Battle of El Alamein
1942 · El Alamein, Egypt · World · Modern
Montgomery massed superior forces to break through the minefields, and the Axis army retreated in disarray.
Belligerents
British Commonwealth Eighth Army
- Commanders
- Montgomery
- Strength
- About 200,000, over 1,000 tanks
German-Italian Afrika Korps
- Commanders
- Rommel
- Strength
- About 100,000, about 500 tanks
Background
Rommel pushed to El Alamein, some 200 km from Cairo; the British regrouped and launched a general counteroffensive.
Course of the battle
- Preliminary bombardmentA thousand British guns opened a night bombardment of the Axis lines.
- Clear minesThe infantry cleared lanes through the minefields for the armor to advance.
- PursuitOut of fuel, the Axis army withdrew westward.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1942 |
|---|---|
| Place | El Alamein, Egypt |
| Result | Montgomery massed superior forces to break through the minefields, and the Axis army retreated in disarray. |
| Winner | British Commonwealth |
| Casualties | The Axis suffered heavy losses and lost nearly all its tanks; British casualties were about 13,000. |
| Territorial change | The Axis went into retreat in North Africa, and Suez and the Middle East were out of danger. |
Impact
The turning point of the North African campaign, which Churchill called "the end of the beginning."
See the world in 1942 on the map →