MAIN INFORMATION: The BAttle
The landings in North Africa began on November 8, 1942. At Casablanca, French coastal batteries fired but Allied Naval gunfire struck back. Despite this, French snipper fire was more difficult to resolve.
It soon became clear that carrier base planes were needed at landing sites in order to manage French resistance. Resistance proved to be more of a inconvenienced than a major military problem. Major General George Patton, commander of the Western Task Force, captured Casablanca on November 10 and took the cite unopposed. At Oran, French Navy Ships attempted to attack the Central Task Force's fleets (lead by Major-General Lloyd Fredendall), but were driven ashore or sunk. On November 9, the French troops surrendered after being |
attacked by a British battleship.
General Ryder lead the Eastern Task Force, who were aided by attempted coup with in the city by pro-allied forces. The Vichy government in Algiers was more concerned with the coup than countering the Allied forces, so the Allies landed and the city surrendered. All three of the Allied landings in North Africa were successful and the Allies continued on into Tunisia. Although, the Afrika Korps had retreated westward due to the victory in El Alamein and they encountered the newly landed troops. During this battle, the power of two advancing Allied forces trapped the Afrika Korps and forced them to surrender on May 7, 1943. |