Operation Torch was a joint British-American invasion of Vichy French North Africa in November 1942. The goal was to gain control of North Africa from Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and secure the region from Axis control. Over 125,000 troops landed in Morocco and Algeria at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers. After initial fighting, an armistice was agreed with the Vichy French forces. However, efforts to push into Tunisia and take the territory from Rommel's forces were unsuccessful.

2. General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps were in North Africa and allied with Italy They pushed the British out of their area and captured Libya and Egypt The British were still present in that area, but they were definitely not in control – they were defending their territory Britain asked the United States to invade and overtake Northen Africa from Rommel

3. Operation to gain complete control of North Africa This control would be over land from French Morocco to Tunisia The plan was to take this land from the current ruler and then control North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea First offensive operation that the United States did against Germany during WWII The United States came by boat and landed in three different places: Casablanca, Morocco; Oran, Algeria; Algiers, Algeria

4. United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill Western Task Force: Patton and his Western Task Force from Hampton Roads, VA Center Task Force: Major-General Lloyd Fredendall Eastern Task Forces from Britain under Lt. General Kenneth Anderson (from America) French military forces defending Northwest Africa – Vichy Troops General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps

6. 1942 – Roosevelt and Churchill discussed the invasion and reached agreement to send troops November 8, 1942 – 125,000 invaded French North Africa under Eisenhower November 11, 1942 – Gen Mark Clark arranged an armistice agreement with the French November 12, 1942 – Operation Torch ended

8. Casablanca, Morocco 190 miles south of Gibraltar Atlantic Coast Western Task Force Oran, Algeria 280 miles east of Gibraltar Center Task Force Algiers, Algeria 220 miles east of Oran Easter Task Force

10. The operation was a success after Admiral Jean Darlan, the French Leader , agreed to a cease-fire Most of the North African Frenchman sided with Darlan but others joined Hitler’s forces in Tunisia Eisenhower appointed Darlan as the leader of North Africa but he was soon killed by an assassin They attempted to go into Tunisia to take that land over but were unsuccessful and German troops pushed

11. The Eastern Task Force (in the west) advanced towards Tunisia under Lt. General Kenneth Anderson Called the “British Eighth Army” Moved East In the Far East, L. General Bernard L. Montgomery led British troops Moved West Tried to catch Rommel in Between Anderson and Montgomery’s troops By Nov. 16, troops had advanced into Tunisia 400 miles. German counter offenses on November 27 and December 1 forced the troops to withdrawal from Tunisia “ Campaign in Tunisia” – extension of Operation Torch did not end until May 1943

12. Gordon, John. Joint Power Point Projection: Operation Torch . 10 May 2009 <http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/optorch4. pdf>. Morrison, Samuel E. Operation Torch (North Africa Invasion) . 10 May 2009 <http://www.internet- esq.com/ussaugusta/torch/index.htm>. Operation Torch November 8, 1942 . 10 May 2009 <http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/torch.htm>. Operation Torch . 10 May 2009 <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWtorch.htm>.