THE BIG PICTURE BATTLE OF NORTH AFRICA WORLD WAR II ORAN TO EL ALAMEIN (PART 1) 81574

[@uxb2001]

I used to wake up early on Sat mornings in the Chicago area and watch these at 6AM on WBBM Ch2 in the early 60s

[@turkfiles]

I watched them on tv in the early 50’s in Chicago, though I’m not sure which channel it was on. I was ~5 years old or so, and I too watched the program early Saturday mornings. At that time they were showing weekly updates on, I believe, the Korean War. There was another show called Navy Log, which also covered what was happening in Korea as well. Plenty of footage of carrier operations.

[@kennethjohnson6319]

I watched this episode of the big picture in the early sixties this is a great episode of the battle of North Africa showing actual footage of the battle against Italy Germany And the British forces in a life and death struggle in ww2

[@wtfbuddy1]

Nice historical film - the British kicked but before Operation TORCH was launched in November 42. Thanks for sharing and cheers.

[@iangrantham8300]

In the north on the coast road , where the Battle of El Alemain kicked off it was the Australian 9 th division, who had been the ones at Tobruk. They pushed so hard and attacked so ferociously that Rommel had to order the engagement of 4 of his divisions to hold them, incuding a panzer division and a mechanised division, the sacrifice of the Australian division proved fatal for Rommel as the had to draw the other divisions to face them from the center of his forces, thus ensuring a British beakthrough would be effective in the middle.

[@U.S._Army_Retired]

What this picture doesn’t say is that the battle plans for the El Alamein attack was drawn up by Montgomery’s predecessor. But he did not have the manpower or equipment to execute it. Montgomery amassed overwhelming men and equipment and then executed the plan and took credit for it.

[@Charlesputnam-bn9zy]

General Auchinleck was replaced with Monty by Churchill because he wanted to wait after Torch to attack at Alamein. Not only that, Sir Claude Auchinleck saved the 8th Army, frustrating Rommel's pursuit & encirclement at every turn. With spoiling battles like at Mersa Matruh. Then he chose the Alamein position, making it impossible for the desert fox to burrow its way around. & when it tried, got its snout badly punched in at Alam Halfa.

[@U.S._Army_Retired]

@@Charlesputnam-bn9zy Exactly, then Monty falsely took credit for all of it like it was his plan.

[@Charlesputnam-bn9zy]

@@U.S._Army_Retired ''The Desert Generals'' by Corelli Barnett offers a good view of the procession of British generals pitted against Rommel. We cannot help being amazed at the bad luck plaguing the British after the narcissistic Rommel's arrival. A bad luck helped by Churchill's own political correctness. General O'Connor who utterly deleted the Duce's mirage of the Pyramids. & who was poised to take Tripoli, ending the Italian empire in early '41, suddenly saw his 2 motorized divisions taken to Greece, and himself forced to stop in the desert. Thus still-Mussolinian Tripoli was there to welcome the nazi Rommel's panzers. Who then proceeded to whip the British into panic due to Wavell's geriatic command. The outstanding General O'Connor was captured with his 2 subordinates by a nazi reconnaissance patrol. & in the meanwhile, the 2 British divisions in Greece saw their mean retreating on foot & then on boats, pursued by the nazi panzers. & that, only after the Greek government had asked that Churchill left to spare Greece further destruction. It was Sir Claude Auchinleck replacing Wavell, who saved the 8th Army. Although he received little credit for it, & even got vilified no end for the string of defeats before the revival at Alamein. It would be fair also to credit the valiant men of Malta for the final Victory.

[@lifeindetale]

All because of that Lil man mussolini.. Great video as always. Thanks periscope

[@iangrantham8300]

PLUS they also had some very good Italian units amongst them so it was more than made out.

[@nemo6686]

The Big Picture - but no mention of Greece and the diversion of British men and materiel from North Africa that made Rommel's initial success easier!

[@nemo6686]

@Xenu Da Pimp Nah, capitalists have to live like everyone else.

[@Mishn0]

Of course that also diverted German troops that might have been sent to Africa...

[@nemo6686]

@@Mishn0 Possibly, but I'm aware of actual redeployments from Commonwealth forces in North Africa as ordered from London, but not of any evidence that Rommel would've received troops if they hadn't been sent to Greece; have you a source?

[@MatthewBaileyBeAfraid]

At 4:50, when the narrator says “British armor raced along the coast,” they show what are Bren-Gun Carriers, also known as a “Universal Carrier,” driving through the desert. These aren’t “Armor.” They are “armored” to protect against most regular rifle rounds, and some light machine-gun rounds. But little else.

