What landforms would Allied forces in the 1942 offensive from Casablanca, Morocco to Tunisia have had to cross?

1 Answer
Mar 9, 2016

The Allied invasion of Vichy North Africa in November 8th 1942 was spread over a 1,100km arc from Casablanca to Algiers

Explanation:

Operation Torch -- the Anglo-American landings in North Africa on November 8th, 1942 -- had to secure several key ports to neutralize Vichy opposition and the chance of a successful Axis intervention. For political reasons (Britain and Vichy France had fought each other on several occasions since June 1940), most of the initial landings were made by American troops. Britain provided most of the shipping and Naval support.

35,000 troops land around Casablanca; 39,000 around Oran and 33,000 around Algiers. Fighting with Vichy French forces continues until 11th November (and German and Italian forces start to enter Tunisia on November 10th). Once the major ports were secure, Allied units could start to race east to get into Tunisia before the Axis build-up grew too large.

The whole of the coast of the involved region involves a narrow coastal plain, usually of open farmland, rising to hills and low mountains -- the Atlas Chain -- spanning from Morocco to Tunisia. South of the this is the Sahara Desert.

The mountains means that roadways in the 1940s were limited. While the Allies could use additional seaborne landings and paratroopers to capture Bone (close to the Tunisian border); it took time to move major forces to the East, and the Germans were free to use airpower to harass the American and British forces on the roads.

By the beginning of December 1942, Allied forces had entered Western Tunisia, but the German and Italian defenders had arrived in numbers and were often better supplied than the Allied troops. That was also the month that bad weather rolled in; major Allied offensives would have to wait until supplies were stock-piled and the weather improved.