WW2 Mini-book 1941

1941

An overview of the key events that occurred during a pivotal third year of the second world war.

1941 saw heightened conflict between Italian and Allied forces as well as the implementation of Operation Barbarossa. The German Invasion of Russia had begun.

Words: Brandon Hadley

09.

09.

DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

COMPASS OPERATION

1940-1941

NORTH AFRICA

1941 ALLIED ADVANCE COMPLETE ALLIED VICTORY PHASE 1: BARDIA PHASE 2: TOBRUK PHASE 3: DERNA PHASE 4: BEDA FOMM

LOCATION:

NORTH AFRICA

B

y January 1941 Operation compass was well under way. On the 5th January and now early into its second year, the operation sees Australian forces push into Libya and capture the Mediterranean seaport of Bardia. This was a key offensive for the Allies, as Bardia had become a stronghold for the Italian forces. Lieutenant General Bergonzoli of the Italian XXIII Corps, had 40,000 troops, a dozen M13/40 medium tanks and over 100 L3 [HURL[[LZ /PZ KLMLUZP]L MVY[PÄJH[PVUZ HSZV PUJS\KLK H WLYTHULU[ HU[P [HUR KP[JO L_[LUZP]L ^PYL fencing and a double row of concrete strong points. The only weakness to Bergonzoli was his limited supply of clean water, which would last only for a month. After Major General O’Connor had reorganised his forces (now named the XIII Corps) he resumed his offensive. Meanwhile the Australian 16th Infantry Brigade attacked Bardia at dawn. They planned their attack and assaulted from the west, where they knew the defences were weakest. Gaps were blown in the IHYILK ^PYL KLMLUJLZ \ZPUN )HUNHSVYL [VYWLKVLZ HUK [OL HU[P [HUR KP[JO ^HZ ÄSSLK PU HUK IYVRL down with picks and shovels. After these defences had been removed infantry and 23 Matilda II tanks entered the fortress and captured all objectives, along with 8,000 Italian prisoners.

In the second phase of the assault, the breach made in the town defences was used to allow the allied forces to push further into the township and assault the second line of defences. On the second day the 16th infantry brigade captured the town of Bardia cutting Bergonzoli’s fortress in two, resulting in the mass capture of Italian prisoners. At this point the Italian garrison only held the northern and southernmost parts of the fortress. By the third day of the assault additional forces (both vehicular and infantry) had arrived at Bardia.

Their arrival allows the 17th Infantry Brigade to make progress in their assault and further reduce the Italian garrison in the Southern sector of the fortress. Meanwhile the remaining Italian forces in the north of the fortress surrender to the Allied forces. Bergonzoli manages to escape from the township and manages to stay ahead of the Allies as he retreats to Tobruk. Bardia is now under Ally control.

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F

ollowing the fall of Bardia the allies (Including the 7th Armoured Division and 19th Infantry Brigade) continued their offensive and pushed on to Tobruk. Tobruk was isolated by the 7th Armoured Division on the 6th January and was completely surrounded by the 9th.

During the 12 days that followed the allies built up their numbers outside the city, before attacking Tobruk on the 21st January. Around 25,000 Italian defenders, under the command of Enrico Petassi Manella, held Tobruk. The Italian forces also had around 25 medium tanks and 62 tankettes at their disposal, and the defences of Tobruk were extremely similar to those encountered during the assault of Bardia. Heavy artillery was used to soften the Italian defences as well as Vickers Wellington and Blenheim bombers due to reduced tank numbers in the allied ranks.

It was on the morning of the 21st January when the attack began, under the cover of darkness.