[@iangrantham8300]

I am ONLY 53 SECONDS into this so wish to say before it gets going..The British had WON the desert war before these events and in the landings in North Africa..at Oran and other places along that coast 65% of the ships were British as were the men. As were the planes, to the extent that the British soldiers even went ashore in US uniforms because it was thought the French would surrender to the US but would fight the British. The US forces had their first taste of real combat when they INSISTED on attacking an already defeated and retreating Afrika Corps at Kasserine pass, the British told them how to do it but they just said, shut up an watch US...then they got their asses right royally whoooped. The Tunisian campaign was basically a mopping up operationg after that but the Americans make a big deal out of it, however , to put it into context, when the invasion of Italy took place, 60% of the combatants were also British!

[@zen4men]

Spot on! ...... The Americans were so green, the grass was envious, and even after years of observing a world war from the safety of neutrality, the US had learnt almost nothing, yet thought they would be teaching the decadent British how to win a war! ...... The betrayal that was Pearl Harbour, and the unnecessary slaughter that was the Battle of the Kasserine Pass, was part of the same long and bloody learning curve that Britain went through. ...... Britain held The Flag of Freedom from July 1940 until 22 June 1941, with it's empire's strategic locations covering most of the world's major sea routes, allowing men and resources to go where needed. ...... American help, amongst the help received from all over the world, made a great difference, but the strategic grasp of winning a world war in the first half of the war was British alone. For hundreds of years, Britain was the odd man out of Europe, fighting to stop any single power dominating, and as history shows, Britain's unique position and capabilities built a global reach far beyond all else. ...... Britain never was a continental army - rather we fielded small armies, in alliance with other powers, landed, supplied, and reinforced by the unconquered power of the Royal Navy. WW2 gave America the opportunity to replace Britain, as America said the days of empire were done, yet America had been steadily building their own empire, seizing countries and islands, and since WW2 has had bases all over the word - far more than Britain ever had - or needed. America had the economic strength and industrial power, but lacks the wisdom based upon historical experience, as America's dismal military performance since WW2 has shown. ...... America only thrives at war when it's sledgehammer to crack a nut approach is accepted by an opponent who is willing to be an unimaginative nut. ...... As of today, America is falling apart socially, more obsessed with who pees in what loo, than the foundational core values that once DID make America great. The locality I grew up with in South Devon, England, had the US 29th Infantry Division training for D-Day in May 1944, and US soldiers fired on the 600 yard range built in 1908 on our land. ........ My late mother had links with US officers for some years after the war, and US pierced steel planking could still be seen in hedges in the 1970s, though the hutted camp had long been demolished.

[@markbrandon7359]

Excuse me the Americans did not attack at Kaserine they were attacked and the Germans were by no means defeated as Hitler poured men and equipment into the Frey including Tiger tanks remember 1/4 of a million Germans surrendered in Tunesia. Yes the Americans were green and got there butts kicked so did the Russians and the British at 1st. While the Americans lost at Kaserine at 1st they held in the end even though out numbered and out gunned and the Germans had to go on the defensive but it was by no means a mop up operation by than

[@sanha7007]

리비아에서 발전소공사하면서 땅속에서 2차세계대전시 탱크캐트필라바퀴가나오더군요! 내전끝나고 뱅가지에서 아즈다비아가는길옆에 탱크가 미사일에맞아 길옆에 치워진것 사막에버려진것이많이보이더군요! 영화보니 사하라사막더운곳에서싸운용사들이 얼마나고생했을까하는생각이!

[@paulonyango8073]

Nice

[@kajamix]

Why did n't the French fleet run away and join the allies but instead this thing happened ?

[@Mishn0]

One reason is because if they had, the Germans would have occupied the rest of metropolitan France. The southern half of France was run by the Vichy government and the Germans stayed out. So, the fleet was sort of hostage, the Germans weren't supposed to take it over and the French were supposed to keep it in Africa and out of the war. Who knows what would have happened if the British hadn't crippled the French fleet. It would probably have been destroyed in operation Torch as were the survivors of the British attack in 1940.

[@barbaros99]

Drachinifel (a naval historian KZbinr) has a good video on the subject, if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5LSmmZpi6Z0hZY

[@monicaperez2843]

My father fought under Patton in North Africa.

[@paulbradford6475]

Good to know, Monica. I bet he didn't like Patton, like most men in the 3rd Army, but your father knew that Patton was the best general we had at that moment.

[@monicaperez2843]

@@paulbradford6475 Paul, my Private First Class father loved Patton then and until he died, because he felt Patton genuinely cared about his men, and, under him, he had the best chance of surviving the war.

