Battle of Kasserine Pass

A February 1943 battle in Tunisia in which German and Italian forces broke through inexperienced U.S. troops before Allied resistance halted their advance.

Kasserine Pass: A mountain pass in central Tunisia that became the site of a major Axis breakthrough in February 1943. Its terrain formed the central route through which Axis forces drove into the Allied rear.
Operation Torch: The November 1942 Anglo-American landings in French North Africa that opened a western front against Axis forces. Torch brought U.S. troops into North Africa and triggered the race for Tunisia.
U.S. II Corps: A U.S. Army corps that fought in North Africa and later in the European theater during the Second World War. The corps absorbed the defeat and underwent changes in leadership, training, and organization.
Battle of Sidi Bou Zid: A February 1943 battle in Tunisia in which Axis forces overwhelmed U.S. positions near Sidi Bou Zid. Unlike the fighting at Kasserine, Sidi Bou Zid was an earlier rout that enabled the pass offensive.
Hans-Jürgen von Arnim: A German general who commanded Army Group Africa during the Tunisia Campaign. Von Arnim’s forces participated in the offensive, while his disagreements with Rommel complicated Axis command.
Erwin Rommel: A German field marshal who commanded Axis forces in North Africa during much of the Second World War. Rommel pressed the attack through the pass while disputing the operation’s aims with other Axis commanders.
Tunisia: A North African country whose position between Algeria and Libya made it strategically important in the Second World War. Axis forces rushed to Tunisia after the Allied landings, creating the front where Kasserine was fought.
Omar Bradley: A U.S. Army general who served as deputy commander of II Corps during the Tunisia Campaign. Bradley observed the command problems and later succeeded Fredendall as corps commander.
Battle of El Guettar: A March 1943 battle in Tunisia in which U.S. forces checked an Axis attack near El Guettar. El Guettar contrasts with Kasserine as a later engagement in which American troops held their ground.
Kenneth Anderson: A British general who commanded the Allied First Army in Tunisia. Anderson’s command decisions framed the Allied response to the Axis attack.

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