The Allies planned an Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa/Maghreb—Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, territory nominally in the hands of the Vichy French government. As agreed at Cherchell, in the early hours of 8 November, the Géo Gras Group, 400 mainly Jewish French Resistance fighters staged a coup in the city of Algiers. Despite Operation Torch's role in the war and logistical success, it has been largely overlooked in many popular histories of the war and in general cultural influence. [28] The operation was marked by communicational and navigational problems owing to the anti-aircraft and beacon ship HMS Alynbank broadcasting on the wrong frequency. I sommergibili dell'Asse e l'Operazione Torch. As a result of Operation Torch, Adolf Hitler ordered Operation Anton, which saw German troops occupy Vichy France. Approx. The Axis forces attacked eastward at the Battle of Medenine on 6 March but were easily repulsed by the Eighth Army. It was a deceptive name, designed to make it seem that America had more paratroopers than it did. On 19 November, the German commander, Walter Nehring, demanded passage for his troops across the bridge at Medjez and was refused. With the groundwork laid with the French, the invasion convoys sailed with the Casablanca force departing the United States and the other two sailing from Britain. On 8 November 1942, one hundred twenty-five thousand soldiers, sailors, and airmen from British, American and Free French units invaded French North Africa under Gen. Eisenhower's command. Dubbed Operation Reservist, this saw two Banff-class sloops attempt to run through the harbor defenses. Rear Admiral Sir Harold Burrough, RN[40] Though later captured, this force did prevent the destruction of the port. The deal was made on 10 November, and French resistance ceased almost at once. Churchill then traveled to Moscow in August 1942, where Stalin berated him for postponing the second front and suspending Arctic convoys because of German naval action. The Vichy French had around 125,000 soldiers in the territories as well as coastal artillery, 210 operational but out-of-date tanks and about 500 aircraft, half of which were Dewoitine D.520 fighters — … The Germans attacked the poorly-equipped French units twice and were driven back. The limited French troops in Tunisia did not resist German troops arriving by air; Admiral Esteva, the commander, obeyed orders to that effect from Vichy. Operation Torch, which involved 196 ships of the Royal Navy and 105 of the United States Navy, landed about 107,000 Allied soldiers. The French had suffered many casualties and lacking artillery and armour, Barré was forced to withdraw.[36]. Rendezvousing with Mast and others at the Villa Teyssier in Cherchell, Algeria on Oct. 21, 1942, Clark was able to secure their support. Anderson nearly succeeded in taking Tunis but was pushed back by determined enemy counterattacks. [34] Men from French North Africa would see much combat under the Allied banner as part of the French Expeditionary Corps (consisting of 112,000 troops in April 1944) in the Italian campaign, where Maghrebis (mostly Moroccans) made up over 60% of the unit's soldiers.[35]. The Center Task Force was split between three beaches, two west of Oran and one east. The resulting fighting saw Hewitt's forces sink the unfinished battleship Jean Bart as well as a light cruiser, four destroyers, and five submarines. Despite these issues, both airfields were captured. The landing beaches again came under French fire after daybreak. One of the major unexpected benefits from Torch was the fact that military operations in the Mediterranean from November 1942 to the fall of 1943 allowed the British and Americans to establish an effective combined, joint high command. In 1940, the Germany Army had defeated most of Western Europe, and in 1941, they turned their attentions to Eastern Europe and Russia. [17] His Polish allies in these endeavors included Lt. Col. Gwido Langer and Major Maksymilian Ciężki. World War II Europe: Fighting in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, World War II: Operation Lila & the Scuttling of the French Fleet, World War II: Second Battle of El Alamein, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. L'opération Torch impliquait 196 navires de la Royal Navy et 105 de l’US Navy. He favored the eastern option because of the advantages it gave to an early capture of Tunis and also because the Atlantic swells off Casablanca presented considerably greater risks to an amphibious landing there than would be encountered in the Mediterranean. His forces surrounded the villa of General Charles Noguès, the Vichy-loyal high commissioner. The main goal of Operation Torch was to take control of the main ports from Morroco to Algeria, and also getting Erwin Rommel out of North Africa. -51% $19.99 $9.80. [12] With Marshall unable to persuade the British to change their minds,[13] President Roosevelt gave a direct order that Torch was to have precedence over other operations and was to take place at the earliest possible date, one of only two direct orders he gave to military commanders during the war. Operation Torch is an expansion of the acclaimed wargame, Gary Grigsbys War in the West. Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN[38] The Western Task Force landed before daybreak on 8 November 1942, at three points in Morocco: Safi (Operation Blackstone), Fedala (Operation Brushwood, the largest landing with 19,000 men), and Mehdiya-Port Lyautey (Operation Goalpost). Doing the opposite, museum director, and the beachheads were secured later the... 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