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<TITLE>Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II - Wikipedia</TITLE>

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<H1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading" lang="en">Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II</H1>			<DIV id="bodyContent" class="mw-body-content">
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<TABLE class="infobox vevent" style="border-spacing:2px;;width:315px">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH class="summary" colspan="2" style="background-color:#B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre</TH>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;">Part of the <A href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">Second World War</A></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD colspan="2" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><A href="/wiki/File:WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG" class="image"><IMG alt="WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG/300px-WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG" width="300" height="168" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG/450px-WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG/600px-WWII-Mediterranean-v1.PNG 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="448" /></A><BR />
A map showing the territories held by Allied (green), Axis (orange), and neutral (grey) powers at the outbreak of hostilities in the Mediterranean</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD colspan="2">
<TABLE style="width:100%;margin:0;padding:0;border:0">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH style="padding-right:1em">Date</TH>
<TD>10 June 1940 – 25 May 1945<SUP id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-3">[2]</A></SUP><BR />
(4 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 1 day)</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH style="padding-right:1em">Location</TH>
<TD><SPAN class="location"><A href="/wiki/Southern_Europe" title="Southern Europe">Southern Europe</A>, the <A href="/wiki/Middle_East" title="Middle East">Middle East</A>, the <A href="/wiki/Horn_of_Africa" title="Horn of Africa">Horn of Africa</A>, <A href="/wiki/North_Africa" title="North Africa">North Africa</A></SPAN><BR />
<SPAN class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><A class="external text" href="//tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&params=35_N_18_E_region:XZ_type:waterbody_scale:25000000"><SPAN class="geo-default"><SPAN class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><SPAN class="latitude">35°N</SPAN> <SPAN class="longitude">18°E</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="geo-multi-punct"> / </SPAN><SPAN class="geo-nondefault"><SPAN class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">35°N 18°E</SPAN><SPAN style="display:none"> / <SPAN class="geo">35; 18</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN style="font-size: small;"><SPAN id="coordinates"><A href="/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system" title="Geographic coordinate system">Coordinates</A>: <SPAN class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><A class="external text" href="//tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&params=35_N_18_E_region:XZ_type:waterbody_scale:25000000"><SPAN class="geo-default"><SPAN class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><SPAN class="latitude">35°N</SPAN> <SPAN class="longitude">18°E</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="geo-multi-punct"> / </SPAN><SPAN class="geo-nondefault"><SPAN class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">35°N 18°E</SPAN><SPAN style="display:none"> / <SPAN class="geo">35; 18</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></A></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH style="padding-right:1em">Result</TH>
<TD><A href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</A> victory</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH style="padding-right:1em">Territorial<BR />
changes</TH>
<TD>Fall of the <A href="/wiki/Italian_Empire" title="Italian Empire">Italian Empire</A></TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH colspan="2" style="background-color:#B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Belligerents</TH>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">
<P><B><A href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</A>:</B><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281936-1955%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</A> <SMALL>(1941–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1900" data-file-height="1000" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</A> <SMALL>(1942–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg/23px-British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg/35px-British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg/46px-British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/British_Raj" title="British Raj">India</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="300" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Free_France" title="Free France">Free France</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="800" /></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Polish_Armed_Forces_in_the_West" title="Polish Armed Forces in the West">Poland</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/23px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/35px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/46px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="640" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg/23px-Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg/35px-Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg/46px-Canadian_Red_Ensign_%281921-1957%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="500" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="800" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Greece" title="Kingdom of Greece">Greece</A> <SMALL>(1940–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia" title="Kingdom of Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A> <SMALL>(1941–43)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/23px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/35px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/46px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Socialist_Federal_Republic_of_Yugoslavia" title="Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A> <SMALL>(1943–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/23px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/35px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/46px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Dominion_of_New_Zealand" title="Dominion of New Zealand">New Zealand</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928%E2%80%931994%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="594" data-file-height="396" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Union_of_South_Africa" title="Union of South Africa">South Africa</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png" width="22" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/33px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/43px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="720" data-file-height="504" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</A> <SMALL>(1942–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy">Italy</A> <SMALL>(1943–45)</SMALL><BR /></P>
<SMALL><A href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">...<I>and others</I></A></SMALL></TD>
<TD style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">
<P><B><A href="/wiki/Axis_Powers" class="mw-redirect" title="Axis Powers">Axis Powers</A>:</B><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy">Italy</A> <SMALL>(1940–43)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic">Italian Social Republic</A> <SMALL>(1943–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg/23px-Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg/35px-Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg/45px-Flag_of_Independent_State_of_Croatia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="3000" data-file-height="2000" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Croatia</A> <SMALL>(1941–45)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg/23px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg/35px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg/46px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Bulgaria" title="Kingdom of Bulgaria">Bulgaria</A> <SMALL>(1941–44)</SMALL><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /> </SPAN><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Iraq" title="Kingdom of Iraq">Iraq</A> <SMALL>(1941)</SMALL><BR />
<SMALL><A href="/wiki/Axis_Powers" class="mw-redirect" title="Axis Powers">...<I>and others</I></A></SMALL></P>
<HR />
<P><SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/23px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/35px-Flag_of_France.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/45px-Flag_of_France.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy France</A> <SMALL>(1940 – 1942)</SMALL><SUP id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-2">[a]</A></SUP></P>
<HR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/23px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png" width="23" height="13" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/35px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/46px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1050" data-file-height="600" /></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Imperial_State_of_Iran" class="mw-redirect" title="Imperial State of Iran">Iran</A> (1941)</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH colspan="2" style="background-color:#B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders and leaders</TH>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">
<P><SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom"><IMG alt="United Kingdom" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Archibald_Wavell,_1st_Earl_Wavell" title="Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell">Archibald Wavell</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom"><IMG alt="United Kingdom" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Claude_Auchinleck" title="Claude Auchinleck">Claude Auchinleck</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom"><IMG alt="United Kingdom" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Harold_Alexander,_1st_Earl_Alexander_of_Tunis" title="Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis">Harold Alexander</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States"><IMG alt="United States" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1900" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower" title="Dwight D. Eisenhower">Dwight D. Eisenhower</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States"><IMG alt="United States" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1235" data-file-height="650" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Mark_Wayne_Clark" class="mw-redirect" title="Mark Wayne Clark">Mark Wayne Clark</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union"><IMG alt="Soviet Union" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Fyodor_Tolbukhin" title="Fyodor Tolbukhin">Fyodor Tolbukhin</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union"><IMG alt="Soviet Union" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Vladimir_Zhdanov" title="Vladimir Zhdanov">Vladimir Zhdanov</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Socialist_Federal_Republic_of_Yugoslavia" title="Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia"><IMG alt="Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/23px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/35px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg/46px-Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito" title="Josip Broz Tito">Josip Broz Tito</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Greece" title="Kingdom of Greece"><IMG alt="Kingdom of Greece" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Greece_%281822-1978%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="800" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Alexander_Papagos" class="mw-redirect" title="Alexander Papagos">Alexander Papagos</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil"><IMG alt="Brazil" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png" width="22" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/33px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg/43px-Flag_of_Brazil_%281889-1960%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="720" data-file-height="504" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Mascarenhas_de_Moraes" class="mw-redirect" title="Mascarenhas de Moraes">Mascarenhas de Moraes</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Free_France" title="Free France"><IMG alt="Free France" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Free_France_%281940-1944%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="300" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Jean_de_Lattre_de_Tassigny" title="Jean de Lattre de Tassigny">Jean de Lattre de Tassigny</A><BR /></P>
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland"><IMG alt="Poland" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="800" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Anders" title="Władysław Anders">Władysław Anders</A></TD>
<TD style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">
<P><SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Adolf_Hitler" title="Adolf Hitler">Adolf Hitler</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Albert_Kesselring" title="Albert Kesselring">Albert Kesselring</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Erwin_Rommel" title="Erwin Rommel">Erwin Rommel</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Wilhelm_List" title="Wilhelm List">Wilhelm List</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Maximilian_von_Weichs" title="Maximilian von Weichs">Maximilian von Weichs</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Alexander_L%C3%B6hr" title="Alexander Löhr">Alexander Löhr</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany"><IMG alt="Nazi Germany" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png" width="23" height="14" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_German_Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Werner_Junck" title="Werner Junck">Werner Junck</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy"><IMG alt="Kingdom of Italy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN><SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic"><IMG alt="Italian Social Republic" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281946-2003%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Benito_Mussolini" title="Benito Mussolini">Benito Mussolini</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy"><IMG alt="Kingdom of Italy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Rodolfo_Graziani" title="Rodolfo Graziani">Rodolfo Graziani</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy"><IMG alt="Kingdom of Italy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Pietro_Badoglio" title="Pietro Badoglio">Pietro Badoglio</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy"><IMG alt="Kingdom of Italy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Ugo_Cavallero" title="Ugo Cavallero">Ugo Cavallero</A>  <A href="/wiki/Killed_in_action" title="Killed in action"><SPAN style="font-family:'Times New Roman','Old English Text MT',serif"><B>†</B></SPAN></A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France"><IMG alt="Vichy France" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Darlan" title="François Darlan">François Darlan</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France"><IMG alt="Vichy France" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_France_%281794%E2%80%931815%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Henri_Dentz" title="Henri Dentz">Henri Dentz</A><BR />
<SPAN class="flagicon"><A href="/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq"><IMG alt="Iraq" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png" width="23" height="12" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_Iraq_%281921%E2%80%931959%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="300" /></A></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Rashid_Ali_al-Gaylani" title="Rashid Ali al-Gaylani">Rashid Ali</A><BR /></P>
<HR />
<P><SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/23px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png" width="23" height="13" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/35px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/46px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1050" data-file-height="600" /></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Rez%C4%81_Sh%C4%81h" class="mw-redirect" title="Rezā Shāh">Rezā Pahlavi</A></P>
<SPAN class="flagicon"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/23px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png" width="23" height="13" class="thumbborder" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/35px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg/46px-State_Flag_of_Iran_%281964-1980%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1050" data-file-height="600" /></SPAN> <A href="/wiki/Ali_Mansur" title="Ali Mansur">Ali Mansur</A></TD>
</TR>
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<DIV id="Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_Theatre" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><SPAN style="line-height:1.6em"><A class="mw-selflink selflink"><SPAN class="wrap">Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre</SPAN></A></SPAN></DIV>
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<LI><A href="/wiki/Adriatic_Campaign_of_World_War_II" title="Adriatic Campaign of World War II">Adriatic</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">East Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Mediterranean Sea</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Gibraltar_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Gibraltar during World War II">Gibraltar</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)">Malta</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Bahrain_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Bahrain in World War II">Bahrain</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Balkan_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Balkan Campaign (World War II)">Balkans</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Iraq</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon Campaign">Syria–Lebanon</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_bombing_of_Mandatory_Palestine_in_World_War_II" title="Italian bombing of Mandatory Palestine in World War II">Palestine</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Iran</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Sicily</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">Italian mainland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Dodecanese_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Dodecanese Campaign">Dodecanese</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_occupation_of_Corsica#Liberation_of_Corsica_.28Operation_Vesuvius.29" title="Italian occupation of Corsica">Corsica</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon"><I>Dragoon</I></A></LI>
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<DIV id="Campaigns_of_World_War_II" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><SPAN style="line-height:1.6em">Campaigns of <A href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II"><SPAN class="wrap">World War II</SPAN></A></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em"><B><A href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II">Europe</A></B>
<DL>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland" title="Invasion of Poland">Poland</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Winter_War" title="Winter War">Winter War</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Norwegian_Campaign" title="Norwegian Campaign">Denmark & Norway</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">France & Benelux</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Britain</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Balkan_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Balkan Campaign (World War II)">Balkans</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Front</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Continuation_War" title="Continuation War">Finland</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front (1944–45)</A></DD>
</DL>
<P><B><A href="/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific War</A></B></P>
<DL>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_theater_of_World_War_II" title="Pacific Ocean theater of World War II">Pacific Ocean</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian theatre of World War II">South-East Asia</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South West Pacific</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Japan_campaign" title="Japan campaign">Japan</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_War" title="Soviet–Japanese War">Manchuria (1945)</A></DD>
</DL>
<P><B><A class="mw-selflink selflink">Mediterranean and Middle East</A></B></P>
<DL>
<DD><A href="/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North Africa</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">Horn of Africa</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Mediterranean Sea</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Adriatic_Campaign_of_World_War_II" title="Adriatic Campaign of World War II">Adriatic</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)">Malta</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Iraq</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon Campaign">Syria–Lebanon</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Iran</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">Italy</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Dodecanese_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Dodecanese Campaign">Dodecanese</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon">Southern France</A></DD>
</DL>
<P><B>Other campaigns</B></P>
<DL>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Atlantic</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Arctic_naval_operations_of_World_War_II" title="Arctic naval operations of World War II">Arctic</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II" title="Strategic bombing during World War II">Strategic bombing</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/American_Theater_(World_War_II)" title="American Theater (World War II)">America</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">French West Africa</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar" title="Battle of Madagascar">Madagascar</A></DD>
