Torch

 

  

 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.

*  *  *  *  *

©  Tom Taylor

OVER   EASY

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