The Battle of El Alamein: War in The Desert | WWII Documentary

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It was a place few expected to be fighting in when war broke out in 1939. It was a conflict Hitler never wanted. It was a fight on terrain that at times was as hostile as the enemy. It was a battlefield that relied on chariots of steel and wings of vengeance and one that could only be won through cunning, ruthlessness and above all - an effective supply chain. For many, the battle for control of North Africa is seen as something of a side show to the war in Europe but this conceals the truth that if North Africa had fallen to the Axis powers of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy then the whole course of the war could have been completely changed. In this episode, we are going to explore the events surrounding the most pivotal battles for control of North Africa - the battles for El Alamein in Egypt - and examine the cost of both success and failure to both sides. Welcome to Wars of the World.
0:00 Introduction
3:02 War in the
Desert
6:24 The Desert Fox
10:50 The First Battle
of El-Alamein
20:55 Monty
25:49 The Battle of
Alam Halfa
28:22 The Second Battle
of El Alamein
35:25 Aftermath
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🎶🎶 All music from CO.AG
/ @co.agmusic
Narrated by: Will Earl
Written & Researched by: Tony Wilkins
Edited by: James Wade
History Should Never Be Forgotten...

[@warsoftheworld1945]

Go to curiositystream.com/WARS and use code WARS to save 25% off today. Thanks to Curiosity Stream for sponsoring today’s video.

[@charlesferdinand422]

I don't care how much spam CuriosityStream tries to shove down my throat or if they sponsor every single video of every single channel in YT, I'm still NEVER watching their stupid videos or whatever it is they're selling. Besides, Raid's Law clearly states that any product or service that spends as much money in marketing as Raid's: Shadow Legends does is either complete garbage, filled with predatory microtransactions or both.

[@johnochiltree1170]

War in the dessert, eh? I’ll be damned if Hitler touches my crème brûlée

[@ivanvidojevic2461]

Aaahqa

[@thomasgumersell9607]

My late Father bd June 6th 1921. Signed up with the British Eighth Army in 1939 at the age of 18. He was in North Africa in the battle of El Alamein. He only spoke of places he had been once I found old black and white photos of him. This video helps me piece together what my Dad went through. He served with the Eighth Army until 1946. Duration of the war plus 6 months. 💪🏻🙏🏻✨

[@jacktattis]

Yes and was part of the REAL Band of Brothers We had them in the 2AIF as well We probably had a hundred Maj Winters

[@brad270472]

My grandad was about 10 mile behind El Alamein on the anti aircraft guns round a British airstrip. He said that Montgomery was a bit of a tosser but when the 2nd battle kicked off, the whole horizon turned into day...there was that many guns going off.

[@rejects101]

My Grandad was in the second attack 24 October to 11 November 1942. He was a sergeant in charge of a company of MMG's. They all got shot including my Grandad. He was unconscious and when he came round, didn't want to leave the MMG's for the enemy so removed the firing bolts and marched back. He gained an emergency (battlefield) commission to Lieutenant. Whend in Anzio he was captured during a night raid and ended the war in Oflag 7B Eichstatt.

[@calvinrunner4897]

There are two parts to any history: the topic itself and how you tell it. Outstanding video once more. The way you tell it make me feel like I am right there in the sand. Thank you.

[@mpersad]

A very well researched and illustrated documentary. An excellent video, of a vital theatre of war in WW2. Thank you.

[@JohnEglick-oz6cd]

Just as much , if not more portant than Nazi- Germany's thrust in to the Stalingrad - Caucases campaigns in the USSR of 1942 .capture of Egypt would of clear road to the middle eastern oil fields , and the world would of been quite different today. In fact the conflict in North Africa was a very underated part of the ETO , and potentially a game changer in favor of the Axis .