</DL>
<P><B>Contemporaneous wars</B></P>
<DL>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War" title="Chinese Civil War">Chinese Civil War</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_border_conflicts" title="Soviet–Japanese border conflicts">USSR–Japan Border Wars</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Franco-Thai_War" title="Franco-Thai War">French–Thai</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Ecuadorian%E2%80%93Peruvian_War" title="Ecuadorian–Peruvian War">Ecuadorian–Peruvian War</A></DD>
<DD><A href="/wiki/Ili_Rebellion" title="Ili Rebellion">Ili Rebellion</A></DD>
</DL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</DIV>
</DIV>
</DIV>
<P>The <B>Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre</B> was a major <A href="/wiki/Theater_(warfare)#Theater_of_operations" title="Theater (warfare)">theatre of operations</A> during the <A href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">Second World War</A>. The vast size of the <A href="/wiki/Mediterranean" class="mw-redirect" title="Mediterranean">Mediterranean</A> and <A href="/wiki/Middle_East" title="Middle East">Middle East</A> theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Mediterranean, <A href="/wiki/North_Africa" title="North Africa">North Africa</A>, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and <A href="/wiki/Southern_Europe" title="Southern Europe">Southern Europe</A>. The fighting in this theatre lasted from 10 June 1940, when Italy entered the war on the side of <A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</A>, until 2 May 1945 when all <A href="/wiki/Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis forces</A> in Italy surrendered. However, fighting would continue in <A href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</A> – where <A href="/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British troops</A> had been dispatched to aid the <A href="/wiki/Government_of_Greece" title="Government of Greece">Greek government</A> – during the early stages of the <A href="/wiki/Greek_Civil_War" title="Greek Civil War">Greek Civil War</A>.</P>
<P>The British referred to this theatre as the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre (so called due to the location of the fighting and the name of the headquarters that controlled the initial fighting: <A href="/wiki/Middle_East_Command" title="Middle East Command">Middle East Command</A>) while the Americans called the theatre of operations the <I>Mediterranean Theater of War</I>. The German official history of the fighting is dubbed <I>The Mediterranean, South-East Europe, and North Africa 1939–1942</I>. Regardless of the size of the theatre, the various campaigns were not seen as neatly separated areas of operations but part of one vast theatre of war.</P>
<P><A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy#Fascist_regime_(1922–1943)" title="Kingdom of Italy">Fascist Italy</A> aimed to carve out a new <A href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</A><SUP class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<I><A href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><SPAN title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2017)">citation needed</SPAN></A></I>]</SUP>, while <A href="/wiki/British_Armed_Forces" title="British Armed Forces">British forces</A> aimed initially to retain the status quo. Italy unsuccessfully invaded Greece, and not until the introduction of German forces were Greece and <A href="/wiki/Yugoslavia" title="Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A> overrun. Allied and Axis forces engaged in back and forth fighting across North Africa, with Axis interference in the Middle East causing fighting to spread there. With confidence high from early gains, <A href="/wiki/Wehrmacht" title="Wehrmacht">German forces</A> planned elaborate attacks to be launched to capture the Middle East and then to possibly attack the southern border of the <A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</A>. However, following three years of fighting, Axis forces were defeated in North Africa and their interference in the Middle East was halted. Allied forces then commenced an <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">invasion of Southern Europe</A>, resulting in the Italians deposing <A href="/wiki/Benito_Mussolini" title="Benito Mussolini">Mussolini</A> and joining the Allies. A prolonged <A href="/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">battle for Italy</A> took place between Allied and German forces. As the strategic situation changed in south-east Europe, British troops returned to Greece.</P>
<P>The theatre of war had the longest duration of the Second World War, resulted in the destruction of the <A href="/wiki/Italian_Empire" title="Italian Empire">Italian Empire</A> and altered the strategic position of Germany, resulting in German divisions being deployed to Africa and Italy and total losses (including those captured upon final surrender) being over half a million.<SUP id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-6">[b]</A></SUP> Italian losses amounted to around 177,000 men with a further several hundred thousand captured during the process of the various campaigns. British losses amount to over 300,000 men killed, wounded, or captured, and total American losses in the region amounted to 130,000.</P>
<P></P>
<DIV id="toc" class="toc">
<DIV class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr">
<H2>Contents</H2>
<SPAN class="toctoggle"> [<A role="button" tabindex="0" class="togglelink">hide</A>] </SPAN></DIV>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><A href="#Background"><SPAN class="tocnumber">1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Background</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><A href="#Italy"><SPAN class="tocnumber">1.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Italy</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><A href="#Britain"><SPAN class="tocnumber">1.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Britain</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><A href="#Initial_military_operations"><SPAN class="tocnumber">2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Initial military operations</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><A href="#Axis_success"><SPAN class="tocnumber">3</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Axis success</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><A href="#North_Africa"><SPAN class="tocnumber">3.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">North Africa</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><A href="#Balkans"><SPAN class="tocnumber">3.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Balkans</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><A href="#East_Africa"><SPAN class="tocnumber">3.3</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">East Africa</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><A href="#Middle_East_operations"><SPAN class="tocnumber">4</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Middle East operations</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><A href="#Iraq"><SPAN class="tocnumber">4.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Iraq</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><A href="#Operation_Exporter"><SPAN class="tocnumber">4.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Operation Exporter</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><A href="#Iran"><SPAN class="tocnumber">4.3</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Iran</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13"><A href="#Gibraltar_and_Malta"><SPAN class="tocnumber">5</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Gibraltar and Malta</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14"><A href="#Allied_reply"><SPAN class="tocnumber">6</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Allied reply</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><A href="#North_Africa_2"><SPAN class="tocnumber">6.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">North Africa</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16"><A href="#US_involvement"><SPAN class="tocnumber">6.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">US involvement</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><A href="#Southern_Europe"><SPAN class="tocnumber">7</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Southern Europe</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><A href="#Italian_campaign"><SPAN class="tocnumber">7.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Italian campaign</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-19"><A href="#Dodecanese_Campaign"><SPAN class="tocnumber">7.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Dodecanese Campaign</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-20"><A href="#Invasion_of_southern_France"><SPAN class="tocnumber">7.3</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Invasion of southern France</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-21"><A href="#Post-war_conflicts"><SPAN class="tocnumber">8</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Post-war conflicts</SPAN></A>
<UL>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22"><A href="#Trieste"><SPAN class="tocnumber">8.1</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Trieste</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23"><A href="#Greece"><SPAN class="tocnumber">8.2</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Greece</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24"><A href="#Syria"><SPAN class="tocnumber">8.3</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Syria</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-2 tocsection-25"><A href="#Palestine"><SPAN class="tocnumber">8.4</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Palestine</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-26"><A href="#See_also"><SPAN class="tocnumber">9</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">See also</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-27"><A href="#Notes"><SPAN class="tocnumber">10</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Notes</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-28"><A href="#Citations"><SPAN class="tocnumber">11</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">Citations</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-29"><A href="#References"><SPAN class="tocnumber">12</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">References</SPAN></A></LI>
<LI class="toclevel-1 tocsection-30"><A href="#External_links"><SPAN class="tocnumber">13</SPAN> <SPAN class="toctext">External links</SPAN></A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
<P></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Background">Background</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Background">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Italy">Italy</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Italy">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <A href="/wiki/Italian_Empire" title="Italian Empire">Italian Empire</A></DIV>
<DIV class="thumb tright">
<DIV class="thumbinner" style="width:222px;"><A href="/wiki/File:Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png" class="image"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png/220px-Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png" width="220" height="202" class="thumbimage" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png/330px-Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png/440px-Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png 2x" data-file-width="1090" data-file-height="1000" /></A>
<DIV class="thumbcaption">
<DIV class="magnify"><A href="/wiki/File:Italy_aims_Europe_1936.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></A></DIV>
Ambitions of Fascist Italy in Europe in 1936.</DIV>
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</DIV>
<P>During the late 1920s, <A href="/wiki/Benito_Mussolini" title="Benito Mussolini">Benito Mussolini</A> claimed that Italy needed an outlet for its "<A href="/wiki/Human_overpopulation" title="Human overpopulation">surplus population</A>" and that it would be in other countries' best interests to aid in this expansion.<SUP id="cite_ref-Smith170_7-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Smith170-7">[5]</A></SUP> The regime wanted "hegemony in the Mediterranean–Danubian–Balkan region" and the gaining of world power by the conquest "of an empire stretching from the <A href="/wiki/Strait_of_Gibraltar" title="Strait of Gibraltar">Strait of Gibraltar</A> to the <A href="/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz" title="Strait of Hormuz">Strait of Hormuz</A>".<SUP id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-8">[6]</A></SUP> The Fascists had designs on <A href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</A>, <A href="/wiki/Dalmatia" title="Dalmatia">Dalmatia</A>, large parts of <A href="/wiki/Slovenia" title="Slovenia">Slovenia</A>, <A href="/wiki/Croatia" title="Croatia">Croatia</A>, <A href="/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</A>, <A href="/wiki/Republic_of_Macedonia" title="Republic of Macedonia">Macedonia</A> and <A href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</A> and harked back to the Roman empire. The regime also sought to establish <A href="/wiki/Protectorate" title="Protectorate">protectorates</A> with <A href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</A>, <A href="/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</A>, <A href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</A> and <A href="/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-B&J467_9-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-B&J467-9">[7]</A></SUP> Covert motives were for Italy to become the dominant power in the Mediterranean, capable of challenging France or Britain and gaining access to the <A href="/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean" title="Atlantic Ocean">Atlantic</A> and <A href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean" title="Indian Ocean">Indian Oceans</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-Smith170_7-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Smith170-7">[5]</A></SUP></P>
<P>On 30 November 1938, Mussolini addressed the <A href="/wiki/Fascist_Grand_Council" class="mw-redirect" title="Fascist Grand Council">Fascist Grand Council</A> on the goal of capturing Albania, <A href="/wiki/Tunisia" title="Tunisia">Tunisia</A>, <A href="/wiki/Corsica" title="Corsica">Corsica</A>, the <A href="/wiki/Ticino" class="mw-redirect" title="Ticino">Ticino</A> canton of <A href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</A> and "French territory east of the River Var (to include <A href="/wiki/Nice" title="Nice">Nice</A>, but not <A href="/wiki/Savoy" title="Savoy">Savoy</A>)".<SUP id="cite_ref-Bell,_p._72_10-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Bell,_p._72-10">[8]</A></SUP> Mussolini alleged that Italy required uncontested access to the oceans and shipping lanes to ensure its national sovereignty.<SUP id="cite_ref-Salerno_11-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Salerno-11">[9]</A></SUP> Italy was a "prisoner in the Mediterranean" and had to break the chains of British and French control. Corsica, <A href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</A>, <A href="/wiki/Gibraltar" title="Gibraltar">Gibraltar</A>, <A href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</A>, <A href="/wiki/Suez" title="Suez">Suez</A> and Tunisia would need to be taken and <A href="/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</A>, France, Greece, <A href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</A> and the United Kingdom had to be challenged.<SUP id="cite_ref-Salerno_11-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Salerno-11">[9]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-12">[10]</A></SUP> Through armed conquest, the north and east African colonies would be linked and this 'prison' destroyed.<SUP id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-13">[11]</A></SUP> Italy would be able to march "either to the Indian Ocean through the Sudan and Abyssinia, or to the Atlantic by way of French North Africa".<SUP id="cite_ref-Bell,_p._72_10-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Bell,_p._72-10">[8]</A></SUP> On 2 October 1935, the <A href="/wiki/Second_Italo%E2%80%93Ethiopian_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second Italo–Ethiopian War">Second Italo–Ethiopian War</A> began when Italian forces invaded Abyssinia.<SUP id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-14">[12]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Mussolini lauded the conquest as a new source of raw materials and location for emigration and speculated that a native army could be raised there to "help conquer the <A href="/wiki/Sudan" title="Sudan">Sudan</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-15">[13]</A></SUP> "Almost as soon as the Abyssinian campaign ended, Italian intervention in the <A href="/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War" title="Spanish Civil War">Spanish Civil War</A>" began.<SUP id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-16">[14]</A></SUP> On 7 April 1939, Mussolini began the <A href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_Albania" title="Italian invasion of Albania">Italian invasion of Albania</A> and within two days had occupied the country.<SUP id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-17">[15]</A></SUP> In May 1939, Italy formally allied to <A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</A> in the <A href="/wiki/Pact_of_Steel" title="Pact of Steel">Pact of Steel</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-18">[16]</A></SUP> Italian foreign policy went through two stages during the Fascist regime. Until 1934–35, Mussolini followed a "modest ... and responsible" course and following that date there was "ceaseless activity and aggression".<SUP id="cite_ref-Bell_19-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Bell-19">[17]</A></SUP> "Prior to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, Mussolini had made military agreements with the French and formed a coalition with the British and French to prevent German aggression in Europe." The Ethiopian War "exposed vulnerabilities and created opportunities that Mussolini seized to realise his imperial vision"<SUP id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-20">[18]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Britain">Britain</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Britain">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV class="thumb tright">
<DIV class="thumbinner" style="width:222px;"><A href="/wiki/File:The_Middle_East-1942.jpg" class="image"><IMG alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/The_Middle_East-1942.jpg/220px-The_Middle_East-1942.jpg" width="220" height="274" class="thumbimage" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/The_Middle_East-1942.jpg/330px-The_Middle_East-1942.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/The_Middle_East-1942.jpg/440px-The_Middle_East-1942.jpg 2x" data-file-width="642" data-file-height="801" /></A>
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Area of authority of Middle East Command</DIV>
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<P>At the <A href="/wiki/Nyon_Conference" title="Nyon Conference">Nyon Conference</A> of 1937, Italy and the United Kingdom "disclaimed any desire to modify or see modified the national sovereignty of any country in the Mediterranean area, and agreed to discourage any activities liable to impair mutual relations."<SUP id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-21">[19]</A></SUP> Italian diplomatic and military moves did not reflect this agreement.<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair8_22-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair8-22">[20]</A></SUP> In the aftermath of the Italian invasion of Abyssinia, British and Italian forces in North Africa were reinforced.<SUP id="cite_ref-Fraser1819_23-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Fraser1819-23">[21]</A></SUP> Due to various Italian moves, in July 1937, the British decided "that Italy could not now be regarded as a reliable friend" and preparations began to bring "the defences of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea ports up-to-date".<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair8_22-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair8-22">[20]</A></SUP> In 1938, a weak armoured division was established in Egypt and further army and air force reinforcements were dispatched from Britain.<SUP id="cite_ref-Fraser1819_23-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Fraser1819-23">[21]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-24">[22]</A></SUP></P>
<P>With rising tension in Europe, in June 1939, the United Kingdom established <A href="/wiki/Middle_East_Command" title="Middle East Command">Middle East Command</A> (MEC) in <A href="/wiki/Cairo" title="Cairo">Cairo</A> to provide centralised command for British army units in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre.<SUP id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-25">[23]</A></SUP> All three branches of the British military were made equally responsible for the defence of the area.<SUP id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-26">[24]</A></SUP> The authority of MEC included <A href="/wiki/Aden" title="Aden">Aden</A>, <A href="/wiki/British_Somaliland" title="British Somaliland">British Somaliland</A>, Cyprus, Egypt, <A href="/wiki/Eritrea" title="Eritrea">Eritrea</A>, Ethiopia, <A href="/wiki/Kenya" title="Kenya">Kenya</A>, Greece, <A href="/wiki/Libya" title="Libya">Libya</A>, <A href="/wiki/British_Mandate_of_Palestine" class="mw-redirect" title="British Mandate of Palestine">Palestine</A>, <A href="/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</A>, Sudan, <A href="/wiki/Tanganyika_Territory" class="mw-redirect" title="Tanganyika Territory">Tanganyika</A>, <A href="/wiki/Emirate_of_Transjordan" title="Emirate of Transjordan">Transjordan</A>, <A href="/wiki/Uganda" title="Uganda">Uganda</A> and the shores of the <A href="/wiki/Persian_Gulf" title="Persian Gulf">Persian Gulf</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-27">[25]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-28">[26]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-Fraser114_29-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Fraser114-29">[27]</A></SUP> If necessary, command would be exerted as far away as the Caucasus and the Indian Ocean. The purpose of the command was to be "the western bastion of defence of India", keep British supply lines open to India and the <A href="/wiki/Far_East" title="Far East">Far East</A>, and keep the Middle Eastern oilfields out of Axis hands.<SUP id="cite_ref-Fraser114_29-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Fraser114-29">[27]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Upon the establishment of MEC, it was ordered to co-ordinate with the French military in the Middle East and Africa as well as liaise with the <A href="/wiki/Turkish_General_Staff" class="mw-redirect" title="Turkish General Staff">Turkish General Staff</A> and possibly the Greek General Staff.<SUP id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-30">[28]</A></SUP> On 19 October 1939, the <I>Treaty of Mutual Assistance</I> was signed between the United Kingdom, France and Turkey and British military forces were authorised to begin discussions with the Turkish general staff; a further conference was held during March 1940.<SUP id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-31">[29]</A></SUP> Within a week of the Italian occupation of Albania, France and the United Kingdom "announced they had promised to give all the help in their power if <A href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greek</A> and <A href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romanian</A> independence were threatened and if the <A href="/wiki/Greek_Government" class="mw-redirect" title="Greek Government">Greek Government</A> or <A href="/wiki/Romanian_Government" class="mw-redirect" title="Romanian Government">Romanian Government</A> considered it vital to resist."<SUP id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-32">[30]</A></SUP></P>
