The Axis divisions, virtually ignorant of what was transpiring on the other side of the lines, threw themselves against the Allied defenses from July to early September without success at El Alamein. After the Afrika Korps initial stop at El Alamein, Rommel’s army emplaced approximately 500,000 mines, The Devil’s Garden, along the 40-mile strip ensuring British tanks could not launch a surprise armor offensive. However, on the night of October 23, 1942, General Montgomery initiated Operation Lightfoot.
The Beginning of the Battle of El Alamein Allies mission. The unrelenting General Montgomery assembled his senior officers to discuss their offensive plans to turn back the opposing Axis forces. Montgomery wanted to divide his forces and make Rommel’s army fight a two-sided front. Operation Lightfoot would be the first phase of the battle sending engineers and foot Soldiers in the minefield to make paths for the Allied tanks by defusing anti-tanks mines. This would coincide with American and British planes bombing enemy positions.
Axis mission. The Axis goal at El Alamein entailed pushing the Allied army back to Cairo. This would allow the German forces to size the Suez Canal allowing the Axis to use this major port for to control the Mediterranean Sea. However, Rommel’s troops were set in more of a …show more content…
On the northern most side near the coastline sat two tank divisions, one Italian (7th Armor) and one German (164th Armor). The rest of the formation in the minefield were infantry units to include the 102nd Italian Infantry, the 25th Italian Infantry, and a battalion of German Luftwaffe that were solely in the south. Rommel was known to keep much of his armor units in reserve and this battle was no exception. The 90th Light Armor and the 21st Heavy Armor, which included the Panzer III and a handful of Panzer IV, were set near the German
The Beginning of the Battle of El Alamein Allies mission. The unrelenting General Montgomery assembled his senior officers to discuss their offensive plans to turn back the opposing Axis forces. Montgomery wanted to divide his forces and make Rommel’s army fight a two-sided front. Operation Lightfoot would be the first phase of the battle sending engineers and foot Soldiers in the minefield to make paths for the Allied tanks by defusing anti-tanks mines. This would coincide with American and British planes bombing enemy positions.
Axis mission. The Axis goal at El Alamein entailed pushing the Allied army back to Cairo. This would allow the German forces to size the Suez Canal allowing the Axis to use this major port for to control the Mediterranean Sea. However, Rommel’s troops were set in more of a …show more content…
On the northern most side near the coastline sat two tank divisions, one Italian (7th Armor) and one German (164th Armor). The rest of the formation in the minefield were infantry units to include the 102nd Italian Infantry, the 25th Italian Infantry, and a battalion of German Luftwaffe that were solely in the south. Rommel was known to keep much of his armor units in reserve and this battle was no exception. The 90th Light Armor and the 21st Heavy Armor, which included the Panzer III and a handful of Panzer IV, were set near the German