[@paulbradford6475]

@@monicaperez2843 Patton did care for his men as any good commander would, but he was very strict, too. Many men chafed under his command for all the "chicken shit" he put them through, and to some high-ranking divisional officers at least, he was downright crude and disrespectful to the point of almost being, to use the Vietnam term, "fragged." But overall, as your father experienced, he was certainly the best and most dynamic general we had in the European theatre. I wish we had a few like him in today's Army, despite his eccentricities. What's most important, is that I'm glad your father survived the war to pass along his recollections to you. Thanks for responding.

[@kaptainkaos1202]

@@paulbradford6475 I am genuinely torn over the memory of Gen. Patton. As a warrior one has the chance to accomplish tasks no civilian could ever imagine but you must also subvert your will to those senior to you. Gen. Patton said and did quite a few things that I believe, as a former military member, had they been done by someone much junior would have been sent home in disgrace. His bad mouthing senior commanders IMHO is unforgivable. The military will give you leeway to act independently but within reason. A Yesman wouldn’t be any better.

[@paulbradford6475]

@@kaptainkaos1202 Good Remarks, Kaptain. In the old days - WW1 to just after WW2, if a general screwed up a bit (not an obvious blunder like Short at Pearl Harbor) or underperformed he wasn't immediately fired. He was given a second chance. This happened to a few generals, Patton being one of them. The U.S. couldn't afford to put out to pasture one of their best commanders just because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Terry Della Mesa Allen was relieved of command of the 1st Infantry Division after the Italian campaign because his boys were getting a little too cocky for their own good. He was given another command later in the war. Genuine command ability was recognized and rewarded for the most part, even if the commander in question earned a few demerits.

[@davydavo3627]

My uncle, Horatio Hartley was killed at El Alamein. He was a Sapper in the eighth army. My mum (his sister) never got over his death. R. I. P.

[@HenriHattar]

The battle of North Africa had been won before the landings !

[@iangrantham8300]

It was, in the main,the highly mobile and hard fighting Australians who took the Italian positions. Taking so many prisoners they could not look after them!

[@HenriHattar]

Sidi Barain, Barida, Tobruk, fell to the Australians!

[@kaptainkaos1202]

All the people in this video are dead… How sad.. we lead a short, brutish life.

[@iangrantham8300]

I would like to see the evidence that the Afrika Corps had even a days training in desert warfare, I dont think this was true at all. They were just well trained men with a good leader.

[@iangrantham8300]

It is amazing that the people didnt care who came and went they cheered any way.

[@iangrantham8300]

It certaily was LEND lease as the Americans insisted after the war that the British pay back everything with interest. WHICH took them to 2011 to do. If the Americans had not been able to supply the British the Americans would have had to done the fighting instead. And the Suez Canal would have fallen in the meantime and the Afrika Corps would have had no impediment with linking up with German forces in the Russian oil fields and forcing Russia out of the war, which , assuming with no arms the British had stopped fighting it would have also meant the downfall of the USA itself, yet they INSISTED on the British repaying when it was the British doing the fighting, and winning! Also there should be a note that British production of arms was RIGHT UP THERE with the USA..an island about as big as Iowa! Defending liberty and freedom which Americans say is thiers! The truth is this was not so. It should be noted, also, that the very FIRST 1,000 plane raid on Germany was all British in all British bombers.

[@zen4men]

True. ...... The British preparations for war were ridiculed by many, yet they mobilised every possible resource, and created armed forces that could defeat the best Germany could offer, and arm other countries. ...... And this in spite of The Left being opposed to war until Stalin ( who enabled Hitler to start WW2 ) was attacked in 1941, when their tune changed.

[@maxpayne2574]

The world is fortunate Hitler didn't grasp the importance of the Suez canal. Surround a fortress and it becomes a prison camp.

[@rebelwithoutaclue8164]

Sounds like a limey concoction

[@iangrantham8300]

While the Australians were at Tobruk, notwithstanding any thing the Germans threw at them , the Australians held. After 8 months the Australians left and were replaced by other forces, mainly Polish and South Africa.....Tobruk Fell!

[@zen4men]

To be fair, the defences at Tobruk were in poor condition after the heroic Australian defence. ...... And sometimes somethings are written in fate, and cannot be changed - like Hitler's inability to comply with the many attempts made on his life, and damn well die - he had some sort of 'angel' looking after him.

[@iangrantham8300]

@@zen4men RESOURCES were POURED into Tobruk aftr the Austalians left, more men, more guns, more food and storage facilities AND the perimiter was completely fixed and improved defensively!

[@Inlinetodie]

This is what the Indiana Jones movies were based off of, these wars were over control of the ancient artifacts of power to control the desert weather, they were shown they controlled wind and rain, then the war started for control, all documented, this is just a Propaganda video for war efforts, this doesn't touch on why, when, what, how or where the artifacts were discovered and fought for .

[@iangrantham8300]

At Sidi Barani, several thousand Australians took on TENS of thousands Italians, routing them and taking kilomters of prisoners!