Sunday, May 13, 2007
This Day in History
On this day in 1943, all Axis forces in North Africa surrendered. Although this defeat is not as well known as the German defeat in Stalingrad, in absolute numbers, it was almost as bad. Adm. Erich Raeder had been lobbying for four divisions to be placed into North Africa in June, 1940. Hitler put in one, under a good commander, Erwin Rommel. More troops were poured in after the Brits were up to speed and the Americans had arrived in force, that is, too late. This was a turning point, not the turning point--to paraphrase Churchill, it was the end of the beginning.
Labels: WWII history; European theater
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:43 AM 
