Operation Torch - the invasion of French North Africa
by an army made up mostly of Yanks. Investment in
this Mediterranean front made the invasion of France
unlikely before 1944. Here was the first real test in
collaboration between British and American forces.
A - Western Task Force invades Morocco, securing a
supply route for Allied forces were the Nazis to block
the Straits of Gibraltar. British oppose this U.S. plan
because the landing is too distant from their objective -
Tunisia. The Task Force is given the 'go' because this
objective was nonnegotiable for Americans.
B, C - Everyone generally agrees on the objectives of
Algiers and Oran. They are both French held and a
bridgehead here would provide the Allies with a quick
dash to Tunis, crippling a critical Axis supply port for
their forces in North Africa. Strike now while the Axis
forces are most vulnerable. Delay, and your quick
victory stretches out your efforts for over a year
in the desert. Instead of France.
D - A landing at Bone puts American forces next door
to Tunis. Right now the port is there for the taking.
A U.S. landing here puts their troops under the
Luftwaffe umbrella and near Axis forces. The reward
for landing here was tempting but the Allies chance
of success was a minimal, unacceptable risk.
General Eisenhower was given until early November,
about 30 days, to put together an attack on North Africa.
Though plans were made in haste, rational
decision-making guided those launching their
troops toward an uncertain reception that awaited
them on distant, overseas shores.
The big advantage to landing in Vichy North Africa was
the likely chance American troops would face only token
resistance from the French. But the French were
divided among themselves about their loyalty to Petain,
head of the Vichy government, or de Gaulle, working
with the Allies as leader of the Free French.
Green. Untested. Up and down the ranks you wouldn't find
a single soul with combat experience. Could these GIs
be a cohesive team under duress? They were barely trained.
Navigating your landing craft to the proper beach was
challenging. Avoiding a collision with other novice landing
craft drivers would likely be uppermost on your mind.
It was on the job training for crew and commanders alike.
Transporting a hundred thousand troops to their destination
was not subtle. A thousand plus ships were headed
your way. The question on every Axis leader's
mind was, "Where are they going to land?"
The answer wasn't obvious. Some thought
southern France was likely. Or maybe Sicily.
A couple squadrons of U-Boats were ordered to the
Straits of Gibraltar to disrupt this Allied Task Force.
Every type of ship imaginable collected in the harbor
of Gibraltar. Just outside waited the U-Boats.
What a feast the Germans would have when those
ships loaded with Allied troops sailed into the
sub-infested Mediterranean waters. In actuality
this never happened. There were just too many
warships between U-Boat periscopes and their
tender-sided transport targets. The Task Forces sailed
undaunted to their assigned beachheads...
to be welcomed by French hugs
or deadly Axis shelling.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