[@jamesparkin2458]

Thank You for this account of both Battles of El Alemein. My grandfather General Dan Pienaar commanded the 1st South African Division which as you have reported held Rommel at the first Great Battle. The Division went on to achieve all its objectives at the Second Battle of El Alemein. A few weeks later my Grand Father was killed on 19th December 1942 in a aircraft crash while returning to South Africa to arrange much needed leave for the 1st Division. In 1943 the Division was re-equiped and joined the invasion of Italy under General Poole as the 6th South African Armoured Division. I never met my Grand Father but I have heard numerous accounts of the respect he had for Monty and Field Marshal Rommel.

[@rhizomorph-music]

Thank you!

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@griffinbailey5868]

There are many channels that do a good job of telling battle stories in very digestible videos but you are one of the only ones that does a GREAT job. Cheers!

[@barrettw8872]

My favorite bedtime channel. Always A+ videos, thank you

[@joeshmoe8345]

Awesome, thanks y’all.

[@andyhinch3198]

My grandad was posted to egypt in 1937 and fought in the north african campaign and then through italy. He was 1 of 3 of the originals to survive the war. When announced they were to be posted to Burma, the 3 went to the CO and were given unofficial permission to return home at the cost of their ranks.

[@LactusTheIntolerant]

Please don’t ever stop uploading to this channel😭

[@Splattle101]

I am glad to see you covered the first encounters at Al Alamein while Auchinleck was still in charge. One of his key changes after Gazala was the re-concentration of divisional artillery, and he saw the first fruit of that change when the concentrated firepower of 1st South African Div. stopped 90th Light in its tracks.

[@peplsuk7635]

I love the story of the desert war. Thank's!

[@johntaylor-lo8qx]

Well done chap, well done 👏

[@jmgibson]

Very nice vid, thank you. However I would not say Alamein was the turning point in WW2. At most just one of three turning points, amongst the decisive battles of Midway and Stalingrad.

[@californiadreamin8423]

Rommel had first hand knowledge of British dispositions, strengths , weaknesses and plans from a US Officer , Major Bonner Fellers, who radioed this information to Washington using a code which the Italians and Germans had broken. This information was available to Rommel within 24 hours of transmission. Rommel took full advantage of it . This source of information was stopped sometime after the fall of Tobruk. A German battlefield signals interception unit was also destroyed by the Australians during the fighting when the 8th Army defended the Alamein position. This has not been mentioned in this documentary.

[@jacktattis]

My info is that the US Maj was sending the British ORBAT to the US embassy in Rome back in 1941 and not this battle

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@jacktattis Bonner Fellers was the US Military Attaché in Egypt and sent daily reports to Marshall using a compromised code.

[@atakorkut5110]

Claude Auchinleck in my opinion was a genius, bcuz he knew his enemy and instead of trying to out maneuver or out fight Rommel which should have been a problem for rommel but rather he gave him a dilemma to attack fortified positions or to risk man an material in a risky flanking maneuver, through extremely difficult hostile terrain all including massive minefields. However o. The attack he made unnecessarily complex plans that rely on precision that was not unheard of but hard to pull off even with modern tech.

[@piney4562]

I think you perhaps underplayed the value of the naval war in the Mediterranean. Yes, Romel did face extreme political obstacles. However those supplies that were sent his way, very rarely made it.

[@EdgeOfNowhere2024]

It’s a Desert not a Dessert . Just saying

[@TallDude73]

I was thinking of cake the whole time ;)

[@peterdrescher4488]

Right?

[@nickseguine393]

lol!

[@drmartin5062]

@@nickseguine393yea to make a documentary on a battle in one and spell it wrong in the title is too bad.

[@brucegibbins3792]

I didn't notice. Too busy watching the pictures and redying my self to take umbrage in case New Zealand was not mentioned.

[@2balastair]

My dad was there as a Company Commander of 3 platoons of the Black Watch, 42nd highlanders (I think) in the 51st Highland Division. Fighting around the Kidney ridge area. He told us some fascinating stories about their first advance...

[@jamesdreads7828]

war in the dessert eh? trifling to bring it up, i know..

