What was the significance of Tobruk during North Africa campaign in WW2?

Answer 1

There's only one road in the western desert, running along the coast.

Rommel's ultimate objective was the Suez canal, which would have severed a vital supply artery for England to ship to/from their far Eastern colonies. His pipe dream was to then drive through Iraq and persia and link up with German forces in the Caucasus of Russia (yeah, right).

Mobility was severely restricted off the road. Rommel had to take Tobruk to continue his advance. As was stated above it was also a vital supply base, being the only sizable port for 1000 miles in either direction.

Answer 2

Tobruk was important for multiple reasons.

To the British, Tobruk was a huge military base that could not be bypassed in their push west due to the fact that they could not then protect their lines of supply, furthermore, the possession of this base and harbor would allow a significant shortening of their lines of supply, easing the difficulties associated with supplying an army.

To the Axis, Tobruk was a major base that effectively blocked access to the Allies into western North Africa, limiting them mostly to Egypt.

To both armies the base served as a center of operations from which they could control the surrounding countryside and from which they could supply their forces by sea.

Answer 3

Foward supply base. It was especially crucial to Rommel as the further he advanced, the longer & more cumbersome his supply lines became.

In fact, there were times when his tanks ran out of fuel during movement & he had to waste precious time waiting for the supply trains to catch up.

In the event, Tobruk was to prove more of political then strategic significance as many German supply ships were sunk & never made it to North Africa.

Answer 4

a million. The Italians (who already had administration of Lybia when you consider that 1911) tried to push in direction of the Suez Canal and administration international delivery. Mussolini's military did a foul activity at it, and have been overwhelmed at each component by the British. Mussolini's regime holds a international checklist in defense force failures. 2. The German Afrika Corps aided the Italians for 2 motives: a. help the Italians (which Hitler's generals did no longer choose for to do) b. seize the Suez Canal, thereby reducing the sea routes during which the Brits provided their troops in Asia, and additionally reducing the overland course to the Black Sea, during which Britain provided the U.S.. 3. while the U. S. entered the conflict, their first pass substitute into to North Africa. The German military substitute into caught there (British and US ships blocked Germany's ships from the straights of Gibralter and the Mediterranean). in the event that they might defeat the Germans in N.Africa, it might: a. stretch the German military very skinny b. substitute right into a staging floor for the invasion of Sicily.

Answer 5

It was the major port on the North African coast for supplying the armies of both sides so whoever held it had an advantage

Answer 6

Forward supply base/port. Otherwise supplies had to travel all the way from Tunisia.