Wallace, Sam Lighting the Torch

The Tunisian Campaign and Forging an Allied Way of War 1942-43

The Tunisian campaign of World War II, fought between November 1942 and May 1943, is often described as the place where the Allies learned to fight. As a crucial climax to the conflict that spanned North Africa and an important milestone in the opening of a second front in Europe, Tunisia saw American, British, and French forces on land, sea, and air join forces to finally drive the Axis powers from the African continent. Yet despite Tunisia's importance to the grand narrative of World War II, it has been chronically neglected by scholars, particularly with regard to the lessons the Allies learned from their experiences during the campaign. This monograph examines the understudied Tunisia campaign from the perspective of military learning, shedding light on an often-ignored aspect of the North African campaign. At the same time, it makes an important contribution to our understanding of how the Allies learned and evolved before returning to Europe in 1943/44. Lighting the Torch shows that it was North Africa where the Allies were able to develop the organizations, doctrines, and processes necessary for an effective multinational campaign in the air, on the water, and on land, as well as the command talent, combat experience, and technologies to successfully fight and win battles. These lessons would prove crucial when the Allies finally returned to the European continent. They formed the basis for the successful invasions of Sicily, Italy, and Normandy, enabling the Allies to fight their way across the continent until the final surrender of the Axis powers.