Operation Crusader: Tank Warfare in the Desert, Tobruk 1941

The port of Tobruk, Libya, was besieged by German and Italian forces in April 1941. Following an abortive attempt in June, the Allies tried to relieve the siege in late November, when the Eighth Army launched Operation Crusader, which aimed at destroying the Axis armored force then advancing. After a number of inconclusive engagements, the British 7th Armoured Division was defeated by the Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh. Erwin Rommel was then forced to withdraw his troops to the defensive line at Gazala, making the operation the first Allied victory over German land forces in World War II. This account of the tank warfare during Operation Crusader in front of Tobruk in the fall of 1941 examines the roles of commanders in the battles of Operation Crusader, in particular the part of Erwin Rommel, who achieved some defensive successes during the battle. As well as examining the part of commanders, it discusses the parameters of the battle: the terrain, weather, visibility, logistics, intelligence, and the forces involved. It then narrates the course of the battle, and the result of the battle.Table of ContentsForewordIntroductionBackgroundSituation to 8 November 1941Observations on the SituationThe BattleThe ResultSourcesAnnotations and abbreviationsIndex