(M[LY OV\YZ VM ÄNO[PUN PU [OL JP[` Z[YLL[Z HUK HM[LY ZL]LYHS Z\JJLZZM\S IVTIPUN Y\UZ HUK HY[PSSLY` IVTIHYKTLU[Z [OL 0[HSPHU MVYJLZ ^LYL SV^LYLK PU U\TILY HUK THU` ^LYL ZJH[[LYLK ÄNO[PUN PU various pockets of resistance across Tobruk. The Allied high command had hoped to negotiate a JLHZLÄYL ^P[O 0[HSPHU SLHKLY 4HULSSH OV^L]LY [OLPY LMMVY[Z ^LYL PU ]HPU HZ [OL 0[HSPHU SLHKLY ^HZ told directly by Mussolini that he was forbidden to surrender and that squadrons of Italian bombers were on their way to bombard the attackers. Later that night Italian SM.79’s conducted low level strikes against the allied forces in the city. However their attack was an uncoordinated disaster as the bombers managed hit around 8,000 of their own troops who had been taken prisoner and gathered in a fenced enclosure by the allies earlier in the battle. Hundreds of their own men were killed and hundreds more injured. The bombing run succeeded in only demoralising the remaining 0[HSPHU [YVVWZ ^P[OPU ;VIY\R (UK ZV OV\YZ HM[LY [OL ÄNO[PUN OHK ILN\U .LULYHS 4HULSSH surrendered. However he refused to provide the surrender of his forces and so it wasn't until the afternoon of the 22nd January that Vincenzo Della Mura and the remaining defenders of the city surrendered. Allowing the allies to fully seize Tobruk. In total Italian losses in Tobruk were around 14,000 captured, 2,000 wounded and 700 killed in action. By comparison Australian forces had around 400 killed, captured and wounded.

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T

he next target for the Allied advance was the port town of Derna. O’Connor pushed on the advance after meeting with Allied Middle East command at Wavell immediately after the success at Tobruk. He moved towards the town with the Australian 6th Division. And during the days that followed several clashes occurred between Italian and Allied forces in various locations around the town. Including one encounter between the 4th armoured division and the Italian Brigata Corazzata Speciale (Special armoured brigade) On a track between Derna and Mechili. The British armoured division managed to destroy nine Italian tanks during the battle, however they themselves lost one cruiser and six light tanks. Another encounter between allied MVYJLZ HUK [OL Âş)*:Âť VJJ\YYLK VU [OL [O 1HU\HY` H[ [OL +LYUH (PYĂ„LSK ^OLYL WYVNYLZZ VU HZZH\S[PUN [OL HPYĂ„LSK ^HZ THKL KPMĂ„J\S[ MVY [OL HSSPLZ I` H KL[LYTPULK YLZPZ[HUJL IHJRLK SH[LY I` 0[HSPHU IVTILYZ HUK ÂşTVKLYUÂť Ă„NO[LYZ 6U [OL [O 1HU\HY` [OL (\Z[YHSPHU [O )H[[HSPVU MV\NO[ VM a strong daylight assault by a force of around 1,000 Italians. Eventually the combined Allied advance threatened the encirclement of the remaining BCS forces and they disengaged on the UPNO[ VM [OL [O 1HU\HY` ;^V KH`Z SH[LY +LYUH ^HZ JHW[\YLK ;OL L_HJ[ JHZ\HS[PLZ VM [OL Ă„NO[PUN around Derna are unknown. What is known is that at least 15 Australians were killed during the Ă„NO[PUN HUK [OL 0[HSPHUZ HYL ILSPL]LK [V OH]L SVZ[ ÂşH NVVK WHY[Âť VM [OLPY KLMLUZP]L MVYJLZ [OLYL ;OL` HYL OV^L]LY UV[LK MVY [OLPY KL[LYTPULK Ă„NO[PUN The Final stage of the Allied assault during Operation Compass was the battle of Beda Fomm. After the fall of Derna the Italians were in full retreat and looked to fall back to the town of Beda Fomm. In WYLWHYH[PVU MVY Z\JO HU L]LU[ [OL HSSPLK JVTTHUK OHK HSYLHK` ZLU[ [OL [O (YTV\YLK +P]PZPVU inland so that it may cross the desert and seize the town before the Italians reached it. A separate KP]PZPVU VM [OL [O (YTV\YLK UHTLK *VTIL -VYJL YLHJOLK )LKH -VTT VU [OL [O -LIY\HY` HUK began establishing defensive positions in the town. This force was made up of around 2,000 men and a garrison of light and cruiser tanks. Its purpose was to move quickly due to the fact that the whole division would be unable to reach the town before the Italians due to rough terrain that held back larger vehicles. The next day the defending Combe Force came under heavy attack from the 0[HSPHU MVYJLZ [OH[ OHK Ă„UHSS` YLHJOLK [OL [V^U (M[LY [^V KH`Z VM KLZWLYH[L H[[HJRZ [OL 0[HSPHU forces had failed to break through the Allied defensive line. The allies’ 2,000 men had managed to OVSK VMM H (_PZ MVYJL [PTLZ [OL ZPaL ^P[O HU HKKP[PVUHS [HURZ PU Z\WWVY[ 6U [OL [O VM [OL month 20 Italian tanks managed to break through the defensive line only to be defeated by Combe’s Ă„LSK N\UZ KLWSV`LK ^P[OPU :VVU HM[LY [OPZ MHPS\YL [OL YLZ[ VM [OL [O (YTV\YLK HYYP]LK HUK [OL 0[HSPHU 10th Army began surrendering in their droves. O’Connor wrote of the operation “I think this may be termed a complete victory as none of the enemy escapedâ€?.

