Battle of El Alamein - Dessert Blizard!!

"Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat." Winston Churchill was happiest than ever in this world war. He ordered to ring bells of all churches in London as a token to the achievement. First time in world war two, British soldiers had a decisive victory over Germans, that to against none other than Rommel. Who achieved this creditable victory, that changed the course of the war?

It all started after Italians invaded Egypt and Libya in 1940. British then concentrated on North African dessert of Sahara as proximal direction to attack Italy through Mediterranean sea. But When Germans captured Mediterranean islands of Crete and Malta, they regained mastery over Mediterranean region. Both troops fight each other at Tobruk in Libya where British were severely defeated and Gen. Wavell had to surrender. This Magic was created by a crafty German Commander General Erwin Rommel, who was also named as Dessert fox. Even after defeat, Churchill praised him for his military skills.

North African Campaign

Operation Sunflower - Rommel's first Blow

However, Churchill was thinking about next move of Rommel. If he would have won Suez Canal, the war was as good as lot for Germans. The same query they had discussed with American President Roosevelt. He then, as allied effort, send a bunch of Sherman Tanks as an assistance for North African Campaign. However, main obstacle for Churchill was to get a perfect leader for this hectic campaign.He found a perfect one - Gen. Bernard Montgomery.

Montgomery had only strategy - Plan perfectly, so that your victory will be assured before start of the battle itself. Most important thing in a war is a Soldier who wins the battle for his county. What he brought in the 9th army is discipline and courage, which had lost earlier. Churchill had visited the same place before, but it was all chaos before. Now he could see a big picture - a disciplined army under a determined general.     

Gen. Montgomery

 
Even in this scenario, if Montgomery could prove his leadership qualities in actual, it would have been a big boost for 9th army. Luckily, an opportunity came in the picture. Rommel planned another attack at Alam Halfa using his rapid battle technique and famous 'side flank attack'. He pushed his tanks from the left arm of Montgomery's army. Montgomery was perfectly speculated this plan and arranged some tanks behind to counter attack the asserting German tank. Morale : Rommel ought to retreat after losing 49 of his tanks.

This was a welcome victory for British. But Montgomery was not satisfied. He was looking for a decisive blow to Rommel's German army. He knew that Rommel's forces were too weak to attack anymore and he will use defensive tactics. His intelligence received a news - Germans have planted land mines in a wast are ahead of  German front, expecting an attack.

Montgomery decided to hit it hard now. Germans were expecting attack from south, so he camouflaged his tanks in the north in such way that from far distance, tanks were looking like supply wagons. On the other hand, on south, he planted duplicate cardboard tanks to fool Germans. Germans were totally trapped and were convinced that attack would go from south.

23rd October, 1942. British engineers began "Operation Light-foot" in order to unmine a corridor that can lead to German front. It was a hectic and irritating work, but engineers started the work with all their force. Germans realized the same, but it was too late. It was an attack from both ends. Still as unmining work was getting slow, Rommel saw an opportunity and forwarded his panzerfraust troops to hit Montgomery's tanks.
It worked and Montgomery had to put his tanks back.

He was totally unimpressed by the day's work. He decided to put the forward division behind the force and substituted the same with a Australian division. Also, an Indian division posed a mock attack towards Germans. Churchill was upset. "What is Monty doing?" he asked. Montgomery was quite certain about the plan. On 26th, actual fight began. Both sides fought fiercely.They fought for every inch of dessert. It was a long lasting fight. on 2nd November, Montgomery put a major blog to Axis by destroying their Armour and reducing their fuel supply. British tanks created a mess of German infantry troops troops and advanced ahead.

British Tanks advanced

On 5th, Rommel realized that German army were highly exhausted and totally outnumbered. Hitler already asked him to stay where they are and fight till the last man standing. But it was too late and much for Germans. Hitler reluctantly approved Rommel's retreat plan.

It was a first major victory for British and they never came back afterward. Montgomery later on pushed the entire axis forces out of Africa. He was proved to be a War Hero and showed his excellence later on the European after Normandy invasion. Rommel never visited to Africa again after Tunisian campaign.

J.F.C. Fuller, British General and military historian correctly quoted, " In history, there were more 1500 battles were fought throughout in the world, but there is no match for Battle of El Alamein in the strategic mobility point of view."

Truly said so!!!