<P>British forces in the Middle East were ordered to avoid provocation.<SUP id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-33">[31]</A></SUP> Following the defeat of <A href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</A>, the threat of an Axis attack from the <A href="/wiki/Balkans" title="Balkans">Balkans</A> against British positions in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean region increased.<SUP id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-34">[32]</A></SUP> In late 1939, with the assumption that Britain would soon be at war with Italy, planning began for attacks to capture <A href="/wiki/Bardia" title="Bardia">Bardia</A> and <A href="/wiki/Jaghbub,_Libya" title="Jaghbub, Libya">Jaghbub</A> (Giarabub) in Libya and arrangements began in Egypt, to accommodate a much larger force.<SUP id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-35">[33]</A></SUP> Preparations to reinforce the Iraqi army were made and Palestinian security forces were to be reduced to the minimum. British forces in East Africa were to study operations to destroy the Italian forces and support local risings, all in support of the main Allied offensive, which was planned to be launched from <A href="/wiki/French_Somaliland" title="French Somaliland">French Somaliland</A>. Troops in Sudan were also asked to consider launching operations against <A href="/wiki/Kufra" title="Kufra">Kufra</A> in southern Libya.<SUP id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-36">[34]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Initial_military_operations">Initial military operations</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Initial military operations">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<P>On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom and next day the British Commonwealth declared war on Italy.<SUP id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-37">[35]</A></SUP> The fleets of Italy, France and the United Kingdom began the hostilities of the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Battle of the Mediterranean</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-38">[36]</A></SUP> The <A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)">siege of Malta</A> soon began, with first Italian air attack on 11 June.<SUP id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-39">[37]</A></SUP> In the <A href="/wiki/Libyan_Desert" title="Libyan Desert">Western Desert</A>, <A href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</A> (RAF) aircraft attacked Italian positions inside Libya.<SUP id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-40">[38]</A></SUP> On 11 June, the <A href="/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaign" title="Western Desert Campaign">Western Desert Campaign</A> began, as the British launched minor raids and conducted patrols along the Libyan–Egyptian border and on 17 June, <A href="/wiki/Fort_Capuzzo" title="Fort Capuzzo">Fort Capuzzo</A> was captured.<SUP id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-41">[39]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP> On 20 June, Mussolini began the <A href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_France" title="Italian invasion of France">Italian invasion of France</A>, just before the end of the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-43">[41]</A></SUP> During June, the <A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">East African Campaign</A> began with Italian attacks in East Africa, although ground combat did not start until July.<SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP></P>
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The demarcation of France, following the two armistices coming into effect on 25 June.</DIV>
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<P>On 22 June, France signed an <A href="/wiki/Armistice_of_22_June_1940" title="Armistice of 22 June 1940">armistice at Compiegne</A> with Germany and on 24 June, the <A href="/wiki/Franco-Italian_Armistice" title="Franco-Italian Armistice">Franco-Italian Armistice</A> was signed.<SUP id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-44">[42]</A></SUP> Italy gained a 50 kilometres (31 mi) demilitarised zone inside France (as well as similar zones where Italian and French colonies met).<SUP id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-45">[43]</A></SUP> Italian occupation forces <A href="/wiki/Italian_occupation_of_France_during_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="Italian occupation of France during World War II">took over</A> an 832 km<SUP>2</SUP> (321 sq mi) area of France, which included 28,500 people and the town of <A href="/wiki/Menton" title="Menton">Menton</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-46">[44]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-47">[45]</A></SUP> The <A href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</A> attacked <A href="/wiki/Attack_on_Mers-el-K%C3%A9bir" title="Attack on Mers-el-Kébir">the French fleet in the North African port of Mers-el-Kébir</A> on 3 July 1940, after it refused to sail to Britain or the French West Indies and demobilise, as part of a larger plan to stop the French fleet from falling into German or Italian hands.<SUP id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-48">[46]</A></SUP></P>
<P>When Italy entered the war, there were no plans for an <A href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_Egypt" title="Italian invasion of Egypt">invasion of Egypt</A> while France was still able to resist. When France surrendered, Mussolini gave instructions for his generals to prepare an offensive.<SUP id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-49">[47]</A></SUP> On 10 August, he instructed his forces to be prepared to attack in conjunction with the <A href="/wiki/Operation_Sealion" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Sealion">German invasion of the United Kingdom</A>. While his generals did not believe they were prepared, they were ordered to push forward without any solid objectives.<SUP id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-50">[48]</A></SUP> On 9 September, Italian aircraft start preparation bombardments for the invasion of Egypt. Four days later, Italian infantry attacked and advanced as far as <A href="/wiki/Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</A> before digging in, 80 mi (130 km) west of the main British position at <A href="/wiki/Mersa_Matruh" title="Mersa Matruh">Mersa Matruh</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-51">[49]</A></SUP> In East Africa, after some initial offensive actions, the <A href="/wiki/Italian_conquest_of_British_Somaliland" title="Italian conquest of British Somaliland">Italian conquest of British Somaliland</A> began in August and annexed the colony.<SUP id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-52">[50]</A></SUP> After crossing the Albanian border, Italian forces began the <A href="/wiki/Greco-Italian_War" title="Greco-Italian War">Greco-Italian War</A> by invading Greece on 28 October. The Greek army repulsed the Italian attack and commenced a counter-offensive on 14 November, which pushed Italian forces back into <A href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-Weinberg210_53-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Weinberg210-53">[51]</A></SUP></P>
<P>The Royal Navy inflicted a major setback upon the Italian Royal Navy during the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto" title="Battle of Taranto">Battle of Taranto</A> on the night of 12/13 November.<SUP id="cite_ref-Weinberg210_53-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Weinberg210-53">[51]</A></SUP> After assembling enough forces the British launched a counter-attack upon the Italians in Egypt. <A href="/wiki/Operation_Compass" title="Operation Compass">Operation Compass</A> drove the Italians out of Egypt and resulted in the destruction of the Italian <A href="/wiki/Tenth_Army_(Italy)" title="Tenth Army (Italy)">10th Army</A> in February 1941. Following this success, British forces adopted a defensive position in North Africa and redeployed most troops to Greece in <A href="/wiki/Operation_Lustre" title="Operation Lustre">Operation Lustre</A>, leaving a weak force garrisoning the gains made from Operation Compass.<SUP id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-54">[52]</A></SUP> In March, the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kufra_(1941)" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Kufra (1941)">Battle of Kufra</A> ended with the Italians losing the desert oasis of Kufra—a vital link between Italian east and north Africa—which was located in south-eastern Libya.<SUP id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-55">[53]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Axis_success">Axis success</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Axis success">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="North_Africa">North Africa</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: North Africa">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
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Maximum area of Italian control in the Mediterranean theatre in summer–fall 1942. The area controlled by Italian forces is outlined in green, that controlled by British forces is outlined in red</DIV>
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<P>In North Africa, the Italians responded to the defeat of their Tenth Army by dispatching armour and motorised divisions.<SUP id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-56">[54]</A></SUP> Germany dispatched the <I><A href="/wiki/Afrika_Korps" title="Afrika Korps">Afrika Korps</A></I> in <A href="/wiki/Operation_Sonnenblume" title="Operation Sonnenblume">Operation Sonnenblume</A>, to bolster the Italians with a mission to block further Allied attempts to drive the Italians out of the region. However, its commanding officer—<A href="/wiki/Erwin_Rommel" title="Erwin Rommel">Erwin Rommel</A>—seized on the weakness of his opponents and without waiting for his forces to fully assemble, rapidly went on the offensive.<SUP id="cite_ref-Jentz82_57-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Jentz82-57">[55]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-58">[56]</A></SUP> In March–April 1941, he defeated the British forces facing him and forced the British and Commonwealth forces into retreat.<SUP id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-59">[57]</A></SUP> The Australian 9th Infantry Division fell back to the fortress port of <A href="/wiki/Tobruk" title="Tobruk">Tobruk</A> and the remaining British and Commonwealth forces withdrew a further 100 mi (160 km) east to <A href="/wiki/Sallum" title="Sallum">Sollum</A> on the Libyan–Egyptian border.<SUP id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-60">[58]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-playfair3335_61-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-playfair3335-61">[59]</A></SUP> The <A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Tobruk" title="Siege of Tobruk">Siege of Tobruk</A> began by the main Axis force and a small German force pressed eastwards, retaking all territory lost to Operation Compass, and advanced into Egypt. By the end of April, Sollum had fallen and the important Halfaya Pass captured.<SUP id="cite_ref-P160_62-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-P160-62">[60]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-63">[61]</A></SUP></P>
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General Ettore Bastico, Supreme Commander of Axis Forces in North Africa.</DIV>
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<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Balkans">Balkans</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Balkans">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<P><A href="/wiki/Balkans_Campaign_(World_War_II)" class="mw-redirect" title="Balkans Campaign (World War II)">In the Balkans</A>, the Greeks had been reluctant to allow <A href="/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">British</A> troops into the country, because Britain could not spare enough forces to guarantee victory. They had, however, accepted aid from the RAF in their war with the Italians in Albania.<SUP id="cite_ref-Weinberg,_p._217_64-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Weinberg,_p._217-64">[62]</A></SUP> As it became likely Germany would attack Greece, four British divisions were switched from North Africa to reinforce Greek Army.<SUP id="cite_ref-Weinberg,_p._217_64-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Weinberg,_p._217-64">[62]</A></SUP> The advanced guards of these troops began arriving in March 1941, triggering the entry of German forces into Bulgaria, which made clear the German intent to invade Greece.<SUP id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-65">[63]</A></SUP></P>
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Uprising in Yugoslavia 1941.</DIV>
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<P>In April 1941, <A href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Yugoslavia" title="Invasion of Yugoslavia">Germans, Italians, Hungarians and Bulgarians made quick work of the Royal Yugoslav army</A>. They captured the country in 11 days and partitioned it among themselves and newly formed client states: <A href="/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</A> and <A href="/wiki/Nedi%C4%87%27s_Serbia" class="mw-redirect" title="Nedić's Serbia">Nedić's Serbia</A>. A <A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">complex guerilla uprising</A> of <A href="/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Yugoslavia" class="mw-redirect" title="Communist Party of Yugoslavia">communist</A>-led <A href="/wiki/Partisans_(Yugoslavia)" class="mw-redirect" title="Partisans (Yugoslavia)">Partisans</A>, commanded by <A href="/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito" title="Josip Broz Tito">Josip Broz Tito</A>, soon broke out. A more ambivalent, predominantly Serb paramilitary movement of <A href="/wiki/Yugoslav_Army_in_the_Fatherland" class="mw-redirect" title="Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland">royalist Chetniks</A> both fought the occupying forces and collaborated with them against the communists. The Partisans eventually gained recognition from the Allies as the sole resistance movement. With help from both the Soviets and the Western Allies, they turned into a formidable fighting force and successfully liberated the country.<SUP id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-66">[64]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Beginning on 6 April, in the ensuing <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Greece" title="Battle of Greece">invasion of Greece</A> the Germans had been temporarily held at the border by the Greek defenders, yet after moving through south-eastern Yugoslavia they had been able to turn the Allied flank, cutting off Greek units in the east of the country. Greek forces in central Macedonia were subsequently isolated from the British Commonwealth forces moving up in an attempt stabilise the front, with the Germans then falling on the rear of the main Greek army facing the Italians in Macedonia. The German advance into Greece was made easier because the bulk of the Greek Army was engaged fighting the Italians on the Albanian front in the north of the country.<SUP id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-67">[65]</A></SUP> The Greeks were forced to capitulate, ending resistance on the mainland by the end of the month.<SUP id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-68">[66]</A></SUP> Abandoning most of its equipment, the British Commonwealth force retreated to the island of Crete. From 20 May, the Germans attacked the island by using <A href="/wiki/Airborne_forces" title="Airborne forces">paratroops</A> to secure an <A href="/wiki/Bridgehead" title="Bridgehead">air bridgehead</A> despite suffering heavy casualties. They then flew in more troops and were able to capture the rest of the island by 1 June.<SUP id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-69">[67]</A></SUP> With their victory in the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Battle of Crete</A> the Germans had secured their southern flank and turned their attention towards the Soviet Union.<SUP id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-70">[68]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="East_Africa">East Africa</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: East Africa">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
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Duke Amedeo d'Aosta</DIV>
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<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">East African Campaign (World War II)</A></DIV>
<P>In <A href="/wiki/East_Africa" title="East Africa">East Africa</A>, the British launched a counter-attack against the Italians from <A href="/wiki/Kenya_Colony" title="Kenya Colony">Kenya Colony</A> in February 1941. Landings were subsequently conducted in <A href="/wiki/British_Somaliland" title="British Somaliland">British Somaliland</A> and <A href="/wiki/Italian_Ethiopia" title="Italian Ethiopia">Italian Ethiopia</A>, while an expedition from the Sudan moved on <A href="/wiki/Addis_Ababa" title="Addis Ababa">Addis Ababa</A>. The Italian Viceroy, Duke Amedeo d'Aosta, was forced to surrender by 18 May which effectively ended the campaign, allowing the <A href="/wiki/Empire_of_Ethiopia" class="mw-redirect" title="Empire of Ethiopia">Empire of Ethiopia</A> to be re-established under <A href="/wiki/Haile_Selassie" title="Haile Selassie">Haile Selassie</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-71">[69]</A></SUP> A number of Italian garrisons continued to hold out, but the last of these, at <A href="/wiki/Gondar" title="Gondar">Gondar</A>, surrendered in November.<SUP id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-72">[70]</A></SUP> Small groups of Italian troops carried out the <A href="/wiki/Italian_guerrilla_war_in_Ethiopia" title="Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia">Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia</A> until October 1943.<SUP id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-73">[71]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Middle_East_operations">Middle East operations</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Middle East operations">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Iraq">Iraq</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Iraq">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Anglo-Iraqi War</A> and <A href="/wiki/Farhud" title="Farhud">Farhud</A></DIV>
<P>When Italy entered the war the Iraqi government did not break off diplomatic relations, as they had done with Germany.<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair177_74-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair177-74">[72]</A></SUP> The Italian Legation in Baghdad became the centre for Axis propaganda and for fomenting anti-British feeling. In this they were aided by <A href="/wiki/Mohammad_Amin_al-Husayni" class="mw-redirect" title="Mohammad Amin al-Husayni">Mohammad Amin al-Husayni</A>, the British appointee as the <A href="/wiki/Grand_Mufti_of_Jerusalem" title="Grand Mufti of Jerusalem">Grand Mufti of Jerusalem</A>, who had fled from the British Mandate of Palestine shortly before the outbreak of war and later received asylum in Baghdad.<SUP id="cite_ref-Churchill_p._224_75-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Churchill_p._224-75">[73]</A></SUP> In January 1941, there was a political crisis within Iraq as Rashid Ali resigned as <A href="/wiki/Prime_Minister" class="mw-redirect" title="Prime Minister">Prime Minister</A> of Iraq and was replaced by <A href="/wiki/Taha_al-Hashimi" title="Taha al-Hashimi">Taha al-Hashimi</A>; civil war loomed.<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair178_76-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair178-76">[74]</A></SUP> On 31 March, the <A href="/wiki/Regent" title="Regent">Regent</A> of Iraq, Prince <A href="/wiki/%27Abd_al-Ilah" title="'Abd al-Ilah">'Abd al-Ilah</A>, learnt of a plot to arrest him and fled <A href="/wiki/Baghdad" title="Baghdad">Baghdad</A> for <A href="/wiki/RAF_Habbaniya" title="RAF Habbaniya">RAF Habbaniya</A>, from whence he was flown to Basra and given refuge on the <A href="/wiki/Insect_class_gunboat" class="mw-redirect" title="Insect class gunboat">Insect class gunboat</A> <A href="/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer_(1915)" title="HMS Cockchafer (1915)">HMS <I>Cockchafer</I></A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair178_76-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair178-76">[74]</A></SUP></P>