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OPERATION MARITA LOCATION: SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

06 APRIL - 30 APRIL 3 WEEKS 3 DAYS

DECISIVE AXIS VICTORY GREEK AND YUGOSLAVIAN SURRENDER

1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

O

peration Marita, The dual German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia - On the 12th April German forces launched from Romania, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria capture and secure the Yugoslavian capital city of Belgrade. The German forces are accompanied by an Italian contingent from Albania. By the 14th German army forces destroy Yugoslavian forces situated at the Monistar Gap, the result is a JSLHY WH[O PU[V .YLLJL HUK [OL ZLWHYH[PVU VM .YLLR \UP[Z ÄNO[PUN PU (SIHUPH from the rest of the Greek military. On the 16th of April Allied forces in Greece are now ordered into full retreat at the request of the Greek general Alexander 7HWHNVZ ^OV MLLSZ [OH[ YLK\JLK ÄNO[PUN ^V\SK YLK\JL [OL YPZR VM [V[HS destruction of his country. Allied leaders including Winston Churchill accept the request. On the 17th of April Yugoslavian leadership along with its army, surrender to the German army, after a tough couple of months in which they see many lives lost and key towns and cities fall to the advancing axis powers.

Just three days later on the 20th of April the Greek army also surrenders to German and Italian forces. After success in Yugoslavia and the Greek mainland Adolf Hitler issues ‘Fuhrer Directive No.28’ on the 25th April, which calls for the invasion of the Mediterranean Island of Crete. The operation is named Mercury and is to be led by General Kurt Student. The next day allied code breakers intercept word of the impending invasion on Crete. Over the next few days Operation Demon begins which sees the Royal Navy evacuate around 51,000 Allied troops from southern Greece. On the 27th April The 5HaPZ VMÄJPHSS` VJJ\W` [OL .YLLR JHWP[HS JP[` VM ([OLUZ ^OPJO ZPNUHSZ [OL LUK of the Greek resistance. On the 30th April, In preparation of an impending invasion, the forces on the Island of Crete receive new leadership in the form of Major-General Bernard Freyberg.

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GERMAN PYRRHIC VICTORY

LOCATION CRETE ISLAND

22/06 05/12

DATES:

OPERATION ERCURY

O

n the 19th May Allied Code breakers receive word that the German invasion of Crete will take place the next day.

