Nov. 4Nov. 4
Nov. 12Nov. 12
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E AN
S
EW
0
0
20 miles
20 km
El AlameinMersa elBregha
Tobruk
MersaMatruh
Benghazi
L I B Y A
E G Y P T
Nov. 20
Nov. 4
Nov. 12
Rommel’s Retreat across Libyato Mersa el Bregha
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 306
PD
F
00
00
4 miles4 miles
4 km4 km
MisserhinMisserhin
OranOran
Sebkra d’OranSebkra d’Oran
TafaraouiTafaraouiAirfieldAirfield
La SéniaLa SéniaAirfieldAirfield
N
S
EW
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
0
0
4 miles
4 km
Misserhin
Oran
N
S
EW
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
Sebkra d’Oran
TafaraouiAirfield
La SéniaAirfield
The Final Fightfor Oran
American Forces
French Forces
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 285
PD
F
00
00
10 miles10 miles
10 km10 km
LourmelLourmel
MisserhinMisserhin
OranOran
N
S
EW
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
Sebkra d’OranSebkra d’Oran
Beach “Z”Beach “Z”
TafaraouiTafaraouiAirfieldAirfield
La SéniaLa SéniaAirfieldAirfield
Beach “Y”Beach “Y”
Beach “X”Beach “X”
U.S. ARMOR
U.S. INFANTRYBRITISH SHIPS
U.S. COMMANDOS
U.S. RANGERS& ARMOR
0
0
10 miles
10 km
Lourmel
Misserhin
Oran
N
S
EW
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
Sebkra d’Oran
Beach “Z”
TafaraouiAirfield
La SéniaAirfield
Beach “Y”
Beach “X”
U.S. PARATROOPERS
U.S. PARATROOPERS
Operation Torch—Center Task Force Landings
at Oran, Algeria
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 216
PD
F
Montgomery had not held still for long, the re-newed thrust pounding straight into the tanksand heavy guns that Rommel had hoped woulddrive the British back. No matter how muchBritish armor was destroyed, there was more toreplace it.
WEST OF HILL 28, SOUTHWEST OF
EL ALAMEIN—NOVEMBER 3, 1942
Rommel had driven along the coast road, hadfound a small hill, a perch that allowed him to seeacross toward the British position, the lines thathad once been his, where now the enemy contin-ued to gather its vastly superior strength. Von
THE RISING TIDE 165
N
S
EW
El AlameinEl Alamein
El Daba
Alam Halfa
Alam Halfa
RidgeRidge
Ruweisat RidgeRuweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NM E D I T E R R A N E A NS E AS E A
00
00
2 miles2 miles
2 km2 kmQ A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMELROMMEL
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
Coast Road
Hill 28Hill 28Tel el AqqaqirTel el Aqqaqir
El Dab‘aEl Dab‘aN
S
EW
El AlameinTel el Aqqaqir
El Dab‘a
Alam Halfa
Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NS E A
E G Y P T
0
0
2 miles
2 kmQ A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMEL
MONTGOMERY
Coast Road
Hill 28
The Battle ofEl Alamein—
Montgomery’sBreakthrough
German LineBritish Line
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 165
The second call came from Hitler, several hoursafter the first news from Keitel. Hitler had askedthe same question Keitel had: Are you wellenough to return to command? Rommel was sur-prised that Hitler himself seemed genuinely con-cerned, that should Rommel feel unfit, therewould be no order. But the urgency was clear, andRommel would never have refused. He was goingback to Africa.
The first sign of Montgomery’s attack hadcome from the British artillery, wave upon waveof shelling that poured over the German andItalian positions, followed by massive night andearly-morning bombing from unstoppable swarmsof British bombers. The combined assaults had
THE RISING TIDE 155
N
S
EW
ElElAlameinAlamein
Tel el AqqaqirTel el Aqqaqir
El Dab‘aEl Dab‘a
Alam Halfa
Alam Halfa
RidgeRidge
Ruweisat RidgeRuweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NM E D I T E R R A N E A NS E AS E A
E G Y P TE G Y P T
00
00
2 miles2 miles
2 km2 km
Q A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMELROMMELMONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
Coast Road
Hill 28Hill 28
N
S
EW
ElAlamein
Tel el Aqqaqir
El Dab‘a
Alam Halfa
Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NS E A
E G Y P T
0
0
2 miles
2 km
Q A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMELMONTGOMERY
Coast Road
Hill 28
El Alamein—Position on
October 26, 1942German LineBritish Line
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 155