<P>On 1 April, Rashid Ali, along with four senior Army and Air Force officers known as the "<A href="/wiki/Golden_Square_(Iraq)" title="Golden Square (Iraq)">Golden Square</A>", seized power via a <I><A href="/wiki/Iraq_coup_(1941)" class="mw-redirect" title="Iraq coup (1941)">coup d'état</A></I> and Rashid Ali proclaimed himself Chief of the "National Defence Government."<SUP id="cite_ref-Playfair178_76-2" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Playfair178-76">[74]</A></SUP> The Golden Square deposed al-Hashimi and restored Rashid Ali.<SUP id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-77">[75]</A></SUP> Ali did not overthrow the <A href="/wiki/Monarchy" title="Monarchy">monarchy</A> and named a new Regent to <A href="/wiki/King_of_Iraq" class="mw-redirect" title="King of Iraq">King</A> <A href="/wiki/Faisal_II_of_Iraq" title="Faisal II of Iraq">Faisal II</A>, <A href="/w/index.php?title=Sherif_Sharaf&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Sherif Sharaf (page does not exist)">Sherif Sharaf</A>. The leaders of the "National Defence Government" proceeded to arrest many pro-British citizens and politicians but many escaped through <A href="/wiki/Amman" title="Amman">Amman</A> in Transjordan. The new regime planned to refuse further concessions to the United Kingdom, to retain diplomatic links with Fascist Italy and to expel the most prominent pro-British politicians. The plotters considered the United Kingdom to be weak and believed that its government would negotiate with their new government regardless of its legality.<SUP id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-78">[76]</A></SUP> On 17 April, Rashid Ali, on behalf of the "National Defence Government" asked Germany for military assistance in the event of war with the British.<SUP id="cite_ref-Lyman,_p._16_79-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Lyman,_p._16-79">[77]</A></SUP> Ali attempted to restrict British rights guaranteed under <A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_Treaty_(1930)#Article_5." title="Anglo-Iraqi Treaty (1930)">Article 5</A> of the 1930 Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, when he insisted that newly arrived British troops quickly be transported through Iraq and to Palestine.<SUP id="cite_ref-Lyman,_p._31_80-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Lyman,_p._31-80">[78]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Before the coup, Rashid Ali’s supporters had been informed that Germany would recognise the independence of Iraq from the British Empire. There had also been discussions on war material being sent to support the Iraqis and other Arab factions in fighting the British.<SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-2" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP> On 3 May, German Foreign Minister <A href="/wiki/Joachim_von_Ribbentrop" title="Joachim von Ribbentrop">Joachim von Ribbentrop</A> persuaded <A href="/wiki/Adolf_Hitler" title="Adolf Hitler">Adolf Hitler</A> to secretly return Dr. <A href="/wiki/Fritz_Grobba" title="Fritz Grobba">Fritz Grobba</A> to Iraq to lead a diplomatic mission to channel support to the Rashid Ali regime but the British quickly learned of the German arrangements through intercepted Italian diplomatic transmissions.<SUP id="cite_ref-Lyman63_81-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Lyman63-81">[79]</A></SUP> On 6 May, in accordance with the <A href="/wiki/Paris_Protocols" title="Paris Protocols">Paris Protocols</A>, Germany concluded a deal with the <A href="/wiki/Vichy_French" class="mw-redirect" title="Vichy French">Vichy French</A> government to release war materials, including aircraft, from sealed stockpiles in the <A href="/wiki/French_Mandate_of_Syria" class="mw-redirect" title="French Mandate of Syria">French Mandate of Syria</A> and transport them to Iraq. The French also agreed to allow passage of other weapons and material and loaned several airbases in northern Syria to Germany, for the transport of German aircraft to Iraq.<SUP id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-82">[80]</A></SUP> Between 9 May and the end of the month, about 100 German and about 20 Italian aircraft landed on Syrian airfields.<SUP id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-83">[81]</A></SUP></P>
<P>On 30 April, the Iraqi Army surrounded and besieged RAF Habbaniya; the base had no operational aircraft but the RAF converted trainers to carry weapons and a battalion of infantry reinforcements was flown in. German and Italian aircraft supported the Iraqi army and British reinforcements were dispatched to Iraq from Transjordan and India. The larger but poorly trained Iraqi force was defeated and Baghdad and <A href="/wiki/Mosul" title="Mosul">Mosul</A> were captured. Ali and his supporters fled the country and an <A href="/wiki/Armistice" title="Armistice">armistice</A> was signed, restoring the monarchy of Faisal II, the <A href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Iraq" title="Kingdom of Iraq">Kingdom of Iraq</A> and a pro-British government. The defeat of the rebellion saw the defeat of the German-Italian attempt to entrench an Axis state in Iraq and worsened relations between the UK and Vichy France, culminating in the <A href="/wiki/Syria-Lebanon_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Syria-Lebanon Campaign">Syria-Lebanon Campaign</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-3" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Operation_Exporter">Operation Exporter</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Operation Exporter">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon Campaign">Syria–Lebanon Campaign</A></DIV>
<P>In Operation Exporter, Australian, <A href="/wiki/Free_French" class="mw-redirect" title="Free French">Free French</A>, British and Indian units invaded Syria and Lebanon from Palestine in the south on 8 June 1941. Vigorous resistance was met from the Vichy French but superior Allied training, equipment and numbers overwhelmed the defenders. More attacks were launched at the end of June and early July, from Iraq into northern and central Syria, by <A href="/wiki/Iraqforce" title="Iraqforce">Iraqforce</A>. By 8 July, north-east Syria had been captured and elements of Iraqforce had advanced up the river Euphrates towards <A href="/wiki/Aleppo" title="Aleppo">Aleppo</A>, the rear of the Vichy forces defending Beirut from the advance from the south. Negotiations for an armistice were started on 11 July and surrender terms signed on 14 July.<SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-4" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Iran">Iran</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Iran">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Operation_Countenance" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Countenance">Operation Countenance</A></DIV>
<P>Supplies to the <A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</A> had been sent via the <A href="/wiki/North_Cape,_Norway" class="mw-redirect" title="North Cape, Norway">North Cape</A> to <A href="/wiki/Murmansk" title="Murmansk">Murmansk</A> and <A href="/wiki/Arkhangelsk" title="Arkhangelsk">Archangel</A> soon after the German invasion but the number of ships available was limited and convoys were vulnerable to German air and submarine attack. Supplies were also sent from American pacific ports to <A href="/wiki/Vladivostok" title="Vladivostok">Vladivostok</A> in Soviet-flagged ships and Allied planners wished to open another supply route through <A href="/wiki/Iran" title="Iran">Iran</A>. The <A href="/wiki/Shah" title="Shah">Shah</A> was pro-German and would not allow access and an <A href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran</A> in August 1941 occupied Iran in Operation Countenance. The Shah was deposed, his son put on the throne, Iranian oil fields were secured and the line of supply to Russia established.<SUP id="cite_ref-O5_42-5" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O5-42">[40]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Gibraltar_and_Malta">Gibraltar and Malta</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Gibraltar and Malta">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Gibraltar_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Gibraltar during World War II">Military history of Gibraltar during World War II</A>, <A href="/wiki/Force_H" title="Force H">Force H</A>, <A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)">Siege of Malta (World War II)</A>, and <A href="/wiki/Mediterranean_U-boat_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)">Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)</A></DIV>
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Five Malta-based RAF pilots sitting in front of a Beaufighter and a Spitfire at <A href="/wiki/RAF_Luqa" title="RAF Luqa">RAF Luqa</A>, January 1943</DIV>
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<P>Gibraltar commanded the entrance to the Mediterranean and had been a British fortress since the early 18th century. The territory provided a strongly defended harbour, from which ships could operate in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. <A href="/wiki/Force_H" title="Force H">Force H</A> (<A href="/wiki/Vice-Admiral" class="mw-redirect" title="Vice-Admiral">Vice-Admiral</A> <A href="/wiki/James_Fownes_Somerville" class="mw-redirect" title="James Fownes Somerville">James Somerville</A>) was based in Gibraltar and had the task of maintaining naval superiority and providing a strong escort for convoys to and from the Malta.<SUP id="cite_ref-Stug180_84-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Stug180-84">[82]</A></SUP> Malta was 60 miles (97 km) from Sicily and one of the first targets of the Italian army and the <A href="/wiki/Regia_Aeronautica" title="Regia Aeronautica">Regia Aeronautica</A>; the air defence of Malta comprised six obsolescent <A href="/wiki/Gloster_Gladiator" title="Gloster Gladiator">Gloster Gladiator</A> biplanes. After the first Italian air attacks it became clear that Malta could be defended and in early July, the Gladiators were reinforced by twelve <A href="/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hawker Hurricane</A> fighters.<SUP id="cite_ref-Stug180_84-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Stug180-84">[82]</A></SUP></P>
<P>The <I><A href="/wiki/Kriegsmarine" title="Kriegsmarine">Kriegsmarine</A></I> began operations in the Mediterranean with establishment of the <A href="/wiki/23rd_U-boat_Flotilla" title="23rd U-boat Flotilla">23rd U-boat Flotilla</A> at a base on <A href="/wiki/Salamis_Island" title="Salamis Island">Salamis Island</A> in <A href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</A> in September 1941. The flotilla was to operate against British supply convoys to Allied forces on Malta and in Tobruk.<SUP id="cite_ref-85" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-85">[83]</A></SUP> On 7 December, control of the 23rd Flotilla was transferred from Kernével to Field Marshal <A href="/wiki/Albert_Kesselring" title="Albert Kesselring">Albert Kesselring</A>, Commander in Chief South (<I><A href="/wiki/OB_S%C3%BCd" title="OB Süd">OB Süd</A></I>) in Italy. Additional bases were established in <A href="/wiki/Pula" title="Pula">Pula</A> in Croatia and <A href="/wiki/La_Spezia" title="La Spezia">La Spezia</A> in northern Italy, as more U-boats were sent to the Mediterranean.<SUP id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-86">[84]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Bombing and the naval blockade led to food and commodity shortages and rationing was imposed on the inhabitants. <A href="/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</A> reinforcements in the Mediterranean joined in the bombing but during a lull in early 1942, 61 <A href="/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfires</A> were delivered, which very much improved the defensive situation, although food, ammunition, and fuel were still short.<SUP id="cite_ref-Stug180_84-2" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Stug180-84">[82]</A></SUP> Supply runs during lulls in the bombing kept Malta in being but many ships like <A href="/wiki/SS_Ohio" title="SS Ohio">SS <I>Ohio</I></A> were damaged too severely to leave. The defence of the island ensured that the Allies had an advantage in the fight to control the Mediterranean and as the garrison recovered from periods of intense bombing, aircraft, submarines and light surface ships resumed attacks on Axis supply ships, leading to fuel and supply shortages for the Axis forces in Libya.<SUP id="cite_ref-Stug180_84-3" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Stug180-84">[82]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Allied_reply">Allied reply</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Allied reply">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="North_Africa_2">North Africa</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: North Africa">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaign" title="Western Desert Campaign">Western Desert Campaign</A></DIV>
<P>During 1941, the British launched several offensives to push back the Axis forces in North Africa. Operation Brevity failed as did Operation Battleaxe but Operation Crusader, the third and larger offensive was launched at the end of the year. Over December 1941 into early 1942, Allied forces pushed the Italian-German forces back through Libya to roughly the limit of the previous Operation Compass advance. Taking advantage of the Allied position, German forces struck back and pushed the Allied to Gazala, west of Tobruk. As both sides prepared for offensives, the Axis forces struck first and inflicted a heavy defeat upon the Allied forces during the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">Battle of Gazala</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-87">[85]</A></SUP> The routed Allied forced retreated to Egypt where they commenced to make a stand at El Alamein.<SUP id="cite_ref-O130_88-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O130-88">[86]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Following the <A href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="First Battle of El Alamein">First Battle of El Alamein</A>, which had stalled the Axis advance into Egypt, British forces went onto the offensive in October.<SUP id="cite_ref-O130_88-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-O130-88">[86]</A></SUP> The <A href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Second Battle of El Alamein</A> marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign and turned the tide in the North African Campaign. It ended the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal, and of gaining access to the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields via North Africa. As the Eighth Army pushed west across the desert, capturing Libya, German forces occupied southern France and landed in Tunisia. On 8 November, Allied forces launched <A href="/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">Operation Torch</A> landing in various places across French North Africa. In December 1942, after a 101-day British blockade, <A href="/wiki/Djibouti" title="Djibouti">French Somaliland</A> fell to the Allies.<SUP id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-89">[87]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="US_involvement">US involvement</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: US involvement">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<P>Following the Japanese <A href="/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</A> on 7 December 1941, the United States joined the war.<SUP id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-90">[88]</A></SUP> On 8 November 1942, American forces entered combat in the Mediterranean and Middle East, which "transformed the Mediterranean from a British to an Allied theater of war", "succeeding operations in the Mediterranean area proved far more extensive than intended. One undertaking was to lead to the next".<SUP id="cite_ref-Howe,_pp._3–10_91-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Howe,_pp._3–10-91">[89]</A></SUP></P>
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<P>After liberating French North Africa and clearing the enemy from the Italian colonies, the Allies sought to bring the entire French empire effectively into the war against the Axis powers. They reopened the Mediterranean route to the Middle East. They went on from Africa to liberate Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. They caused Mussolini to topple from power, and they brought his successors to surrender. They drew more and more German military resources into a stubborn defence of the Italian peninsula, and helped the Yugoslavs to pin down within their spirited country thousands of Axis troops. Eventually, the Allies delivered a solid blow from southern France against the German forces which were opposing the Allied drive from the beaches of Normandy! They made Marseilles available for Allied use and they occupied northern Italy and Greece." Howe further notes that "Hitler had always accepted the principle that the Mediterranean was an area of paramount Italian interest just as, farther north, German interests were exclusive.<SUP id="cite_ref-Howe,_pp._3–10_91-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Howe,_pp._3–10-91">[89]</A></SUP></P>
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<P>Allied forces were placed under the command of a Supreme Allied Commander <A href="/wiki/AFHQ" class="mw-redirect" title="AFHQ">AFHQ</A> Mediterranean, General <A href="/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower" title="Dwight D. Eisenhower">Dwight D. Eisenhower</A>. Axis forces were caught between the Allied armies during the <A href="/wiki/Tunisia_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Tunisia Campaign">Tunisia Campaign</A> but managed to delay the Allied advance by defensive operations, most notably with the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Kasserine_Pass" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of the Kasserine Pass">Battle of the Kasserine Pass</A> and a temporary defensive success at the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mareth_Line" title="Battle of the Mareth Line">Battle of the Mareth Line</A>. After shattering the Axis defence on the Mareth Line, the Allies squeezed Axis forces into a pocket around Tunis. Axis resistance in Africa ended on 13 May 1943, with the unconditional surrender of nearly 240,000 men, who became <A href="/wiki/Prisoners_of_war" class="mw-redirect" title="Prisoners of war">prisoners of war</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-92">[90]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Southern_Europe">Southern Europe</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Southern Europe">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Italian_campaign">Italian campaign</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Italian campaign">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">Italian Campaign (World War II)</A></DIV>
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Men of the 10th Battalion, <A href="/wiki/Royal_Berkshire_Regiment" title="Royal Berkshire Regiment">Royal Berkshire Regiment</A>, part of <A href="/wiki/168th_(2nd_London)_Brigade" title="168th (2nd London) Brigade">168th Brigade</A> of <A href="/wiki/56th_(London)_Infantry_Division" title="56th (London) Infantry Division">British 56th Division</A>, climbing the heights of <A href="/wiki/Calvi_Risorta" title="Calvi Risorta">Calvi Risorta</A> shortly after the <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">invasion of Italy</A>, October 1943.</DIV>
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<P>Following the Allied victory in North Africa the <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Allies invaded Sicily</A> in <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Operation Husky</A> on 10 July 1943, with <A href="/wiki/Amphibious_warfare" title="Amphibious warfare">amphibious</A> and <A href="/wiki/Airborne_forces" title="Airborne forces">airborne</A> landings. The Germans were unable to prevent the Allied capture of the island but evacuated most of their troops and equipment to the mainland before the Allies entered <A href="/wiki/Messina" title="Messina">Messina</A> on 17 August.<SUP id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-93">[91]</A></SUP> On 25 July, the <A href="/wiki/Government_of_Italy" class="mw-redirect" title="Government of Italy">Italian government</A> deposed <A href="/wiki/Benito_Mussolini" title="Benito Mussolini">Mussolini</A>, the Italian leader, who was subsequently arrested. The new government announced that it would continue the war but secretly commenced negotiations with the Allies.<SUP id="cite_ref-Keegan291_94-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Keegan291-94">[92]</A></SUP></P>
<P>The <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">Allied invasion of Italy</A> started when the <A href="/wiki/Eighth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Eighth Army (United Kingdom)">British Eighth Army</A> landed in the toe of Italy on 3 September 1943, in <A href="/wiki/Operation_Baytown" title="Operation Baytown">Operation Baytown</A>. The Italian government signed the surrender the same day, believing they would be given time to make preparations against the anticipated German intervention. The Allies announced the <A href="/wiki/Armistice_of_Cassibile" title="Armistice of Cassibile">Armistice of Cassibile</A> on 8 September and German forces implemented plans to occupy the Italian peninsula. On 9 September, American and British forces of the <A href="/wiki/United_States_Army_North" title="United States Army North">US Fifth Army</A> <A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy#Salerno_landings" title="Allied invasion of Italy">landed at Salerno</A> in Operation Avalanche and more British airborne troops landed at <A href="/wiki/Taranto" title="Taranto">Taranto</A> in <A href="/wiki/Operation_Slapstick" title="Operation Slapstick">Operation Slapstick</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-95">[93]</A></SUP> German forces which had escaped from Sicily were concentrated against Avalanche, while additional forces were brought in to occupy Rome and disarm the <A href="/wiki/Royal_Italian_Army_during_World_War_II" title="Royal Italian Army during World War II">Italian Army</A> in central and northern Italy.<SUP id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-96">[94]</A></SUP></P>
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<A href="/wiki/Brazilian_Expeditionary_Force" title="Brazilian Expeditionary Force">Brazilian soldiers</A> celebrate the Brazilian Independence Day in Italy during World War II, September 1944.</DIV>
