Liberation of Ethiopia

1. Liberation of Ethiopia • Beginning of British attack in Africa to liberate Ethiopia – January 1941. • Eritrea captured by British Forces – April 2. • Liberation of Addis Ababa – April 5, 1941. • Triumphal return of Emperor Haile Selasie I to Addis Ababa. • May 5, 1941 – the Day of Victory in the Second World War for Ethiopians. • Results of Ethiopian operation.

2. French Activities in Africa • First units of the Free French. • Failure of attack on Dakar, Senegal. • De Gaulle supporters taking over Cameroon. First appearance of Philippe Leclerc. • Governor of Chad recognizes de Gaulle government. • Leclerc takes Gabon.

3. War in Syria • Situation in the Army of Levant in Syria and Lebanon. • Intelligence reports about the possible German and Italian activities in Syria. • Rashid Ali’s coup d’état in Iraq. • German aircrafts in Syria. • British forces restoring regent in Iraq – May 31, 1941. • Attack on French army in Syria and Lebanon. • Capitulation of Army of Levant – July 11, 1941. Only 5700 soldiers of the army rallied to de Gaulle. • Results of war in Syria: 3500 allied soldiers killed or wounded.

4. Operation “Crusader” • Situation in Libya before Auchinleck’s attack. • “Crusader” launched – November 18, 1941. • Erwin Rommel – the “Desert Fox”. • Failure of main offensive. • Rommel counter-attack – November 24, 1941. • Rommel informed that there would be no supplies from Germany due to the Soviet attack. • Rommel withdraws main forces and regroups them. • The second British attack. • End of “Crusader”. • Results of operation.

5. The German Offensive – Summer 1942 • Rommel launches offensive –May 27, 1942. • German victories in first days. • Tobruk surrenders – shock for Churchill. • Change of command in British forces – Harold Alexander replaces Auchinleck, Bernard Montgomery takes over the 8-th army. • Rommel launches new attack on Egypt. • British defensive measures and preparations for the counter-attack. • Stalemate at El-Alamein.