Operation Torch—Allied Landings in
North Africa
FREDENHALLFREDENHALL RYDERRYDERPATTONPATTON
N
S
EW
I T A L YI T A L Y
T U N I S I AT U N I S I A
SPANISHSPANISHMOROCCOMOROCCO
A L G E R I AA L G E R I A
L I B Y AL I B Y A
M O R O C C OM O R O C C O
S P A I NS P A I N
PORTUGALPORTUGAL
Strait of GibraltarStrait of Gibraltar
SicilySicily
SardiniaSardinia
MaltaMalta
CorsicaCorsica
Balearic IslandsBalearic Islands
00
00
200 miles200 miles
200 km200 km
ATLANTICATLANTICOCEANOCEAN
TripoliTripoli
GabesGabes
RomeRome
TunisTunis
BizerteBizerteAlgiersAlgiers
CasablancaCasablanca
GibraltarGibraltar
OranOran
FREDENHALL RYDERPATTON
N
S
EW
I T A L Y
T U N I S I A
SPANISHMOROCCO
A L G E R I A
L I B Y A
M O R O C C O
S P A I N
PORTUGAL
Strait of Gibraltar
Sicily
Sardinia
Malta
Corsica
Balearic Islands
0
0
200 miles
200 km
ATLANTICOCEAN
Tripoli
Gabes
Rome
Tunis
BizerteAlgiers
Casablanca
Gibraltar
Oran
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 141
PD
F
SOUTH OF ALAM HALFA RIDGE—AUGUST 31, 1942
“There is no fuel, sir! We are halted!”The man’s voice cut through him like a hot ra-
zor, and Rommel fought the instinct to shout.“General von Vaerst, you will exercise restraint
in my presence.”Von Vaerst now commanded the Afrika Korps,
and Rommel saw the anguish on the man’s face,the same twisting pain that was cutting throughRommel’s gut. They stood in the open, the ar-mored cars gathered in an uneven row besidethem, silent, the drivers conserving their gasoline.
Von Vaerst stared down toward his feet, said,
96 JEFF SHAARA
N
S
EW
El AlameinEl AlameinTel El AqqaqirTel El Aqqaqir
Alam Halfa
Alam Halfa
RidgeRidge
Ruweisat RidgeRuweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NM E D I T E R R A N E A NS E AS E A
E G Y P TE G Y P T
00
00
2 miles2 miles
2 km2 km
QATTARA DEPRESSION
ROMMELROMMEL
MONTGOMERYMONTGOMERY
El Dab‘aEl Dab‘aN
S
EW
El AlameinTel el Aqqaqir
El Dab‘a
Alam Halfa
Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A NS E A
E G Y P T
0
0
2 miles
2 km
QATTARA DEPRESSION
ROMMEL
MONTGOMERY
Rommel’s Defeat atAlam Halfa Ridge
German Minefields
German Advance
British Minefields
British Positions
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 96
Though Rommel had driven within sixty-fivemiles of Alexandria, the first great Egyptian prize,he was forced to order his exhausted army topause. The British responded by launching acounterattack that accomplished little more thanadding to the casualty and prisoner lists on bothsides. Neither side was, for now, in any positionto do much damage to the other.
In any army, failure leads to change, and theBritish commander in chief, Sir Claude Auchin-leck, now removed the British Eighth Army’s fieldcommander, General Neil Ritchie. But, as theman in overall command of the theater, Auchin-leck himself was just as responsible for the fateof his army. On August 4, with activity along
THE RISING TIDE 65
N
S
EW
MersaMersaMatruhMatruh
El AlameinEl Alamein
FukaFuka
Alam HalfaAlam Halfa
RidgeRidgeRuweisat RidgeRuweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E AM E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
E G Y P TE G Y P T
00
00
4 miles4 miles
4 km4 km
Q A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMELROMMEL
AUCHINLECKAUCHINLECK
Tel elTel elAqqaqirAqqaqir
El Dab‘aEl Dab‘a
N
S
EW
MersaMatruh
El AlameinTel elAqqaqir
El Dab‘aFuka
Alam Halfa
RidgeRuweisat Ridge
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
E G Y P T
0
0
4 miles
4 km
Q A T T A R A D E P R E S S I O N
ROMMEL
AUCHINLECK
The British Withdrawalto El Alamein
German Advance
British Retreat
British Line
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 65
ROMMELROMMEL
RITCHIERITCHIE
N
S
EWGazalaGazala
BenghaziBenghazi TobrukTobruk
L I B Y AL I B Y A
E G Y P TE G Y P T
00
00
10 miles10 miles
10 km10 km
Sıdı Barranıdı Barranı¯ ¯ ¯ ¯SalûmSalûm
ROMMEL
RITCHIE
N
S
EWGazala
Sıdı Barranı¯ ¯ ¯ ¯Salûm
Benghazi Tobruk
L I B Y A
E G Y P T
0
0
10 miles
10 km
Rommel’s BreakthroughAt Gazala (“The Cauldron”)
GermanAdvance
BritishPositions
BritishMinefields
GazalaGazala
Bir HakeimBir Hakeim
TobrukTobruk
“The Cauldron”“The Cauldron”
ROMMELROMMEL RITCHIERITCHIE
Gazala
Bir Hakeim
Tobruk
“The Cauldron”
ROMMEL RITCHIE
Shaa_0739326694_1p_all_r1.qxp 9/25/06 9:45 AM Page 43
PD
F