Why was North Africa important to Germany during WW2?

Answer 1

At first, Hitler didn't wanted to fight in North Africa. He thought that the Italian forces could manage this field for their own. But after only a few weeks of battle, the English army won an huge victory (130 000 Italian POW, 2 400 cannons taken ...). After this disaster, Hitler decided to gice a small army corps to help his ally : it was the Afrikakorps, commanded by General Rommel, the "Desert Fox". At this point, North Africa is only a field for UK and Italy, Hitler didn't take in count. But, after the first victories of Rommel, the German Staff decided to go further, and may be reach Alexandria, and more further the oil resources in Irak and Saudi Arabia. But, even if the oil resources were very important to go on the war, Hitler only let a very few divisions to Rommel, even if the Desert Fox asked always more troops and reinforcements. But, after the first German defeats in Russia, Hitler's mind was only concerned by the Russian front. It's only when, at the beginning of 1943, seeing that the Allied were about to take Tunisia, that Hitler, to avoid the risk of detraining in South Europa, send more and more forces in North Africa, more than 250 000 men, and the very first "Tiger' tank sections.
The taking of North Africa allowed the Allied to have a base to attack Italy, the weakness of the "Fortress Europe".

Answer 2

Ww2 In Africa

Answer 3

Hmmm - Germany became into already on the ropes in Russia, having bitten off greater suitable than it ought to chew, and became into lagging at the back of in different significant factors, including North Africa, which many evaluate strategically to have been the crux of the conflict. If the Germans/Italians had captured Eqypt and moved on into Iraq and so on, taking the oil fields, and then linking up with German forces coming down by using Russia - they might have threatened India and the British Empire as an entire. the US became into already offering materiel by using Lend hire, and became into offering escort ships for convoys out to the midsection of the Atlantic, so, interior the long term, the British, alongside with their Empire, could have been waiting to maintain at bay the Nazis. it would have taken an extremely long term, whether, and might have actually fee many greater lives. rather, that's a complicated question, and the top result could have been that with out US intervention, some peace settlement could have been made. this might in all likelihood not have lasted, however, and yet yet another Hundred Years conflict in all likelihood could have been the result.

Answer 4

Africa lies at the soft underbelly of Europe. The coastline between Europe and Africa is a long one. If the Allies could have set up staging areas on the African side at the beginning of the war, the invasion of the mainland would have been easier and sooner.

Answer 5

Because they saw it as a route to British occupied Egypt. If they had managed to fight their way into Egypt, it is likely the rest of the Middle East would have fallen into their hands, together with its oil supplies,. Throughtout the war Germany was short of oil. Also, control of Egypt would have meant control of the Suez Canal. making Great Britain's routes to the Empire and Dominion much longer and more difficult.

Answer 6

Yes It was for the oil and the location,the saftey from the southern european countries.

Answer 7

Hitler had a policy of "liebestraum," where he felt that the more land Germany had the more successful it could be. More land means more control, more resources, and more space for your people.

Answer 8

Maybe yeah

Answer 9

I want to ask the same question as the user above.