Was it a mistake for Hitler to allow German forces to venture into the Mediterranean regions - Research Paper Example

Was it a mistake for Hitler to allow German forces to venture into the Mediterranean regions? Hitler made many mistakes as he prosecuted the Second World War. He was frequently overbearing and did not listen to his generals. One of his biggest mistakes was to get involved in the Mediterranean regions, especially North Africa. The German losses in North Africa began to shift the tide against the Nazis and gave the Allies they foothold they needed to win. The Battle of Kasserine Pass in North Africa was especially important as the first real fight between American and German soldiers.

It was not famous for the bad defeat the Americans faced there. It was far better to lose in this way at the beginning of the engagement then later in the decisive days of the campaign. The truth is that what the American army learned in this loss helped them immeasurably to improve their command structure and strategy when dealing with the Germans later on. This led Hitler and the Germans to underestimate the Americans too. The truth was always that Hitler saw the Mediterranean as a diversion (Murray, 108).

And that it is what it was—something that distracted him from what he should have been doing, a mistake. Although many see Eisenhower as the most towering figure to come out from the victories of North Africa, two other Allied generals also made their name in that dusty theatre of war. The first of these two men, General Patton, was able to take control over one of the main American armies after the battle of the Kasserine Pass and to use it to maximum advantage. Patton was well known for driving his men hard and also for his iron discipline.

The second famous general of this part of the conflict was the British general Bernard Montgomery, who became famous at the battle of El Alamein, one of the decisive victory of the North African theatre. These men gained the confidence in this theatre that they would later use to crush the Germans (Murray, 2002). The truth was that Hitler had extended too far in the Mediterranean region. It would be downfall. Work consulted Murray, Williamson. “Triumph of Operation Torch.” World War II. Vol.

17, Issue 4 (Sept 2002). Murray, Williamson, and Allan R. Millett. A War to be Won: Fighting the Second World War. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001