Back عملية الشعلة Arabic مشعل عملیاتی AZB Операция „Факел“ Bulgarian অপারেশন টর্চ Bengali/Bangla Oberiadur-brezel Torch Breton Operació Torxa Catalan Operace Torch Czech Operation Torch Danish Operation Torch German Επιχείρηση Πυρσός Greek
| Operation Torch | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the North African campaign of the Second World War | |||||||||
 Landings during the operation | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 United States United Kingdom |
 Vichy France Germany Italy | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
Ground forces: 107,000 troops 35,000 in Morocco 39,000 near Algiers 33,000 near Oran Naval activity: 108 aircraft 350 warships 500 transports |
Ground forces: 125,000 troops 210 tanks 500 aircraft many shore batteries Naval forces: 1 battleship (partially armed) 10 other warships 11 submarines Germany: 42 submarines Italy: 21 submarines | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
United States:[1] 556 dead 837 wounded United Kingdom: 574 dead Naval Forces: 1 escort carrier 4 destroyers 2 sloops 6 troopships 1 minesweeper 1 auxiliary anti-aircraft ship |
Vichy France: 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded 1 light cruiser 5 destroyers 6 submarines 2 flotilla leaders Germany: 8 submarines Italy: 2 submarines | ||||||||
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale.[2]
The French colonies were aligned with Germany via Vichy France but the loyalties of the population were mixed. Reports indicated that they might support the Allies. The American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied forces in Mediterranean theater of the war, approved plans for a three-pronged attack on Casablanca (Western), Oran (Centre) and Algiers (Eastern), then a rapid move on Tunis to catch Axis forces in North Africa from the west in conjunction with the British advance from Egypt.
The Western Task Force encountered unexpected resistance and bad weather but Casablanca, the principal French Atlantic naval base, was captured after a short siege. The Centre Task Force suffered some damage to its ships when trying to land in shallow water; Oran surrendered after bombardment by British battleships. The Eastern Task Force met less opposition and were able to push inland and compel surrender on the first day.
The success of Torch caused Admiral François Darlan, commander of the Vichy French forces, who was in Algiers, to order co-operation with the Allies, in return for being installed as High Commissioner, with many other Vichy officials keeping their jobs. Darlan was assassinated by a monarchist six weeks later and the Free French gradually came to dominate the government.
- ^ Breuer 1985, p. 254.
- ^ Willmott 1984, p. 213.