African campaigns of World War II
Learn more about African campaigns of World War II
There were several separate African campaigns during World War II. Allied forces fought Axis forces, between 1940 and 1943, both on the African mainland and in nearby waters and islands. These campaigns are linked simply by the fact of their location in or near Africa.
Naval conflict was the first action near Africa, especially in the Battle of the Mediterranean (from 1940), and in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean throughout the war. The land battles occurred in the East African Campaign of 1940-41, the West African campaign of 1940, the North African Campaigns of 1940-43 and the Battle of Madagascar during 1942.
Some major battles of the North African campaign took place at, Tobrok,El Aghelia,Benghazi,and El Alamein.
Tobrk began as a small inimportant port off the mediterranean coast of Libya, but became of signifficant value to the British once the war began. They captured it from the Italians in the summer of 1940 and held off a seige from Rommels Afrika Korps For over 6 months until the seige was broken.
Benghazi was a fortress and was also in Libya. It was of stratigic impotance and changed hand five times during the war.
El Alamein wasn't a fort or port but the place of one of the most famous battles of the war. this battle was the first defeat in Rommels career and it spelled the beggining of the Allies long and hard road to victory
The Allies included forces from the United Kingdom, United States, Abyssinia, South Africa, India, Australia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanganyika, Free France, and New Zealand.
Axis forces were primarily German, Italian and Vichy French. Imperial Japanese Navy submarines played a significant role in the Indian Ocean, especially in the Madagascar campaign.
| Campaigns and theatres of World War II |
| European Theatre |
| Poland | Phony War | Denmark & Norway | France & Benelux countries | Britain |
| Eastern Front 1941-45 | Continuation War | Western Front 1944-45 |
| Asian and Pacific Theatres |
| China | Pacific Ocean | South-East Asia | South West Pacific | Manchuria 1945 |
| The Mediterranean, Africa and Middle East |
| Mediterranean Sea | East Africa | North Africa | West Africa | Balkans Middle East | Madagascar | Italy |
| Other |
| Atlantic Ocean | Strategic bombing | Bombing of North America |
| Contemporary wars |
| Chinese Civil War | Soviet-Japanese Border War | Winter War | French-Thai War | Anglo-Iraqi War |
