The First WWII Battle Between US and Germany Was a Rout

The Americans were shocked by German efficiency

An M3 advances in the desert (Public domain)

Operation Torch was the Allied invasion of French Algeria that took place in November of 1942. The British and the newly arrived Americans did not expect to face any resistance from the French forces in Africa. They expected to be hailed as liberators.

Unfortunately, the Allied invasion did face some unexpected resistance from French collaborators. Despite that, the operation was a huge success. In just a couple of short weeks the Allies had landed over 100,000 troops in North Africa. And they were ready for a fight.

On the other side, lurking in Tunisia, the German commander Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel was also ready for a fight. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Rommel fully expected to carry the day when he finally came into contact with the swelling force of Americans appearing in North Africa.

Pinching the Germans

Italian assault guns rumble through the desert (Public domain)

While the Allies were landing in Algeria, British General Bernard Montgomery was busy winning the Second Battle of El Alamein far to the east. The victory opened…