VI. The World Wars and the Interwar Period, 1914–1945 > K. World War II, 1939–1945 > 9. The Campaigns in the Middle East and Africa, 1939–1943 > 1943, Jan. 24
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  The Encyclopedia of World History.  2001.
 
 
1943, Jan. 24
 
Tripoli was occupied by the British Eighth Army, which pursued the retreating Axis forces into Tunisia.  1
 
Jan. 14–23
 
Conference at Casablanca, Morocco, with President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, Gen. Giraud, and Gen. de Gaulle attending. The relationship between Giraud and the de Gaulle “Fighting French” Party remained undefined, and Eisenhower took command of the unified North African operations. Plans for reducing the Axis powers to “unconditional surrender” were discussed at Casablanca but not disclosed.  2
 
Feb. 22
 
The Germans, who had rushed reinforcements to Tunisia, sought to hold this protectorate, and seized Kasserine Pass. The Americans reoccupied it four days later.  3
 
Feb. 25
 
Activation of Allied supply route through Iran to Soviet Union; 100,000 tons per month by July.  4
 
March 15
 
Giraud at Algiers restored representative government in French North Africa, declared legislation introduced there since 1940 void, and promised that after victory the French nation should decide its own form of government.  5
 
March 18
 
American forces, striking east from Algeria, captured El Guettar in Tunisia.  6
 
March 30
 
The British Eighth Army broke through the Mareth Line into southern Tunisia, meeting the advancing American Second Army Corps between Gabès and El Guettar on April 8.  7
 
May 8–12
 
End of Axis resistance in North Africa. British and U.S. forces captured the cities of Tunis and Bizerte. Possession of the whole North African coast opened the central Mediterranean to Allied shipping and exposed Italy to invasion. The threat to Egypt and the Suez Canal was ended, and the Italian dream of a great African empire had proved a costly failure. Fighting in Africa was estimated to have drained the Axis powers of 950,000 men, killed or captured, 8,000 airplanes, and 2.4 million tons of shipping.  8
 
Sept. 9
 
Iran declared war on Germany.  9
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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