Preparations for the invasion begin on the same day, including [OL YLSVJH[PVU VM 9(- Ă„NO[LYZ [V ,N`W[ MVY ZHMLRLLWPUN )` [OL [O VM [OL TVU[O [OL Ă„YZ[ ^H]L VM HPYIVYUL HYYP]LK VU [OL PZSHUK I` 08:00, the German paratroopers arrived in there thousands in Junkers (Ju 52) aircraft. There were a large numbers of initial casualties within this Ă„YZ[ ^H]L K\L [V ^LSS WYLWHYLK HSSPLK Ă…HR \UP[Z VU [OL PZSHUK ,]LU HM[LY SHUKPUN JHZ\HS[PLZ JVU[PU\LK MVY [OL .LYTHU MVYJLZ >P[OPU [OL Ă„YZ[ OV\Y LZWLJPHSS` THU` )H[[HSPVUZ SVZ[ ]HZ[ U\TILYZ VM TLU ;OL ;OPYK IH[[HSPVU lost roughly 400 of its 600 men; one company in particular (1st Assault YLNPTLU[ SVZ[ VM P[Z TLU )L[^LLU ! HUK ! [OL ZLJVUK ^H]L VM .LYTHU HPYIVYUL [YVVWZ SLH]L HPYĂ„LSKZ PU .YLLJL [YH]LSSPUN towards their target drop zones in Crete. At about 14:00 the second wave VM .LYTHU (PYIVYUL MVYJLZ SHUK VU *YL[L TVYL ZWLJPĂ„JHSS` HYV\UK [OL regions of Heraklion and Rethymnon. This second wave suffered JHZ\HS[PLZ LX\HS [V [OL Ă„YZ[ ^H]L HNHPU K\L [V [OL HSSPLK Ă…HR ZP[\H[LK VU [OL PZSHUK ;OL Ă„YZ[ KH` VM [OL PU]HZPVU ZLLZ SP[[SL WYVNYLZZ THKL MVY German command as very few strategic positions are under German control by the end of the day. Operation Mercury has begun. The second day of the operation (21st) saw a mass German offensive against the town of Heraklion pushed away by an 8,000 strong allied force dug into the administrative capital. However while one battle was lost another was won.

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A

fter a lack of communication within the Allied ranks, the New Zealand 22nd Infantry battalion withdrew from its position on Hill ^OPJO TLHU[ [OL RL` 4HSLTL (PYÄLSK ^HZ SLM[ \UKLMLUKLK ;OL Germans then took this opportunity to reinforce their invasion force \UVWWVZLK ZJV\[ [OL HPYÄLSK HUK ZLPaL P[ HZ ZLH SHUKPUNZ ^LYL [HRPUN WSHJL ULHYI` ;OL HSSPLZ H^HYL VM [OLPY IS\UKLY WV\Y HY[PSSLY` ÄYL VU[V [OL HYLH PU HU H[[LTW[ [V YLK\JL H_PZ WYLZLUJL ^P[O [OL [OV\NO[ VM YLJSHPTPUN [OL ZP[L H[ H SH[LY Z[HNL ;OL .LYTHUZ \ZL [OL HPYÄLSK [V Å` PU M\Y[OLY YLPUMVYJLTLU[Z MYVT [OL [O 4V\U[HPU KP]PZPVU ([ [OL LUK VM [OL ZLJVUK KH` [OL .LYTHUZ OH]L UV^ NHPULK H MVV[OVSK VU [OL 0ZSHUK 5V^ PU [OL [OPYK KH` UK [OL HSSPLZ ILNPU H UPNO[ JV\U[LY H[[HJR VU [OL 4HSLTL HPYÄLSK I` [^V 5L^ ALHSHUK IH[[HSPVUZ ( SVUN KLSH` VYKLYPUN [OL WSHUULK JV\U[LY H[[HJR TLHU[ [OH[ H UPNO[ H[[HJR OHZ ILJHTL H KH` H[[HJR >OPJO \S[PTH[LS` SLK [V [OL H[[HJRZ MHPS\YL )` [OL [PTL [OL` OHK ILN\U [OL [YVVWZ ^LYL PU WSHPU ZPNO[ VM [OL .LYTHU KP]L IVTILYZ K\N PU WHYH[YVVWLYZ HUK [OL MYLZO TV\U[HPU [YVVWZ ^OV OHK VUS` YLJLU[S` HYYP]LK ;OL SVZZ VM [OL (PYÄLSK ^HZ H THQVY [\YUPUN WVPU[ PU VWLYH[PVU 4LYJ\Y` as the days that followed saw a series of allied withdrawals across the island, PU HU H[[LTW[ [V H]VPK ILPUN V\[ÅHURLK I` [OL Z[YVUNLY HUK MYLZOLY (_PZ MVYJLZ (M[LY KH`Z VM ZRPYTPZOPUN HUK MHPSLK JV\U[LY VMMLUZP]LZ VU [OL 0ZSHUK HSSPLK OPNO JVTTHUK KLJPKLK [OH[ º[OL JH\ZL ^HZ OVWLSLZZ» HUK HM[LY [OL 7YPTL Minister had been informed that the battle had been lost, an evacuation was VYKLYLK ;OL [YVVWZ ^V\SK ^P[OKYH^ [V [OL ZV\[O VM [OL PZSHUK MVY PTTLKPH[L L]HJ\H[PVU [V ,N`W[ *YL[L OHK ILLU SVZ[ +LZWP[L ^PUUPUN [OL IH[[SL .LYTHU JHZ\HS[PLZ ^LYL Z\JO [OH[ [OL (_PZ OPNO JVTTHUK JV\SK UL]LY [Y\S` JVUZPKLY [OL IH[[SL H Z\JJLZZ