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<P>The Germans were unable to prevent the Italian fleet sailing to Malta, although the battleship <A href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Roma_(1940)" title="Italian battleship Roma (1940)"><I>Roma</I></A> was sunk by the Luftwaffe on 9 September.<SUP id="cite_ref-Keegan291_94-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Keegan291-94">[92]</A></SUP> In the occupied areas of southern Europe and the Mediterranean, German forces rapidly disarmed and captured Italian troops, putting down any resistance they offered in Yugoslavia, southern France and Greece.<SUP id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-97">[95]</A></SUP> Meanwhile, on 16 September, a German airborne force led by <A href="/wiki/Otto_Skorzeny" title="Otto Skorzeny">Otto Skorzeny</A> rescued Mussolini from the mountain resort in the <A href="/wiki/Gran_Sasso_raid" title="Gran Sasso raid">Gran Sasso</A> where he was being held. A puppet government headed by Mussolini was subsequently set up in northern Italy as the successor state to the former fascist government.<SUP id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-98">[96]</A></SUP> As the campaign in Italy continued, the rough terrain prevented fast movement and proved ideal for defence, the Allies continued to push the Germans northwards through the rest of the year. The German prepared defensive line called the <A href="/wiki/Winter_Line" title="Winter Line">Winter Line</A> (parts of which were called the Gustav Line) proved a major obstacle to the Allies at the end of 1943, halting the advance. <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Anzio" title="Battle of Anzio">Operation Shingle</A>, an amphibious assault at Anzio behind the line was intended to break it, but did not have the desired effect. The line was eventually broken by frontal assault at the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino#Fourth_and_final_battle" title="Battle of Monte Cassino">Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino</A> in the Spring of 1944 and <A href="/wiki/Rome" title="Rome">Rome</A> was captured in June.<SUP id="cite_ref-CK3_99-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-CK3-99">[97]</A></SUP></P>
<P>Following the fall of Rome, the <A href="/wiki/Normandy_landings" title="Normandy landings">Normandy landings</A> (6 June 1944) that began <A href="/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord">Operation Overlord</A> and the <A href="/wiki/Red_Army" title="Red Army">Red Army</A> victories on the <A href="/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Front</A>, the Italian campaign became of secondary importance to both sides. The <A href="/wiki/Gothic_Line" title="Gothic Line">Gothic Line</A> north of Rome was not broken until the <A href="/wiki/Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy" title="Spring 1945 offensive in Italy">Spring offensive</A> of 1945.<SUP id="cite_ref-Cl1_1-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Cl1-1">[1]</A></SUP> From 1944 to the end of war, the Italian Front was made up of a multi-national Allied force of Americans (including segregated <A href="/wiki/92nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" title="92nd Infantry Division (United States)">African</A> and <A href="/wiki/442nd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)" title="442nd Infantry Regiment (United States)">Japanese-Americans</A>), <A href="/wiki/Brazilian_Expeditionary_Force" title="Brazilian Expeditionary Force">Brazilians</A>, British, <A href="/wiki/I_Canadian_Corps" title="I Canadian Corps">Canadians</A>, Czechs, <A href="/wiki/French_Expeditionary_Corps_(1943%E2%80%931944)" class="mw-redirect" title="French Expeditionary Corps (1943–1944)">French</A>, Greeks, anti-fascist Italians, the <A href="/wiki/2nd_New_Zealand_Division" title="2nd New Zealand Division">2nd New Zealand Division</A>, <A href="/wiki/II_Corps_(Poland)" title="II Corps (Poland)">Poles</A>, <A href="/wiki/6th_Armoured_Division_(South_Africa)" title="6th Armoured Division (South Africa)">South Africans and Rhodesians</A> as well as members of the British and French empires, including the <A href="/wiki/3rd_Algerian_Infantry_Division" title="3rd Algerian Infantry Division">3rd Algerian Infantry Division</A>, Gurkhas, <A href="/wiki/8th_Infantry_Division_(India)" title="8th Infantry Division (India)">Indians</A>, <A href="/wiki/Free_French_Forces#Divisions" class="mw-redirect" title="Free French Forces">Moroccans</A> and forces raised in <A href="/wiki/Mandatory_Palestine" title="Mandatory Palestine">Mandatory Palestine</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-100" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-100">[98]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-101" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-101">[99]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-102">[100]</A></SUP> On 1 May, <A href="/wiki/Schutzstaffel" title="Schutzstaffel">SS</A> General <A href="/wiki/Karl_Wolff" title="Karl Wolff">Karl Wolff</A> and the <A href="/wiki/Commander-in-Chief" class="mw-redirect" title="Commander-in-Chief">Commander-in-Chief</A> of the <A href="/wiki/10th_Army_(Wehrmacht)" title="10th Army (Wehrmacht)">German 10th Army</A>, General <A href="/wiki/Heinrich_von_Vietinghoff" title="Heinrich von Vietinghoff">Heinrich von Vietinghoff</A>, after <A href="/wiki/Operation_Sunrise_(World_War_II)" title="Operation Sunrise (World War II)">Operation Sunrise</A> (protracted, clandestine, <A href="/wiki/Negotiation" title="Negotiation">negotiations</A> with the Allies), ordered German armed forces in Italy to make an <A href="/wiki/Unconditional_surrender" title="Unconditional surrender">unconditional surrender</A> to the Allies on 2 May 1945.<SUP id="cite_ref-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305_103-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305-103">[101]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Dodecanese_Campaign">Dodecanese Campaign</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Dodecanese Campaign">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Dodecanese_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Dodecanese Campaign">Dodecanese Campaign</A></DIV>
<P>The brief campaign in the Italian-held <A href="/wiki/Dodecanese_Islands" class="mw-redirect" title="Dodecanese Islands">Dodecanese Islands</A> resulted as both Germany and the Allies scrambled to occupy them after the surrender of Italy in early September 1943. The main island of Rhodes was swiftly secured by German forces, but British garrisons were established on most islands by mid-September. German air superiority, tactical prowess, and the absence of Allied reinforcements doomed the Allied effort, however. German forces, including <A href="/wiki/Fallschirmj%C3%A4ger" title="Fallschirmjäger">paratroopers</A> and <A href="/wiki/Brandenburgers" title="Brandenburgers">Brandenburger</A> commandos, launched a counter-offensive, capturing the island of <A href="/wiki/Kos" title="Kos">Kos</A> within two days in early October. A massive 50-day-long aerial campaign was launched against the island of <A href="/wiki/Leros" title="Leros">Leros</A> defended by Italian troops commanded by Admiral Mascherpa, who resisted the German air offensive before the landing of British support troops, which was invaded by the Germans who landed by sea and air on 12 November and surrendered four days later. The remaining British garrisons were then evacuated to the <A href="/wiki/Middle_East" title="Middle East">Middle East</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-CK3_99-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-CK3-99">[97]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Invasion_of_southern_France">Invasion of southern France</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Invasion of southern France">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <A href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon">Operation Dragoon</A></DIV>
<P>On 15 August 1944, in an effort to aid their operations in <A href="/wiki/Normandy" title="Normandy">Normandy</A>, the Allies launched <A href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon">Operation Dragoon</A> — the invasion of Southern France between <A href="/wiki/Toulon" title="Toulon">Toulon</A> and <A href="/wiki/Cannes" title="Cannes">Cannes</A>. The Allies rapidly broke out of their beachheads and fanned out north and east to join up with the <A href="/wiki/Twelfth_Army_Group" class="mw-redirect" title="Twelfth Army Group">American 12th Army Group</A> which was breaking out of the Normandy beachhead. In early September supreme command of the <A href="/wiki/Sixth_Army_Group" class="mw-redirect" title="Sixth Army Group">6th Army Group</A> moved from AFHQ to <A href="/wiki/SHAEF" class="mw-redirect" title="SHAEF">SHAEF</A> and the 6th Army Group moved out of the Mediterranean Theatre and into the <A href="/wiki/European_Theatre_of_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="European Theatre of World War II">European Theatre</A> fighting as one of three Allied army groups on the <A href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-CK3_99-2" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-CK3-99">[97]</A></SUP></P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Post-war_conflicts">Post-war conflicts</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Post-war conflicts">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Trieste">Trieste</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Trieste">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<P>At the end of the war in Europe, on 1 May 1945, troops of the 4th Army of the <A href="/wiki/Socialist_Federal_Republic_of_Yugoslavia" title="Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia">Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia</A> and the <A href="/wiki/Slovenes" title="Slovenes">Slovene</A> 9th Corpus <A href="/wiki/Slovene_Partisans" title="Slovene Partisans">NLA</A> occupied the town of <A href="/wiki/Trieste" title="Trieste">Trieste</A>. The <A href="/wiki/Wehrmacht" title="Wehrmacht">Germans</A> surrendered to the Allies which entered the town the following day. The Yugoslavs had to leave the town some days after.<SUP id="cite_ref-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305_103-1" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305-103">[101]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Greece">Greece</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Greece">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<P>Allied forces which had been sent to Greece in October 1944 after the German withdrawal, were attacked by the leftist <A href="/wiki/National_Liberation_Front_(Greece)" title="National Liberation Front (Greece)">EAM</A>-<A href="/wiki/Greek_People%27s_Liberation_Army" title="Greek People's Liberation Army">ELAS</A> <A href="/wiki/Greek_Resistance" title="Greek Resistance">Resistance</A> movement, resulting in clashes in <A href="/wiki/Athens" title="Athens">Athens</A> during December of that year, which began the <A href="/wiki/Greek_Civil_War" title="Greek Civil War">Greek Civil War</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-104">[102]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Syria">Syria</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Syria">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <A href="/wiki/Levant_Crisis" title="Levant Crisis">Levant Crisis</A></DIV>
<P>In Syria, nationalist protests were on the rise at the continued occupation of the <A href="/wiki/Levant" title="Levant">Levant</A> by France in May 1945. French forces then tried to quell the protests but concern with heavy Syrian casualties forced Winston Churchill to oppose French action there. After being rebuffed by Charles De Gaulle he ordered British forces under general <A href="/wiki/Bernard_Paget" title="Bernard Paget">Bernard Paget</A> into Syria from <A href="/wiki/Jordan" title="Jordan">Jordan</A> with orders to fire on the French if necessary. A crisis began as British armoured cars and troops then reached the Syrian capital Damascus following which the French were escorted and confined to their barracks. With political pressure added the French ordered a ceasefire; following which the French withdrew from Syria the following year.<SUP id="cite_ref-Luce_105-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Luce-105">[103]</A></SUP></P>
<H3><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Palestine">Palestine</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Palestine">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H3>
<DIV role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <A href="/wiki/Intercommunal_conflict_in_Mandatory_Palestine" title="Intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine">Intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine</A></DIV>
<P>Prior to the war the <A href="/wiki/British_Mandate_in_Palestine" class="mw-redirect" title="British Mandate in Palestine">British Mandate in Palestine</A> was faced with <A href="/wiki/Ethnic_violence" title="Ethnic violence">ethnic violence</A> between the Arab population of Palestine and <A href="/wiki/Jewish_settlers" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish settlers">Jewish settlers</A> that carried over into the war. However after the war a <A href="/wiki/1947%E2%80%9348_Civil_War_in_Mandatory_Palestine" title="1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine">civil war</A> erupted in Mandatory Palestine between Arab forces, Jewish settlers, and the British administration that lasted until 1948 and later drew in neighboring nations into conflict causing the start of the <A href="/wiki/1948_Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_War" title="1948 Arab–Israeli War">1948 Arab–Israeli War</A>.</P>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="See_also">See also</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: See also">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
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<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Gibraltar_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Gibraltar during World War II">Military history of Gibraltar during World War II</A></LI>
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<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Notes">Notes</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Notes">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<DIV class="reflist" style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<DIV class="mw-references-wrap">
<OL class="references">
<LI id="cite_note-2"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-2"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">8 June – 14 July 1941 (<A href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon Campaign">Syria–Lebanon Campaign</A>), and 8–11 November 1942 (<A href="/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">operation <I>Torch</I></A> and <I><A href="/wiki/Case_Anton" title="Case Anton">Case Anton</A></I>). Vichy officially pursued a policy of <A href="/wiki/Armed_neutrality" class="mw-redirect" title="Armed neutrality">armed neutrality</A> and conducted military actions against armed incursions from Axis and Allied belligerents. The cease fire and pledging of allegiance of the Vichy troops in French North Africa to the Allies during <I>Torch</I> convinced the Axis that Vichy could not be trusted to continue this policy, so they invaded and occupied the French rump state.<SUP id="cite_ref-Cl1_1-0" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-Cl1-1">[1]</A></SUP></SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-6"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-6"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">While the fighting around the Mediterranean formed the longest fought over <A href="/wiki/Theater_(warfare)" title="Theater (warfare)">theatre of war</A> during the <A href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">Second World War</A>, the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Battle of the Atlantic</A> was fought from 1939 to 1945, the war's longest continuous <A href="/wiki/Military_campaign" title="Military campaign">military campaign</A>.<SUP id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-4">[3]</A></SUP><SUP id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><A href="#cite_note-5">[4]</A></SUP></SPAN></LI>
</OL>
</DIV>
</DIV>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="Citations">Citations</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: Citations">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<DIV class="reflist columns references-column-width" style="-moz-column-width: 20em; -webkit-column-width: 20em; column-width: 20em; list-style-type: decimal;">
<OL class="references">
<LI id="cite_note-Cl1-1"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Cl1_1-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Cl1_1-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Clark, p. 1.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-3"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-3"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text"><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Germany</A> unconditionally surrendered on 8 May 1945, however a German Wehrmacht column continued fighting until the end of the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Poljana" title="Battle of Poljana">Battle of Poljana</A>. The <A href="/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</A> would continue fighting until the end of the <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Od%C5%BEak" title="Battle of Odžak">Battle of Odžak</A> on 25 May 1945.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-4"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-4"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Blair (1996), p. xiii</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-5"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-5"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Woodman (2004), p. 1</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Smith170-7"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Smith170_7-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Smith170_7-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Smith, p. 170</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-8"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-8"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Martel, p. 184, 198</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-B&J467-9"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-B&J467_9-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bideleux and Jeffries, p. 467</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Bell,_p._72-10"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Bell,_p._72_10-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Bell,_p._72_10-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bell, p. 72</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Salerno-11"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Salerno_11-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Salerno_11-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Salerno, pp. 105–106</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-12"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-12"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bell, pp. 72–73</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-13"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-13"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Mallet, p. 9</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-14"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-14"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 21</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-15"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-15"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bell, p. 70</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-16"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-16"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Beevor (2006). pp. 135–6.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-17"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-17"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 24</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-18"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-18"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, p. 73</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Bell-19"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Bell_19-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bell, p. 76</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-20"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-20"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Martel, pp. 178, 198</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-21"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-21"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 7</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Playfair8-22"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Playfair8_22-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Playfair8_22-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 8</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Fraser1819-23"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Fraser1819_23-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Fraser1819_23-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Fraser, pp. 18–19</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-24"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-24"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 12</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-25"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-25"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), pp. 31–32, 459</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-26"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-26"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 33</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-27"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-27"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), pp. 31, 457</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-28"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-28"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bilgin, p.74</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Fraser114-29"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Fraser114_29-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Fraser114_29-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Fraser, p. 114</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-30"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-30"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 458</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-31"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-31"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair, pp. 51, 53</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-32"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-32"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), pp. 24–25</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-33"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-33"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 41</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-34"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-34"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair, pp. 48–49</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-35"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-35"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 54</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-36"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-36"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954) p. 53</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-37"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-37"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 100</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-38"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-38"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 109</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-39"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-39"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Wragg, p. 228.