ABSTRACT

I N November 1942 Nazi interest in the Arab lands centred on Tunisia. The Axis forces were on the offensive until the autumn of that year. The battle of el-Alamein (October 23rd), the landing of

British and American troops in North Africa (November 8 th), and above all the Soviet counter-offensive on the Volga (November 19th) opened a new phase of the war-the period of defeat of the Axis. During their offensive the Germans were primarily interested in those Arab countries which lay in the sphere of British domination. Berlin rejected outright the possibility of utilising Arab nationalism in North Africa, although, as we have seen, this position reacted negatively on German policy in the Asian Arab lands and in Egypt. From the time they assumed the defensive in November 1942 the Germans had to pay attention to Tunisia, an Arab country administered by Vichy, which was to be Italy’s prize after the victory. From the middle of November 1942 that country was occupied by German and Italian troops.