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22.

05.

JUNE

DECEMBER

1941

BARBAROSSA OPERATION EASTERN FRONT

5 MONTHS 1 WEEK 6 DAYS STRATEGIC ALLIED VICTORY PHASE 1: BREST PHASE 2: SMOLENSK PHASE 3: LENINGRAD PHASE 4: MOSCOW

LOCATION:

EASTERN USSR

O

peration Barbarossa was the code name for the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. German forces consisted of roughly four million soldiers, making it the largest invasion in the history of warfare. The overall objective for Adolf Hitler was to conquer Soviet territories and marked a crucial point in deciding the victors of the war. The Germans won resounding victories initially and occupied much of the more economically important areas of the Soviet Union. However the assault ground to a halt on the outskirts of Moscow. After this the German MVYJLZ ^LYL KYP]LU IHJR I` ÄLYJL :V]PL[ JV\U[LYH[[HJR ;OPZ MVYJLK [OL German army into a war of attrition with the largest nation on Earth, and subsequently eliminated German’s ability to effectively attack the Soviet Union for the remainder of the war. The failings of Barbarossa were many, from tactical to logistical reasons. However, it is widely agreed that the harsh Russian weather played a major part in both eliminating the Wehrmacht’s ability to resupply and allowing Soviet forces to recover. The already strained SVNPZ[PJHS Z`Z[LT ^OPJO VMÄJLYZ ^HYULK ^V\SK UV[ IL Z\MÄJPLU[ L]LU PU PKLHS circumstances, was stressed further by the bad weather. The primitive dirt roads of Russia were made into little more than impassable mud tracks, that the large European horses of the German forces simply could not traverse.

This was the same for German vehicles. This meant that vital resources and winter clothing was not available for the soldiers on the frontline. Temperatures had dropped below -40 in some areas, with some 100,000 cases of frostbite reported resulting in the amputation of nearly 15,000 limbs.

13

EARL HARBOR DECEMBER 07

JAPANESE MAJOR VICTORY PEARL HARBOR HAWAII U.S

D

December 7th saw the Japanese Pearl Harbour attack. The attack was a surprise military strike organised over many months that required planning and co-ordination from the Japanese naval forces involved. The intention VM [OL H[[HJR ^HZ [V KLZ[YV` [OL (TLYPJHU ÅLL[ KVJRLK PU [OL 5H]HS IHZL of Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The outcome of this attack would be the U.S declaration of war on the Empire of Japan, which also marks U.S entry into the war. The purpose of [OL H[[HJR HZ WYL]PV\ZS` Z[H[LK ^HZ [V UL\[YHSPZL [OL < : ÅLL[ HUK HSSV^ [OL Japanese an unopposed advance into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, where the empire sought the regions natural wealth of resources such as oil and rubber. Both nations had been aware that attack, and ultimately war, was a strong possibility.

