The North African Campaign
On June 10, 1940, Italy declared war on North Africa and the fighting began. British troops moved into Libya, captured the Italian base Fort Capuzzo, and then moved onward into Egypt where they took Sidi Barrani. During Operation Compass, the Italian 10th Army and Afrika Korps were both destroyed under the command of Erwin Rommel and, after the many battles in Libya and Egypt, the Second Battle of El Alamein came under way. During this battle the Axis forces were pushed into Tunisia. The Allies finally forced a surrender in northern Tunisia after The Allied Operation Torch landings and the battles against Vichy France. During this Campaign, the lack of supplies to Rommel, delivery of supplies to the Allied forces, and code-breaking intelligence provided by the British was essential to the Allies' victory in Northern Africa.