The Battle of
Tripoli
Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to:
Cities and other geographic units Greece
*Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
was an engagement on between the
Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee commanded by
Erwin Rommel of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and
Ettore Bastico
Ettore Bastico (9 April 1876 – 2 December 1972) was an Italian military officer before and during World War II. In addition to being a general of the Royal Italian Army, he was also a senator and governor. He held high commands during the Seco ...
of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, who held the town, and the
British 8th Army, a
Commonwealth force commanded by Sir
Bernard Montgomery. After a short siege, the Germans withdrew from Tripoli, and the
Allies entered the town to great worldwide fanfare.
Prelude
After the German defeat in the
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented th ...
in November 1942, German commander Erwin Rommel shed many of his slower Italian units, leaving 30,000-75,000 men to be taken as prisoners, and dashed for Tunisia. Over the next 80 days, he withdrew 1,400 miles across Libya, losing 130 tanks and 1,000 artillery guns.
At the same time as the Second Battle of El Alamein,
Operation Torch deposited approximately 83,300 U.S. and 23,000 British soldiers in three task forces in an
invasion
An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity aggressively enter territory (country subdivision), territory owned by another such entity, gen ...
of
French North Africa
French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. I ...
, in
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
and
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
on 8 November 1942. Rommel had to reach his supply ports in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
before both armies could cut him off.
Combat
Rommel dug a defensive line at
Buerat that collapsed on January 15, 1943. In a series of desperate rear guard actions, Rommel defended his flanks while driving his main body west.
Misurata fell on January 18,
Homs on the 20th,
El Aziez
EL, El or el may refer to:
Religion
* El (deity), a Semitic word for "God"
People
* EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer
* El DeBarge, music artist
* El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...
on the 21st,
Castelverde on the 22nd.
Montgomery predicted to reporters that Tripoli would fall on January 22. Rommel did not stop to form a defensive line in Tripoli, abandoning the town that night. The 1st Gordons, 51st Highlanders, riding 40 Royal Tank Regiment vehicles, entered Tripoli unopposed the next morning.
Aftermath
Montgomery ordered a huge victory parade in Tripoli on 23 January 1943. On 3 February 1943,
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
addressed 8th Army in Tripoli. "Let me then assure you, soldiers and airmen, that your fellow-countrymen regard your joint work with admiration and gratitude, and that after the war when a man is asked what he did it will be quite sufficient for him to say, 'I marched and fought with the Desert Army.' And when history is written and all the facts are known, our feats will gleam and glow and will be a source of song and story long after we who are gathered here have passed away."
Rommel successfully withdrew to Tunisia, where he was reinforced with
Tiger tanks and more infantry. But it was too little, too late. 1st and 8th Armies merged into the
18th Army Group; together with the
Americans
Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Ame ...
, they breached the
Mareth Line
The Mareth Line was a system of fortifications built by France in southern Tunisia in the late 1930s. The line was intended to protect Tunisia against an Italian invasion from its colony in Libya. The line occupied a point where the routes into T ...
. By May 1943, Some 50,000 Axis soldiers surrendered, ending the North African Campaign.
References
{{Reflist
Conflicts in 1943
January 1943 events
Libya in World War II