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-40"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-40"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 112</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-41"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-41"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 118</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-O5-42"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-2"><SUP><I><B>c</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-3"><SUP><I><B>d</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-4"><SUP><I><B>e</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O5_42-5"><SUP><I><B>f</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 56–57</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-43"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-43"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Jowett, p. 5.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-44"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-44"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bell, p. 306</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-45"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-45"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bulletin of International News, pp. 852–854</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-46"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-46"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Rodogno, p. 9</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-47"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-47"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Maier, p. 311</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-48"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-48"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, pp. 145–146.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-49"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-49"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), p. 207</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-50"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-50"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Macksey, p. 35</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-51"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-51"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1954), pp. 209–210</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-52"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-52"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Carol, p. 12.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Weinberg210-53"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Weinberg210_53-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Weinberg210_53-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, p. 210.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-54"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-54"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), pp. 2–5</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-55"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-55"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Martel (1994), p. 108.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-56"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-56"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Bauer, p.121</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Jentz82-57"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Jentz82_57-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Jentz, p. 82</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-58"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-58"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Rommel, p. 109</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-59"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-59"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), pp. 19–40</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-60"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-60"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Latimer, pp. 43–45</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-playfair3335-61"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-playfair3335_61-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), pp. 33–35</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-P160-62"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-P160_62-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), p. 160</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-63"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-63"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Jentz, pp. 128–129, 131</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Weinberg,_p._217-64"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Weinberg,_p._217_64-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Weinberg,_p._217_64-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, p. 217.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-65"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-65"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, pp. 120–121.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-66"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-66"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 68–71</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-67"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-67"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Stockings & Hancock, pp. 78–82</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-68"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-68"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, pp. 221–222.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-69"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-69"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, pp. 129–139.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-70"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-70"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), pp. 148–149.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-71"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-71"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, p. 211.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-72"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-72"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Fage, Crowder & Oliver, p. 461.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-73"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-73"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Cernuschi, 1994, pp. 5–74</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Playfair177-74"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Playfair177_74-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), p. 177</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Churchill_p._224-75"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Churchill_p._224_75-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Churchill, p. 224</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Playfair178-76"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Playfair178_76-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Playfair178_76-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Playfair178_76-2"><SUP><I><B>c</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), p. 178</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-77"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-77"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Lyman, p. 12</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-78"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-78"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Lyman, p. 13</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Lyman,_p._16-79"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Lyman,_p._16_79-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Lyman, p. 16</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Lyman,_p._31-80"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Lyman,_p._31_80-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Lyman, p. 31</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Lyman63-81"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Lyman63_81-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Lyman, p. 63</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-82"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-82"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Playfair (1956), pp. 194–195</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-83"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-83"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Churchill, p. 288</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Stug180-84"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Stug180_84-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Stug180_84-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Stug180_84-2"><SUP><I><B>c</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Stug180_84-3"><SUP><I><B>d</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Sturgeson, pp. 180–181</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-85"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-85"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text"><CITE class="citation web"><A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uboat.net/flotillas/23flo.htm">"23rd Flotilla"</A>. Guðmundur Helgason<SPAN class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <SPAN class="nowrap">2012-06-20</SPAN></SPAN>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=23rd+Flotilla&rft.pub=Gu%C3%B0mundur+Helgason&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uboat.net%2Fflotillas%2F23flo.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-86"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-86"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Blair (1996), pp. 395–404</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-87"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-87"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 120–121</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-O130-88"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-O130_88-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-O130_88-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 130–131.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-89"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-89"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 134–137.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-90"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-90"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Weinberg, pp. 260–263.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Howe,_pp._3–10-91"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Howe,_pp._3–10_91-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Howe,_pp._3–10_91-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Howe, pp. 3–10</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-92"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-92"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Overy, pp. 148–149</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-93"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-93"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, pp. 288–290.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Keegan291-94"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Keegan291_94-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Keegan291_94-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, p. 291.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-95"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-95"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Sturgeson, pp. 212–213.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-96"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-96"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, pp. 291–292.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-97"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-97"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, p. 292.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-98"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-98"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Keegan, pp. 292–293.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-CK3-99"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-CK3_99-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-CK3_99-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-CK3_99-2"><SUP><I><B>c</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Clark, p. 3.</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-100"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-100"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Ready (1985a)</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-101"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-101"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Ready (1985b)</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-102"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-102"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Corrigan (2011), p. 523</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305-103"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <A href="#cite_ref-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305_103-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up to: </SPAN><SUP><I><B>a</B></I></SUP></A> <A href="#cite_ref-Sturgeson,_pp._304–305_103-1"><SUP><I><B>b</B></I></SUP></A></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Sturgeson, pp. 304–305</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-104"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-104"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text">Sturgeson, pp. 274–275</SPAN></LI>
<LI id="cite_note-Luce-105"><SPAN class="mw-cite-backlink"><B><A href="#cite_ref-Luce_105-0"><SPAN class="cite-accessibility-label">Jump up </SPAN>^</A></B></SPAN> <SPAN class="reference-text"><CITE class="citation book">Luce, Henry Robinson (1945). <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=U-ELAQAAIAAJ&q="><I>Time, Volume 45</I></A>. Time Incorporated. pp. 25–26.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Time%2C+Volume+45&rft.pages=25-26&rft.pub=Time+Incorporated&rft.date=1945&rft.aulast=Luce&rft.aufirst=Henry+Robinson&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.co.uk%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DU-ELAQAAIAAJ%26q%3D&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></LI>
</OL>
</DIV>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="References">References</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: References">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
<DIV class="refbegin" style="">
<UL>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Aly, Götz; Chase, Jefferson (2008). <I>Hitler's Beneficiaries: Plunder, Racial War, and the Nazi Welfare State</I>. London: Picador. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8050-8726-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8050-8726-0">978-0-8050-8726-0</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Hitler%27s+Beneficiaries%3A+Plunder%2C+Racial+War%2C+and+the+Nazi+Welfare+State&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Picador&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-0-8050-8726-0&rft.aulast=Aly&rft.aufirst=G%C3%B6tz&rft.au=Chase%2C+Jefferson&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Bauer, Eddy (2000) [1979]. Young, Peter, ed. <I>The History of World War II</I> (rev. ed.). London: Orbis. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-85605-552-3" title="Special:BookSources/1-85605-552-3">1-85605-552-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+History+of+World+War+II&rft.place=London&rft.edition=rev.&rft.pub=Orbis&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=1-85605-552-3&rft.aulast=Bauer&rft.aufirst=Eddy&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Bell, P. M. H. (1997) [1986]. <I>The Origins of the Second World War in Europe</I> (2nd ed.). London: Pearson. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-30470-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-582-30470-3">978-0-582-30470-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Origins+of+the+Second+World+War+in+Europe&rft.place=London&rft.edition=2nd&rft.pub=Pearson&rft.date=1997&rft.isbn=978-0-582-30470-3&rft.aulast=Bell&rft.aufirst=P.+M.+H.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book"><A href="/wiki/Antony_Beevor" title="Antony Beevor">Beevor, Antony</A> (2006) [1982]. <I>The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939</I>. First published as The Spanish Civil War. London: Weidenfield and Nicolson. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-297-84832-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-297-84832-1">0-297-84832-1</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Battle+for+Spain%3A+The+Spanish+Civil+War+1936%E2%80%931939&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Weidenfield+and+Nicolson&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=0-297-84832-1&rft.aulast=Beevor&rft.aufirst=Antony&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Bideleux, Robert; Jeffries, Ian (1998). <I>A History of Eastern Europe: Crisis and Change</I>. Routledge. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-415-16111-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-415-16111-4">978-0-415-16111-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+History+of+Eastern+Europe%3A+Crisis+and+Change&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-0-415-16111-4&rft.aulast=Bideleux&rft.aufirst=Robert&rft.au=Jeffries%2C+Ian&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Bilgin, Pinar (2005). <I>Regional Security in the Middle East</I>. New York: Routledge. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-415-32549-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-415-32549-3">978-0-415-32549-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Regional+Security+in+the+Middle+East&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=2005&rft.isbn=978-0-415-32549-3&rft.aulast=Bilgin&rft.aufirst=Pinar&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Blair, Clay (1996). <I>Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942</I>. New York: Random House. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-394-58839-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-394-58839-8">0-394-58839-8</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Hitler%27s+U-Boat+War%3A+The+Hunters+1939%E2%80%931942&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Random+House&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=0-394-58839-8&rft.aulast=Blair&rft.aufirst=Clay&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation journal">"The Franco-Italian Armistice". <I>Bulletin of International News</I>. London: Royal Institute of International Affairs. <B>17</B> (14): 852–854. July 13, 1940. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Serial_Number" title="International Standard Serial Number">ISSN</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.worldcat.org/issn/0020-5850">0020-5850</A>. <A href="/wiki/JSTOR" title="JSTOR">JSTOR</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.jstor.org/stable/25642819">25642819</A>. <A href="/wiki/OCLC" title="OCLC">OCLC</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.worldcat.org/oclc/300290398">300290398</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Bulletin+of+International+News&rft.atitle=The+Franco-Italian+Armistice&rft.volume=17&rft.issue=14&rft.pages=852-854&rft.date=1940-07-13&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F300290398&rft.issn=0020-5850&rft_id=%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F25642819&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Carol, Steven (2012). <I>From Jerusalem to the Lion of Judah and Beyond: Israel's Foreign Policy in East Africa</I>. Bloomington: IUniverse. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4697-6129-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4697-6129-9">978-1-4697-6129-9</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=From+Jerusalem+to+the+Lion+of+Judah+and+Beyond%3A+Israel%27s+Foreign+Policy+in+East+Africa&rft.place=Bloomington&rft.pub=IUniverse&rft.date=2012&rft.isbn=978-1-4697-6129-9&rft.aulast=Carol&rft.aufirst=Steven&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation journal">Cernuschi, Enrico (December 1994). <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rid.it/">"La resistenza sconosciuta in Africa Orientale"</A> [The Unknown Resistance in East Africa]. <I>Rivista Storica</I> (in Italian). Rivista Italiana Difesa. <A href="/wiki/OCLC" title="OCLC">OCLC</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.worldcat.org/oclc/30747124">30747124</A><SPAN class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <SPAN class="nowrap">2 June</SPAN> 2015</SPAN>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Rivista+Storica&rft.atitle=La+resistenza+sconosciuta+in+Africa+Orientale&rft.date=1994-12&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F30747124&rft.aulast=Cernuschi&rft.aufirst=Enrico&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rid.it%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Clark, Lloyd (2008). <I>Crossing the Rhine: Breaking into Nazi Germany, 1944 and 1945 – The Greatest Airborne Battles in History</I>. New York, NY: Atlantic Monthly Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-87113-989-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-87113-989-4">978-0-87113-989-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Crossing+the+Rhine%3A+Breaking+into+Nazi+Germany%2C+1944+and+1945+%E2%80%93+The+Greatest+Airborne+Battles+in+History&rft.place=New+York%2C+NY&rft.pub=Atlantic+Monthly+Press&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-0-87113-989-4&rft.aulast=Clark&rft.aufirst=Lloyd&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Corrigan, Gordon (2011). <I>The Second World War: A Military History</I>. London: St. Martin's Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-312-57709-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-312-57709-4">978-0-312-57709-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Second+World+War%3A+A+Military+History&rft.place=London&rft.pub=St.