[@BenWillyums]

It's wreaking havoc, not wrecking havoc.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Pronounces both ways

[@jacktattis]

@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 No always wreaking

[@MegaBloggs1]

The australians were relieved by sea from Tobruk not by the lifting of the siege of trobruk

[@geneflynn4690]

Were they fighting in a nice slice of 🍰 or a 🥧

[@roscoewhite3793]

Compared to the battles of the Russian front, El Alamein was a mere trifle.

[@Swellington_]

@@roscoewhite3793 that doesnt mean it was a walk in the park though but yeah,the eastern front was "different"

[@roscoewhite3793]

@@Swellington_ Oh yes, El Alamein was a hard-fought battle, we can agree on that. I was making a "dessert" joke.

[@Swellington_]

@@roscoewhite3793 oh i know,i cant come up with anything "desserty" to say,uhm...how about it was a nutty idea to invade the SU? Thats the best i can think of,:)

[@Darlexis]

The laggy bit at 8minutes reminds me of playing Hell Let Loose on El Alamein map. Lol gave me PTGS

[@Vegas_Des]

My fave channel

[@jacktattis]

I served with a WO1 in Vietnam who had been in this Battle Percy Lyall great bloke

[@sebresludolf9611]

*Please make a video series on the 2 chechen wars*

[@tashyole149]

Would be great to see a video on the Korean War

[@BrokenneckYgor]

Tragically the fight men got no dessert

[@olivier3847]

13:05 are those morris trucks?

[@Great_Sandwich]

As a Briton you should know that the rank of Lieutenant (as in Lieutenant, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Lieutenant-General) in all Commonwealth nations is pronounced as _"Leftenant"._

[@olivier3847]

vehicle at 28:05?

[@John14-6...]

Monte got all the credit for the battle of El Alamein when Auchinleck did all the work building up superior forces to the Germans.

[@alexdr8595]

Not many people know that the name El Alamein originates from Saint Minas, as there were early Christian Monasteries and Monks in the area

[@billmoretz8718]

Churchill summed it up best when he stated the second battle was not the end; nor the beginning of the end;, it was perhaps the end of the beginning.

[@victorprice1699]

You forgot the fact that by this time the Brit's had the Enigma code machine cracked, and this is why the Axis lost a most of it's logistical ability's. But the Allies could only starve them slowly without razing to much suspicion form the Axis high command.

[@victorprice1699]

I forgot to mention, the Axis had very poor sanatory standards and a lot of the Axis unit where lade low with dysentery. So never take a dump in the desert near were you eat, without burying it.

[@skulmask9647]

Sorry This comment is just a note for myself for a project research 14:55 talks about how us gives tanks to help britain. 17:30 (July 10th)

[@domenicozagari2443]

10 to 1, you know where my money is.The governor of Libia used to fly to Alexandria to report to the British, the Italians shot him down.

[@tipene1950]

Libia cousin of Labia

[@rogergreen632]

disgustosa ricostruzione...evitatela! non mi spendo neanche a tradurre

[@beigethursday1352]

Africa Korps did not get Tigers untill 43. Only inaccuracy I came across in this documentary.

[@soultraveller5027]

The first and second battle of El alamien were the 9th austrialian division participated were the massive and decisive factor that caused Rommels Africa Corp to buckle under unrelenting pressure from the 9th austrialian division ,at huge cost to the division it paved the way for British amour to get through German defences because Rommel had to send key last reserves to stop the aussies breaking through North of rommels line This is why the germans retreated. In the house of commons ,Winston Churchill acknowledged to the house the 9th division effort and sacfice that won the day. In the desert of Egypt after the battle, general Alexander address the 9th austrialian division , to acknowledge aswel the victory at El alamien, was due to their efforts alone, that broke German resistance and paved the way to victory. The 9th division no longer played any further role in the desert campaign. exhausted and depleted it was rested At the same ,time the Australian movement wanted them back home to defend a possible japanees attack they fought wil courage and distinction in battles againest the japanees in the Solomon Islands and won.

[@jacktattis]

I served with a WO1 in Vietnam [Percy Lyall] who had been a Bren Gun driver with Infantry here.