Especially the U.S for whom tensions were ever increasing having witnessed the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and there expansion into China over the MVSSV^PUN KLJHKL ,]LU[Z Z\JO HZ [OL 5HURPUN 4HZZHJYL HUK [OL (SSPZVU PUJPKLU[ OHK led to a lack of trust and fear of the Japanese In the west, and so the U.S remained vigilant of the Japanese knowing that an attack was a likely possibility. When Japan invaded French Indochina in 1940 the U.S halted shipments of supplies previously sent to the Japanese such as Airplanes, parts, machine tools as well as aviation gasoline. The Japanese saw this as an unfriendly act and so tensions rose higher between the two nations. In an attempt to discourage Japanese aggression in the Far ,HZ[ < : 7YLZPKLU[ -YHURSPU + 9VVZL]LS[ TV]LK [OL 7HJPÄJ ÅLL[ MYVT P[Z IHZL PU :HU Diego to Hawaii and also ordered a military build up in the Philippines. When the U.S ÄUHSS` Z[VWWLK HSS ZOPWWPUN VM < : VPS [V 1HWHU HM[LY PUJYLHZLK L_WHUZPVU PU[V -YLUJO Indochina, the Japanese once again set their eye on the Dutch East Indies in order to gain the natural resources they so desperately would require. On the 17th August Roosevelt warned Japan that the U.S would not be afraid to take action should they attack any ‘neighbouring countries’.

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The Japanese now faced a tough decision. Risk war with the U.S for required natural resources or face a future without any at all which would mean withdrawing from China and ‘losing face’. In the following months negotiations took place in an attempt to improve relations however no agreement was reached between the two nations. And before the ‘Hull note’ (an American counter proposal letter) reached the Japanese NV]LYUTLU[ VU 5V]LTILY [O [OL THPU 1HWHULZL ÅLL[ OHK SLM[ WVY[ MVY 7LHYS /HYIV\Y

T

The attack began the morning of the 7th of December when Japanese Aircraft carriers launched their planes around 06:00 am. In total 183 Japanese planes ^LYL SH\UJOLK HZ WHY[ VM [OL ÄYZ[ ^H]L VM [OL H[[HJR +LZWP[L HK]LYZL ZLH conditions Japanese aircraft carriers launched a further 167 planes to form the ZLJVUK ^H]L VM [OL H[[HJR H[ ! HT ;OL ÄYZ[ ^H]L YLHJOLK [OL IHZL H[ ! HT )LMVYL [OL ÄYZ[ IVTIZ ^LYL KYVWWLK I` [OL 1HWHULZL WPSV[Z *VTTHUKLY 4P[Z\V -\JOPKH ^OV ^HZ [OL SLHKLY VM [OL HLYPHS H[[HJR JHSSLK ¸;VYH ;VYH ;VYH ¹ ^OPJO [YHUZSH[LZ [V ¸;PNLY ;PNLY ;PNLY ¹ ;OPZ ^HZ H JVKLK TLZZHNL ^OPJO HSLY[LK [OL LU[PYL Japanese navy that the attack was successful and that they had caught the Americans JVTWSL[LS` I` Z\YWYPZL 0U [V[HS [OL (TLYPJHUZ OHK )H[[SLZOPWZ [V[HSS` SVZ[ )H[[SLZOPWZ ^LYL Z\UR I\[ SH[LY YLJV]LYLK )H[[SLZOPWZ ^LYL KHTHNLK IH[[SLZOPW ^HZ NYV\UKLK *Y\PZLYZ ^LYL KHTHNLK HUK +LZ[YV`LYZ ^LYL KHTHNLK PU [OL H[[HJR (Z ^LSS HZ [OPZ the Americans also lost 188 aircraft and 2403 men were killed in the attack.

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