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| US forces landing at Algiers |
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the US-British landings in North Africa in Operation
Torch, the first major US combat in the European theater in World War II. With landings at Casablanca and other sites in Morocco, and at Oran and Algiers in Algeria, the goal was to liberate French North Africa (then controlled by Vichy), put Allied Forces in the rear of Rommel, still fighting Montgomery in the Alamein Campaign in Egypt, and provided a stepping-stone for the eventual invasion of southern Europe.
The Allies gave little thought to the local peoples of North Africa, though General George S. Patton in Morocco did enjoy good relations with Sultan Muhammad V. As we proceed through the 70th anniversary of the North Africa campaign I hope to post occasionally on this blog, not just about the policies or tactics of the Allied operations, but their impact on Algerians, Moroccans, and eventually Tunisians.
The Allies gave little thought to the local peoples of North Africa, though General George S. Patton in Morocco did enjoy good relations with Sultan Muhammad V. As we proceed through the 70th anniversary of the North Africa campaign I hope to post occasionally on this blog, not just about the policies or tactics of the Allied operations, but their impact on Algerians, Moroccans, and eventually Tunisians.
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