[@morty4402]

Rommel did not play any role in the polish campaign. He was the leader of "Führerbegleitbatallion", tasked with guarding Hitler and his field headquarters

[@theodoresmith5272]

I think its funny that anyone thinks taking these oil fields would do the germans or axis any good. How are they going to get it to europe? Oil, generally travels by ship. Good luck with the american and british navies. Only other way it a pipe line, that would have been a major project for the time or this time.

[@laurencetilley9194]

The best part of this video was the old WW2 footage. As for the commentary it is far to biased towards the British. If it wasn't for the Commonwealth forces and the US air force North Africa would have ended up another British military cock-up like Caen, Market Garden, and Singapore, Malaya.

[@jacktattis]

No USAAF at this stage of the War here. Their first battle was in Tunisia and the RAF/FRIENDS WERE 100 TIMES MORE EXPERIENCED Caen {drew 70% of German Armour to it to allow the US to break out.] Market Garden [revived by Browning and an American] Singapore [ Percival told the Brit Govt that they would not be able to hold with the Garrison troops they had] Malaya [yes underestimated the enemy]

[@deedeeandfamily8678]

The war over a delicious dessert. 🤤

[@troystaunton254]

The battle that killed my great uncle.

[@billballbuster7186]

Rommel lost his intelligence advantage which had given him a string of easy victories from November 1941 to July 1942. His first defeat was 1st El Alabein in July and Alam al Halfa in August 1942. This was followed by 2nd El Alamein in October and Medenine and Mareth in early 1943. In fact Rommel was not to have another victory against the British for the reat of WW2.

[@JudgeVandelay]

Italy entered the war on June 10th, 1940, not July 10th.

[@wilsontrimming1430]

Do you want a medal or something mate ?

[@JudgeVandelay]

@@wilsontrimming1430 Sure, I'll display it prominently next to my several "Participant" trophies.

[@bradleymelon3867]

Is it just me for all of the Germans looking like they're dressed for winter in a fight in the middle of the desert I've never seen so much leather all the British troops look like they're relatively comfortable for the weather

[@adnanmambureh873]

Hitler’s problems where too much 😢cause the world with too much pain

[@charlesferdinand422]

I don't care how much spam CuriosityStream tries to shove down my throat or if they sponsor every single video of every single channel in YT, I'm still NEVER watching their stupid videos or whatever it is they're selling. Besides, Raid's Law clearly states that any product or service that spends as much money in marketing as Raid's: Shadow Legends does is either complete garbage, filled with predatory microtransactions or both.

[@ianleslie2326]

Purile commentary. Disrespectful not learn the correct names of places where brave men died. Too many factual errors.

[@morty4402]

Why do you tell us that Rommel got tigers tanks before the first battle of El-Alamein ?, I'm starting to questioning this channel, to many simple mistakes

[@fistingendakenny8781]

R.i.p Rommel, a god among men

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Rommel was a Nazi loser.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Rommel was an out and out Nazi and originally sent to North Africa to round up the Jews.

[@mattpeters6120]

British forces? You mean the Australians?

[@anthonyeaton5153]

No The British Forces were by far the greater in number.

[@haydengoodall6767]

​@@anthonyeaton5153don't sweat on it too much.. Our Strayan friend didn't even consider to include the Kiwis. Typical Aussie 🤬k....

[@carlstritzinger6724]

I wonder where mothgomery got the tanks, fuel and ammunition.

[@evanpenny348]

Suez, and the Mediterranean fleet of the Royal Navy.

[@jacktattis]

@@evanpenny348 I think we have another American intimating that we would have lost without the US

[@jacktattis]

Tanks : some US most British Fuel : British oil fields in Iraq Ammunition : from the UK and brought out in British Merchant Ships

[@evanpenny348]

@@jacktattis I have no doubt that much war materials came to the UK from the USA, and that this was a material help to the army in the desert, but to suggest that the Britishwould

[@jacktattis]

@@evanpenny348 Possibly but too many claim that El Alamein would have been lost without the 300 Shermans Not so it was a Artillery Barrage that broke their backs Not Tank to tank

[@MrAndyLocksmith]

Our great race lost the war!