Field Marshal Rommel’s German forces had advanced deep into Egypt, defeating British troops at the Battle of Gazala. The British withdrew to within 50 miles of Alexandria and the vital Suez Canal. General Claude Auchinleck, the British commander, decided that this was the optimal location to halt the German advance. His lines were short, with the Qattar Depression approaching within 40 miles of the coast, preventing the Germans from outflanking his forces. Meanwhile, Rommel’s forces were fighting at the end of their logistic lines and faced difficulties in obtaining sufficient supplies.

The Allies successfully halted the German advance in what became known as the First Battle of El Alamein. Rommel, at this juncture, realized that further advance was impossible and ordered his troops to dig in. A counteroffensive by the British failed to dislodge the Germans.

General Sir Alan Brooks succeeded Auchinleck. Brooks aimed to achieve a decisive victory over the German Afrika Corps. With his army close to Alexandria and the battle considered critical, he was able to secure the necessary supplies to bolster his forces. The Germans anticipated an inevitable offensive against their lines and had constructed robust defensive lines that included 500,000 mines. By late October, the Allies possessed 195,000 men and 1,029 tanks, including new American Sherman tanks, in contrast to the Germans’ 116,000 men and 547 tanks.

The initial phase of the assault commenced on the night of October 23rd. The Allied forces unleashed a colossal artillery barrage upon the German positions. Simultaneously, Allied infantry advanced in conjunction with an engineer tasked with clearing the minefields. However, the minefield proved to be more extensive than anticipated. Despite the tanks advancing by dawn, they had not achieved their objectives.

On the following day, the Allies launched an offensive in the northern sector of the defensive line. While they managed to advance, they were unable to achieve a breakthrough.

For the subsequent nine days, a protracted battle of attrition ensued, characterized by near-standstill engagements. Despite the loss of comparable tank numbers in each battle, the British and German forces were unable to secure a decisive victory. The German and Italian forces had commenced the action with a numerical disadvantage, with only half the number of tanks as the British. By November 2nd, they had suffered a significant reduction in operational tanks, with 30 compared to 500 British tanks. Furthermore, the Germans were facing fuel shortages, while the British had successfully destroyed two German tankers dispatched to North Africa for refueling Rommel.

On November 3rd, the Allies launched a breakout offensive aimed at breaching the Axis lines. The attack was successful, resulting in a breakthrough. Despite Hitler’s orders to maintain the defensive line at all costs, the remaining German forces were compelled to either withdraw or surrender. The threat to Egypt was eliminated, and this victory, along with the pivotal moment at Stalingrad, marked a turning point in the war against Germany.

The German and Italian forces suffered substantial casualties, with approximately 9,000 killed, 15,000 wounded, and 35,000 captured. Conversely, the Allied forces endured approximately 4,810 fatalities and 8,950 injuries.