+Martin%27s+Press&rft.date=2011&rft.isbn=978-0-312-57709-4&rft.aulast=Corrigan&rft.aufirst=Gordon&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Ehlers Jr., Robert S. (2015). <I>The Mediterranean Air War: Airpower and Allied Victory in World War II</I>. Modern war studies. Lawrence, KN: University Press of Kansas. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-70062-075-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-70062-075-3">0-70062-075-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Mediterranean+Air+War%3A+Airpower+and+Allied+Victory+in+World+War+II&rft.place=Lawrence%2C+KN&rft.series=Modern+war+studies&rft.pub=University+Press+of+Kansas&rft.date=2015&rft.isbn=0-70062-075-3&rft.aulast=Ehlers+Jr.&rft.aufirst=Robert+S.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Fage, J. D.; Crowder, Michael; Oliver, Roland (1984). <I>The Cambridge History of Africa: From 1940 to 1975</I>. <B>VIII</B>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-22409-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-22409-3">978-0-521-22409-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Cambridge+History+of+Africa%3A+From+1940+to+1975&rft.place=Cambridge&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=1984&rft.isbn=978-0-521-22409-3&rft.aulast=Fage&rft.aufirst=J.+D.&rft.au=Crowder%2C+Michael&rft.au=Oliver%2C+Roland&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Fraser, David (1999) [1983]. <I>And We Shall Shock Them: The British Army in the Second World War</I>. London: Cassell Military Paperbacks. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-304-35233-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-304-35233-0">0-304-35233-0</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=And+We+Shall+Shock+Them%3A+The+British+Army+in+the+Second+World+War&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Cassell+Military+Paperbacks&rft.date=1999&rft.isbn=0-304-35233-0&rft.aulast=Fraser&rft.aufirst=David&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Howe, George F. (1993) [1957]. <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/006/6-1-1/index.html"><I>Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West</I></A>. United States Army in World War II: The Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Washington DC: Center of Military History, United States Army. <A href="/wiki/OCLC" title="OCLC">OCLC</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.worldcat.org/oclc/256063428">256063428</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Northwest+Africa%3A+Seizing+the+Initiative+in+the+West&rft.place=Washington+DC&rft.series=United+States+Army+in+World+War+II%3A+The+Mediterranean+Theatre+of+Operations&rft.pub=Center+of+Military+History%2C+United+States+Army&rft.date=1993&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F256063428&rft.aulast=Howe&rft.aufirst=George+F.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.army.mil%2Fhtml%2Fbooks%2F006%2F6-1-1%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Jentz, Thomas L. (1998). <I>Tank Combat in North Africa: The Opening Rounds, Operations Sonnenblume, Brevity, Skorpion and Battleaxe, February 1941 – June 1941</I>. New York: Schiffer. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7643-0226-4" title="Special:BookSources/0-7643-0226-4">0-7643-0226-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Tank+Combat+in+North+Africa%3A+The+Opening+Rounds%2C+Operations+Sonnenblume%2C+Brevity%2C+Skorpion+and+Battleaxe%2C+February+1941+%E2%80%93+June+1941&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Schiffer&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=0-7643-0226-4&rft.aulast=Jentz&rft.aufirst=Thomas+L.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Jowett, Philip (2000). <I>Italian Army, 1940–1945</I>. <B>I</B>. Osprey. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85532-864-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-85532-864-8">978-1-85532-864-8</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Italian+Army%2C+1940%E2%80%931945&rft.pub=Osprey&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=978-1-85532-864-8&rft.aulast=Jowett&rft.aufirst=Philip&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Keegan, John (1997) [1989]. <I>The Second World War</I>. London: Pimlico. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7126-7348-2" title="Special:BookSources/0-7126-7348-2">0-7126-7348-2</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Second+World+War&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Pimlico&rft.date=1997&rft.isbn=0-7126-7348-2&rft.aulast=Keegan&rft.aufirst=John&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Latimer, Jon (2001). <I>Tobruk 1941: Rommel's Opening Move</I>. Osprey. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-275-98287-4" title="Special:BookSources/0-275-98287-4">0-275-98287-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Tobruk+1941%3A+Rommel%27s+Opening+Move&rft.pub=Osprey&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=0-275-98287-4&rft.aulast=Latimer&rft.aufirst=Jon&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Mack Smith, Denis (1982). <I>Mussolini</I>. Littlehampton Book Services. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-297-78005-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-297-78005-2">978-0-297-78005-2</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Mussolini&rft.pub=Littlehampton+Book+Services&rft.date=1982&rft.isbn=978-0-297-78005-2&rft.aulast=Mack+Smith&rft.aufirst=Denis&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book"><A href="/wiki/Kenneth_Macksey" title="Kenneth Macksey">Macksey, Major Kenneth</A> (1971). <I>Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory</I>. Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century. Ballantine. <A href="/wiki/OCLC" title="OCLC">OCLC</A> <A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//www.worldcat.org/oclc/637460844">637460844</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Beda+Fomm%3A+The+Classic+Victory&rft.series=Ballantine%27s+Illustrated+History+of+the+Violent+Century&rft.pub=Ballantine&rft.date=1971&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F637460844&rft.aulast=Macksey&rft.aufirst=Major+Kenneth&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Mallett, Rovert (2003). <I>Mussolini and the Origins of the Second World War, 1933–1940</I>. Palgrave Macmillan. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-333-74814-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-333-74814-5">978-0-333-74814-5</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Mussolini+and+the+Origins+of+the+Second+World+War%2C+1933%E2%80%931940&rft.pub=Palgrave+Macmillan&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-333-74814-5&rft.aulast=Mallett&rft.aufirst=Rovert&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Maier, Klaus (1991). <I>Germany's Initial Conquests in Europe</I>. <A href="/wiki/Germany_and_the_Second_World_War" title="Germany and the Second World War">Germany and the Second World War</A>. Oxford: Clarendon Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-822885-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-822885-1">978-0-19-822885-1</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Germany%27s+Initial+Conquests+in+Europe&rft.place=Oxford&rft.series=Germany+and+the+Second+World+War&rft.pub=Clarendon+Press&rft.date=1991&rft.isbn=978-0-19-822885-1&rft.aulast=Maier&rft.aufirst=Klaus&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Martel, Gordon, ed. (1999). <I>The Origins of the Second World War Reconsidered</I>. London: Routledge. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-415-16325-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-415-16325-5">978-0-415-16325-5</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Origins+of+the+Second+World+War+Reconsidered&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=1999&rft.isbn=978-0-415-16325-5&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Martel, André (1994). <I>Histoire militaire de la France</I> [<I>Military History of France</I>] (in French). Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-13-046074-7" title="Special:BookSources/2-13-046074-7">2-13-046074-7</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Histoire+militaire+de+la+France&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Presses+Universitaires+de+France&rft.date=1994&rft.isbn=2-13-046074-7&rft.aulast=Martel&rft.aufirst=Andr%C3%A9&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Overy, Richard (2014). <I>Book of World War II</I>. All About History. Imagine. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1910-155-295" title="Special:BookSources/978-1910-155-295">978-1910-155-295</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Book+of+World+War+II&rft.series=All+About+History&rft.pub=Imagine&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-1910-155-295&rft.aulast=Overy&rft.aufirst=Richard&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book"><A href="/wiki/Ian_Stanley_Ord_Playfair" class="mw-redirect" title="Ian Stanley Ord Playfair">Playfair, Major-General I. S. O.</A>; with Stitt <A href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">RN</A>, Commander G. M. S.; Molony, Brigadier C. J. C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S. E. (2004) [1st. pub. <A href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</A> 1954]. <A href="/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</A>, ed. <I>The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941)</I>. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. <B>I</B>. Naval & Military Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84574-065-3" title="Special:BookSources/1-84574-065-3">1-84574-065-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Mediterranean+and+Middle+East%3A+The+Early+Successes+Against+Italy+%28to+May+1941%29&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War%2C+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.pub=Naval+%26+Military+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=1-84574-065-3&rft.aulast=Playfair&rft.aufirst=Major-General+I.+S.+O.&rft.au=with+Stitt+RN%2C+Commander+G.+M.+S.&rft.au=Molony%2C+Brigadier+C.+J.+C.&rft.au=Toomer%2C+Air+Vice-Marshal+S.+E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Playfair, Major-General I. S. O.; with Flynn R. N., Captain F. C.; Molony, Brigadier C. J. C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S. E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1956]. Butler, J. R. M., ed. <I>The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally (1941)</I>. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. <B>II</B>. Naval & Military Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84574-066-1" title="Special:BookSources/1-84574-066-1">1-84574-066-1</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Mediterranean+and+Middle+East%3A+The+Germans+Come+to+the+Help+of+Their+Ally+%281941%29&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War%2C+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.pub=Naval+%26+Military+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=1-84574-066-1&rft.aulast=Playfair&rft.aufirst=Major-General+I.+S.+O.&rft.au=with+Flynn+R.+N.%2C+Captain+F.+C.&rft.au=Molony%2C+Brigadier+C.+J.+C.&rft.au=Toomer%2C+Air+Vice-Marshal+S.+E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Ready, J. Lee (1985). <I>Forgotten Allies: The Military Contribution of the Colonies, Exiled Governments and Lesser Powers to the Allied Victory in World War II: The European Theatre</I>. <B>I</B>. McFarland. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-89950-129-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-89950-129-1">978-0-89950-129-1</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Forgotten+Allies%3A+The+Military+Contribution+of+the+Colonies%2C+Exiled+Governments+and+Lesser+Powers+to+the+Allied+Victory+in+World+War+II%3A+The+European+Theatre&rft.pub=McFarland&rft.date=1985&rft.isbn=978-0-89950-129-1&rft.aulast=Ready&rft.aufirst=J.+Lee&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Ready, J. Lee (1985). <I>Forgotten Allies: The Military Contribution of the Colonies, Exiled Governments and Lesser Powers to the Allied Victory in World War II: The Asian Theatre</I>. <B>II</B>. McFarland. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-89950-117-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-89950-117-8">978-0-89950-117-8</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Forgotten+Allies%3A+The+Military+Contribution+of+the+Colonies%2C+Exiled+Governments+and+Lesser+Powers+to+the+Allied+Victory+in+World+War+II%3A+The+Asian+Theatre&rft.pub=McFarland&rft.date=1985&rft.isbn=978-0-89950-117-8&rft.aulast=Ready&rft.aufirst=J.+Lee&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Rodogno, Davide (2006). <I>Fascism's European Empire: Italian Occupation during the Second World War</I>. New Studies in European History. trans. A. Belton. London: Cambridge University Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-84515-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-84515-1">978-0-521-84515-1</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Fascism%27s+European+Empire%3A+Italian+Occupation+during+the+Second+World+War&rft.place=London&rft.series=New+Studies+in+European+History&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=978-0-521-84515-1&rft.aulast=Rodogno&rft.aufirst=Davide&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book"><A href="/wiki/Erwin_Rommel" title="Erwin Rommel">Rommel, Erwin</A> (1982) [1953]. Liddell-Hart, Basil, ed. <I>The Rommel Papers</I>. Da Capo Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-306-80157-4" title="Special:BookSources/0-306-80157-4">0-306-80157-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Rommel+Papers&rft.pub=Da+Capo+Press&rft.date=1982&rft.isbn=0-306-80157-4&rft.aulast=Rommel&rft.aufirst=Erwin&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Salerno, Reynolds M. (2002). <I>Vital Crossroads: Mediterranean Origins of the Second World War, 1935–1940</I>. Cornell University Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8014-3772-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8014-3772-4">978-0-8014-3772-4</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Vital+Crossroads%3A+Mediterranean+Origins+of+the+Second+World+War%2C+1935%E2%80%931940&rft.pub=Cornell+University+Press&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-0-8014-3772-4&rft.aulast=Salerno&rft.aufirst=Reynolds+M.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Stockings, C.; Hancock, E. (2013). <I>Swastika over the Acropolis: Re-interpreting the Nazi Invasion of Greece in World War II</I>. Boston: BRILL. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-9-00425-459-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-9-00425-459-6">978-9-00425-459-6</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Swastika+over+the+Acropolis%3A+Re-interpreting+the+Nazi+Invasion+of+Greece+in+World+War+II&rft.place=Boston&rft.pub=BRILL&rft.date=2013&rft.isbn=978-9-00425-459-6&rft.aulast=Stockings&rft.aufirst=C.&rft.au=Hancock%2C+E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Sturgeson, Allison (2009). <I>World War II: The Definitive Visual History</I>. New York, NY: Dorling Kimberly. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7566-4278-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7566-4278-5">978-0-7566-4278-5</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=World+War+II%3A+The+Definitive+Visual+History&rft.place=New+York%2C+NY&rft.pub=Dorling+Kimberly&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0-7566-4278-5&rft.aulast=Sturgeson&rft.aufirst=Allison&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Weinberg, Gerhard L. (1994). <I>A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II</I>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-44317-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-44317-3">978-0-521-44317-3</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+World+at+Arms%3A+A+Global+History+of+World+War+II&rft.place=Cambridge&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=1994&rft.isbn=978-0-521-44317-3&rft.aulast=Weinberg&rft.aufirst=Gerhard+L.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
<LI><CITE class="citation book">Wragg, David (2003). <I>Malta: The Last Great Siege 1940–1943</I>. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. <A href="/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</A> <A href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-990-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-990-6">978-0-85052-990-6</A>.</CITE><SPAN title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Malta%3A+The+Last+Great+Siege+1940%E2%80%931943&rft.place=Barnsley&rft.pub=Pen+%26+Sword&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-85052-990-6&rft.aulast=Wragg&rft.aufirst=David&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMediterranean+and+Middle+East+theatre+of+World+War+II" class="Z3988"><SPAN style="display:none;"> </SPAN></SPAN></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
<H2><SPAN class="mw-headline" id="External_links">External links</SPAN><SPAN class="mw-editsection"><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</SPAN><A href="/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: External links">edit</A><SPAN class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</SPAN></SPAN></H2>
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<UL>
<LI><A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Africa/index.html">Mediterranean sources and US Official accounts</A></LI>
<LI><A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-Med-I/index.html">The Mediterranean and Middle East Volume I The Early Successes against Italy (to May 1941). 1954</A></LI>
<LI><A rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-Med-II/index.html">The Mediterranean and Middle East Volume II The Germans come to the Help of their Ally (1941). 1956</A></LI>
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<DIV id="World_War_II" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><A href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</A></DIV>
</TH>
</TR>
<TR style="display: none;">
<TD class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;">
<DIV>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Asiatic-Pacific_Theater" title="Asiatic-Pacific Theater">Asia and the Pacific</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian theatre of World War II">South-East Asia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_theater_of_World_War_II" title="Pacific Ocean theater of World War II">North and Central Pacific</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South-West Pacific</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II">Europe</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A class="mw-selflink selflink">Mediterranean and Middle East</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">East Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">Italy</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Atlantic</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/American_Theater_(World_War_II)" title="American Theater (World War II)">North America</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Latin_America_during_World_War_II" title="Latin America during World War II">South America</A></LI>
</UL>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_casualties" title="World War II casualties">Casualties</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/List_of_military_engagements_of_World_War_II" title="List of military engagements of World War II">Military engagements</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/List_of_Allied_World_War_II_conferences" title="List of Allied World War II conferences">Conferences</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Commanders_of_World_War_II" title="Commanders of World War II">Commanders</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="display: none;">
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_by_country" title="World War II by country">Participants</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em"></DIV>
<TABLE class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;">
<DIV style="padding:0.1em 0;line-height:1.2em;"><A href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</A><BR />
<SPAN style="font-weight:normal;">(<A href="/wiki/Allied_leaders_of_World_War_II" title="Allied leaders of World War II">leaders</A>)</SPAN></DIV>
</TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Australia during World War II">Australia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Belgium_in_World_War_II" title="Belgium in World War II">Belgium</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Brazil#World_War_II" title="Military history of Brazil">Brazil</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Canada during World War II">Canada</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Cuba_during_World_War_II" title="Cuba during World War II">Cuba</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_occupation_of_Czechoslovakia" title="German occupation of Czechoslovakia">Czechoslovakia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Denmark_in_World_War_II" title="Denmark in World War II">Denmark</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Italo-Ethiopian_War" title="Second Italo-Ethiopian War">Ethiopia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/France_during_World_War_II" title="France during World War II">France</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Free_France" title="Free France">Free France</A> (from June 1940)</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Greece_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Greece during World War II">Greece</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/India_in_World_War_II" title="India in World War II">India</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_Co-belligerent_Army" title="Italian Co-belligerent Army">Italy</A> (from September 1943)</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Luxembourg_in_World_War_II" title="Luxembourg in World War II">Luxembourg</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Mexico#World_War_II" title="Military history of Mexico">Mexico</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_Netherlands_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Netherlands during World War II">Netherlands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_New_Zealand_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of New Zealand during World War II">New Zealand</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Norwegian_Campaign" title="Norwegian Campaign">Norway</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_Philippines_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Philippines during World War II">Philippines</A> (Commonwealth)</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/History_of_Poland_(1939%E2%80%9345)" class="mw-redirect" title="History of Poland (1939–45)">Poland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of South Africa during World War II">South Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Southern_Rhodesia_in_World_War_II" title="Southern Rhodesia in World War II">Southern Rhodesia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_Union_in_World_War_II" title="Soviet Union in World War II">Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">United Kingdom</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United States during World War II">United States</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Puerto_Ricans_in_World_War_II" title="Puerto Ricans in World War II">Puerto Rico</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;">
