Operation Torch: The Allied Gamble to Invade North Africa

America's first few days in World War 2 were not fought against Nazi Germany, but rather against Viche France. A combined Anglo-American assault force in northwest Africa had to take on France in Algeria and Morocco so that they could link up with Montgomery, who was backhanding Rommel in El Alamein at the same time. One of the best books I've ever read on World War 2. This book is seriously a gem and a must have for anyone interested in the western front in geneneral or the North African campaign in particular. Patton, Eisenhower, Clark and Montgomery, all awesome guys who ought to be remembered more than they are. This is book is perfect for historians, history majors, and history buffs. Ironically the battles at hand in Operation Torch were not against Nazi Germany but against Viche France, and America would go on to treat France entirely as a liberated ally not a vanquished foe, and as a result Operation Torch is not often talked about, as we wouldn't want to hurt our allies feelings,(Although we talk about the Revolution all the time and England never complains, perhaps a double standard) however I can't imagine any French getting offended by this text.

This is a very well written and informative book dealing with the Allied (essentially American) landings in North Africa in November 1942. The British and Americans had been under pressure from Stalin for some time to open a "second front" in Europe. But the Americans and British were divided on where this should be done; the Americans wanted an invasion of France while the British wanted it to be in Africa, where they were currently engaged in a brutal struggle with Rommel's Afrika Korp. The failed "raid" on Dieppe proved that a landing in France was not the best idea, so planning for the three-pronged invasion of North Africa began. A sticky issue was, however, the reaction of the French defenders; would there be resistance or not? The French were certainly no friends of the Germans, but an invasion on there territory was just that, and would likely be resisted no matter who the invader was. Although efforts were made to stop the French from resisting, the invasion did not go uncontested, and the Aliies (primarily the Americans because it was largely an American operation) did sustain hundreds of casualties. The invasion made possible the destruction of the Afrika Korp and a re-establishment of Allied control over the Mediteranean Sea, thus making possible the invasion of Italy the following year.