Map showing Operation Torch landings in North Africa, 8 Nov 1942: Map showing the United States Army landings at Algiers, Algeria, 8 Nov 1942. All three landings during Operation Torch were extremely successful. After a few days of Vichy French resistance, Admiral François Darlan—the commander of all Vichy French forces and who happened to be in Algiers at the time—agreed to cooperate with the Allies.in wikipedia, defeated Rommel's Afrika Korps at El Alamein, other Allied forces made surprise landings in French Morocco and Algeria, persuading all of French North Africa to join them. Torch Landings. Because of the unexpected French resistance planes had to be launched from the carriers to protect the landing beaches. Pilots of Fighting Squadron 41 (VF-41) singing in their ready room aboard USS Ranger (CV-4), before zero hour of the first day of the invasion of Morocco, 8 November 1942. Download map now! At the time of Operation Torch being conducted, it was the largest amphibious operation conducted in warfare and was also the first big success of the war for the Allied powers. After the victory, British forces led by General Montgomery were to the east of Tunisia and the U.S. forces were located to the west effectively sandwiching Rommel in Tunisia. Torch troops hit the beaches near Algiers, Operation Torch Map (Movement to Objective), Negative Effects on the U.S. Economy Caused by World War 2, The P-51 Mustang in Europe, The need for and effects of the P-51 Mustang in the skies over Europe, The Deuce and a Half, The Backbone of Allied Armies. It was the sniper fire of the French that proved far more difficult to deal with. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Andrew Cunningham (U.K.)George S. Patton (U.S.)Lloyd Fredendall (U.S.)Kenneth Anderson (U.K.)Henri d’Astier (Free France)José Aboulker (Free France)Axis PowersVichy France:François DarlanCharles NoguèsFrix MichelierGermany:Ernst Kals, Allies107,000(33,000 in Morocco,39,000 near Algiers,35,000 near Oran), Axis PowersVichy France: 60,000Germany: two submarines near Casablanca, Allies479+ dead720 woundedAxis Powers1,346+ dead1,997 wounded. The Eastern and final task force which was under the command of General Ryder was to land at Algiers with 20, 000 troops. Just days later other Allied forces made surprise landings in French Morocco and Algeria, soon persuading all of French North Africa to join them. In November, the tide turned in the Western Desert Campaign when the British defeated Rommel's Afrika Korps at El Alamein. The Algiers landings also went according or even better than planned. Operation Torch Video. This slideshow includes maps that appear in An Army at Dawn:. View slideshow. Operation Torch was the name of the Allied invasion of northwest Africa in the hopes and goal of removing the Axis presence on the continent. The operation would result in a major victory for the Allies and would also include the first major airborne assault carried out by the United States during the war by the U.S. 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Morocco had around 60, 000 French troops and a small naval fleet at Casablanca, but instead of fighting against the French army the Allies wanted to cooperate with them. The Allies organized three amphibious task forces to seize the key ports and airports of Morocco and Algeria simultaneously, targeting Casablanca, Oran and Algiers. When France surrendered to Germany earlier in World War 2, the Germans agreed to allow southern France to remain free of occupying forces and to be governed from Vichy. Home - Book Shop - Wars - Battles - Biographies - Timeline - Weapons - Blog - Full Index - Subjects - Concepts - Country - Documents - Pictures & Maps . In late October 1942 the British Eighth Army under General Bernard Montgomery launched an all-out attack on Axis forces west of El Alamein, Egypt. Rober Daniel Murphy located in Algiers at the time was assigned with the task to determine if and how cooperative the French army would be. The major problems at the Oran landings were also more of a logistics nature, the beach that was meant for the landing hadn’t been properly inspected and the shallow waters lead to damage on some of the landing craft which slowed down the deployment of equipment and troops. Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – 13 May 1943) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Operation Torch (8-11 November 1942) was the Allied invasion of Vichy occupied North Africa, and was the first significant land operation carried out by American troops in the war against Germany. On the first day of Operation Torch, a flight of C-47s set off from airfields around Land’s End, at the southern tip of Britain, and carried paratroopers all the way to Tunisia to make their attack. A related condition to this agreement; however, was that Vichy French forces overseas would resist attacks by the Allied forces to include naval forces. The Allied reached out to sympathetic member… Operation Torch was under the command of General Eisenhower and the headquarters were in Gibraltar. Track of Beach Approaches for the Western Task Force during Operation Torch, 8 Nov 1942, prepared for the United States Navy Office of … Operation Torch was the invasion of west North Africa to prevent the Germans taking control of the territories occupied by the French, then under the control of the Vichy French Government. The Allied planned to send 120,000 men, 500 aircrafts, and several warships to Morocco and Algeria. North Africa campaigns - North Africa campaigns - Operation Torch: The Anglo-U.S. invasion of northwest Africa had its origins at the Arcadia Conference in Washington, D.C., in the winter of 1941–42 and at meetings in London the following July. 23 Oct–11 Nov 1942British defeat Germansat El Alamein, 8–16 Nov 1942Operation Torch:Allies land inFrench North Africa. A few ships of the French navy also tried to attack the Allied fleet but were quickly sunk or driven away and by November 9th the French troops had surrendered. Operation Torch Map (Overview) Operation Torch; November, 1942. The plan that would later evolve into Operation Torch was to first make their way into North Africa and then later invade Sicily and move onto mainland Italy. The German troops that were battling with Montgomery at El Alamein were now retreating in the direction of the now landed Allies, with seemingly nowhere else to retreat. Patton’s main target was the capture of Casablanca, the city was captured on November 10th when he took the city without resistance, just two days into Operation Torch a major objective was already accomplished. Operation Torch Video. Torch was an American led operation under Eisenhower with substantial UK support. After regrouping the landed Allied troops moved to Tunisia. Operation Torch - the Invasion of N orth A frica. However having won the Battle of El Alamein in November they felt confident going against the German forces in North Africa. Just days later other Allied forces made surprise landings in French Morocco and Algeria, soon persuading all of French North Africa to join them. Torch Landings. The majority of the ships were scuttled at the dock; however, before the Germans could press them into service. The operation marked the first time that British and American forces worked together on an invasion plan and would take place from November 8-16, 1942.