<DIV style="padding:0.2em 0.4em; line-height:1.2em;"><A href="/wiki/Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis and<BR />
Axis-aligned</A><BR />
<SPAN style="font-weight:normal;">(<A href="/wiki/Axis_leaders_of_World_War_II" title="Axis leaders of World War II">leaders</A>)</SPAN></DIV>
</TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Albanian_Kingdom_(1939%E2%80%9343)" title="Albanian Kingdom (1939–43)">Albania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Bulgaria_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Bulgaria during World War II">Bulgaria</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Reorganized_National_Government_of_the_Republic_of_China" class="mw-redirect" title="Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China">Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Finland_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Finland during World War II">Finland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Hungary_in_World_War_II" title="Hungary in World War II">Hungary</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Indian_National_Army" title="Indian National Army">Free India</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Iraq</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Italy during World War II">Italy</A> (until September 1943)</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic">Italian Social Republic</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Empire_of_Japan#Late_Sh.C5.8Dwa_.281937.E2.80.931947.29_.E2.80.93_Expansionism" title="Empire of Japan">Japan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Manchukuo" title="Manchukuo">Manchukuo</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Philippine_Republic" title="Second Philippine Republic">Philippines</A> (Second Republic)</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Romania_in_World_War_II" title="Romania in World War II">Romania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Slovak_Republic_(1939%E2%80%931945)" title="Slovak Republic (1939–1945)">Slovakia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Thailand_in_World_War_II" title="Thailand in World War II">Thailand</A><BR /></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy France</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Armed_neutrality" class="mw-redirect" title="Armed neutrality">Armed neutrality</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Resistance_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance during World War II">Resistance</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Albanian_resistance_during_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="Albanian resistance during World War II">Albania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Austrian_Resistance" title="Austrian Resistance">Austria</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Belgian_Resistance" title="Belgian Resistance">Belgium</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bulgarian_resistance_movement_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgarian resistance movement during World War II">Bulgaria</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Resistance_in_German-occupied_Czechoslovakia" title="Resistance in German-occupied Czechoslovakia">Czech lands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Danish_resistance_movement" title="Danish resistance movement">Denmark</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Estonian_anti-German_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%9344" title="Estonian anti-German resistance movement 1941–44">Estonia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)#Ethiopian_irregular_forces" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">Ethiopia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/French_Resistance" title="French Resistance">France</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_resistance_to_Nazism" title="German resistance to Nazism">Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Greek_Resistance" title="Greek Resistance">Greece</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Hong_Kong#Anti-Japanese_resistance" title="Japanese occupation of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_resistance_movement" title="Italian resistance movement">Italy</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_dissidence_during_the_early_Sh%C5%8Dwa_period" title="Japanese dissidence during the early Shōwa period">Japan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Jewish_resistance_in_German-occupied_Europe" title="Jewish resistance in German-occupied Europe">Jewish</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Korean_Liberation_Army" title="Korean Liberation Army">Korea</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Latvian_anti-Nazi_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%9345" title="Latvian anti-Nazi resistance movement 1941–45">Latvia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Resistance_in_Lithuania_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance in Lithuania during World War II">Lithuania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Luxembourg_Resistance" title="Luxembourg Resistance">Luxembourg</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Malayan_Peoples%27_Anti-Japanese_Army" title="Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army">Malaya</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Dutch_resistance" title="Dutch resistance">Netherlands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Northeast_Anti-Japanese_United_Army" title="Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army">Northeast China</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Norwegian_resistance_movement" title="Norwegian resistance movement">Norway</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Philippine_resistance_against_Japan" title="Philippine resistance against Japan">Philippines</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Polish_resistance_movement_in_World_War_II" title="Polish resistance movement in World War II">Poland</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Cursed_soldiers" title="Cursed soldiers">Anti-communist</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Romanian_anti-communist_resistance_movement" title="Romanian anti-communist resistance movement">Romania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement" title="Free Thai Movement">Thailand</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_partisans" title="Soviet partisans">Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Slovak_National_Uprising" title="Slovak National Uprising">Slovakia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army" title="Ukrainian Insurgent Army">Western Ukraine</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Viet_Minh" class="mw-redirect" title="Viet Minh">Vietnam</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Yugoslav_Partisans" title="Yugoslav Partisans">Yugoslavia</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Chetniks" title="Chetniks">Monarchists</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="display: none;">
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II" title="Timeline of World War II">Timeline</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em"></DIV>
<TABLE class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Causes_of_World_War_II" title="Causes of World War II">Prelude</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Abyssinia_Crisis" title="Abyssinia Crisis">Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Events_preceding_World_War_II_in_Asia" title="Events preceding World War II in Asia">Asia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Events_preceding_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="Events preceding World War II in Europe">Europe</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1939)" title="Timeline of World War II (1939)">1939</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland" title="Invasion of Poland">Poland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Winter_War" title="Winter War">Winter War</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Atlantic</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1939)" title="Battle of Changsha (1939)">Changsha</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/1939%E2%80%9340_Winter_Offensive" title="1939–40 Winter Offensive">China</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1940)" title="Timeline of World War II (1940)">1940</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Weser%C3%BCbung" title="Operation Weserübung"><I>Weserübung</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Netherlands" title="Battle of the Netherlands">Netherlands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Belgium" title="Battle of Belgium">Belgium</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">France</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Armistice_of_22_June_1940" title="Armistice of 22 June 1940">Armistice of 22 June 1940</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Britain</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaign" title="Western Desert Campaign">North Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_conquest_of_British_Somaliland" title="Italian conquest of British Somaliland">British Somaliland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Hundred_Regiments_Offensive" title="Hundred Regiments Offensive">North China</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_states" title="Occupation of the Baltic states">Baltic States</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_occupation_of_Bessarabia_and_Northern_Bukovina" title="Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina">Moldova</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_French_Indochina" title="Japanese invasion of French Indochina">Indochina</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Greco-Italian_War" title="Greco-Italian War">Greece</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Compass" title="Operation Compass"><I>Compass</I></A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1941)" title="Timeline of World War II (1941)">1941</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African Campaign (World War II)">East Africa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Shanggao" title="Battle of Shanggao">Shanggao</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Greece" title="Battle of Greece">Greece</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Crete</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Iraq</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">Soviet Union (<I>Barbarossa</I>)</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Continuation_War" title="Continuation War">Finland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/June_Uprising_in_Lithuania" title="June Uprising in Lithuania">Lithuania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon Campaign">Syria and Lebanon</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kiev_(1941)" title="Battle of Kiev (1941)">Kiev</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Iran</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Leningrad" title="Siege of Leningrad">Leningrad</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Gorky</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Moscow" title="Battle of Moscow">Moscow</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Sevastopol_(1941%E2%80%9342)" title="Siege of Sevastopol (1941–42)">Sevastopol</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Pearl Harbor</A>
<UL>
<LI>The outbreak of the <A href="/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific War</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hong_Kong" title="Battle of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1941%E2%80%9342)" title="Philippines Campaign (1941–42)">Philippines</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1941)" title="Battle of Changsha (1941)">Changsha</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Malayan_Campaign" title="Malayan Campaign">Malaya</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Borneo_(1941%E2%80%9342)" title="Battle of Borneo (1941–42)">Borneo (1941–42)</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1942)" title="Timeline of World War II (1942)">1942</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_conquest_of_Burma" title="Japanese conquest of Burma">Burma</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1942)" title="Battle of Changsha (1942)">Changsha</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Java_Sea" title="Battle of the Java Sea">Java Sea</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea" title="Battle of the Coral Sea">Coral Sea</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">Gazala</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dutch_Harbor" title="Battle of Dutch Harbor">Dutch Harbor</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Attu" title="Japanese occupation of Attu">Attu (occupation)</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Kiska" title="Japanese occupation of Kiska">Kiska</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Zhejiang-Jiangxi_campaign" title="Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign">Zhejiang-Jiangxi</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Midway" title="Battle of Midway">Midway</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rzhev,_Summer_1942" title="Battle of Rzhev, Summer 1942">Rzhev</A></LI>
<LI><I><A href="/wiki/Case_Blue" title="Case Blue">Blue</A></I></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad" title="Battle of Stalingrad">Stalingrad</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore" title="Battle of Singapore">Singapore</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Dieppe</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">El Alamein</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Guadalcanal_Campaign" title="Guadalcanal Campaign">Guadalcanal</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch"><I>Torch</I></A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943)" title="Timeline of World War II (1943)">1943</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Tunisian_Campaign" title="Tunisian Campaign">Tunisia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kursk" title="Battle of Kursk">Kursk</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Smolensk_(1943)" title="Battle of Smolensk (1943)">Smolensk</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II#June_1943" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Gorky</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Solomon_Islands_campaign" title="Solomon Islands campaign">Solomon Islands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Attu" title="Battle of Attu">Attu</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Sicily</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Cottage" title="Operation Cottage"><I>Cottage</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Dnieper" title="Battle of the Dnieper">Lower Dnieper</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">Italy</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Armistice_of_Cassibile" title="Armistice of Cassibile">Armistice of Cassibile</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Gilbert_and_Marshall_Islands_campaign" title="Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign">Gilbert and Marshall Islands</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Burma_Campaign" title="Burma Campaign">Burma</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Northern_Burma_and_Western_Yunnan" title="Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan">Northern Burma and Western Yunnan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changde" title="Battle of Changde">Changde</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1944)" title="Timeline of World War II (1944)">1944</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino" title="Battle of Monte Cassino">Monte Cassino</A> / <A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Anzio" title="Battle of Anzio"><I>Shingle</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Narva_(1944)" title="Battle of Narva (1944)">Narva</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Korsun%E2%80%93Cherkassy_Pocket" title="Battle of the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket">Korsun–Cherkassy</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Tempest" title="Operation Tempest"><I>Tempest</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Ichi-Go" title="Operation Ichi-Go"><I>Ichi-Go</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord"><I>Overlord</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Normandy_landings" title="Normandy landings"><I>Neptune</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy" title="Invasion of Normandy">Normandy</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Mariana_and_Palau_Islands_campaign" title="Mariana and Palau Islands campaign">Mariana and Palau</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Bagration" title="Operation Bagration"><I>Bagration</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Lvov%E2%80%93Sandomierz_Offensive" title="Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive">Western Ukraine</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tannenberg_Line" title="Battle of Tannenberg Line">Tannenberg Line</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising" title="Warsaw Uprising">Warsaw</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Jassy%E2%80%93Kishinev_Offensive" title="Jassy–Kishinev Offensive">Eastern Romania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Belgrade_Offensive" title="Belgrade Offensive">Belgrade</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Liberation_of_Paris" title="Liberation of Paris">Paris</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon"><I>Dragoon</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Gothic_Line" title="Gothic Line">Gothic Line</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden" title="Operation Market Garden"><I>Market Garden</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Tallinn_Offensive" title="Tallinn Offensive">Estonia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Crossbow" title="Operation Crossbow"><I>Crossbow</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Combined_Bomber_Offensive" title="Combined Bomber Offensive"><I>Pointblank</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Lapland_War" title="Lapland War">Lapland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Budapest_Offensive" title="Budapest Offensive">Hungary</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf" title="Battle of Leyte Gulf">Leyte</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge" title="Battle of the Bulge">Ardennes</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Bodenplatte" title="Operation Bodenplatte"><I>Bodenplatte</I></A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Philippines Campaign (1944–1945)">Philippines (1944–1945)</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Burma_Campaign_1944%E2%80%9345" title="Burma Campaign 1944–45">Burma (1944–45)</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1945)" class="mw-redirect" title="Timeline of World War II (1945)">1945</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Vistula%E2%80%93Oder_Offensive" title="Vistula–Oder Offensive">Vistula–Oder</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima" title="Battle of Iwo Jima">Iwo Jima</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germany" title="Western Allied invasion of Germany">Western invasion of Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Okinawa</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy" title="Spring 1945 offensive in Italy">Italy (Spring 1945)</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Borneo_campaign_(1945)" title="Borneo campaign (1945)">Borneo</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Syrmian_Front" title="Syrmian Front">Syrmian Front</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Berlin" title="Battle of Berlin">Berlin</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Prague_Offensive" title="Prague Offensive">Czechoslovakia</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Siege_of_Budapest" title="Siege of Budapest">Budapest</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunan" title="Battle of West Hunan">West Hunan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Second_Guangxi_Campaign" title="Second Guangxi Campaign">Guangxi</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="End of World War II in Europe">Surrender of Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Project_Hula" title="Project Hula">Project Hula</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuria" title="Soviet invasion of Manchuria">Manchuria</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_(1945)" title="Battle of Manila (1945)">Manila</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Borneo_campaign_(1945)" title="Borneo campaign (1945)">Borneo</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Raid_on_Taihoku" class="mw-redirect" title="Raid on Taihoku">Taipei</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Atomic bombings</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Debate_over_the_atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Debate</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Kuril_Islands" title="Invasion of the Kuril Islands">Kuril Islands</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Battle_of_Shumshu" title="Battle of Shumshu">Shumshu</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan" title="Surrender of Japan">Surrender of Japan</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Asia" title="End of World War II in Asia">End of World War II in Asia</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="display: none;">
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;">Aspects</TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em"></DIV>
<TABLE class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;">General</TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em"></DIV>
<TABLE class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide">
<TBODY><TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;">Famines</TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bengal_famine_of_1943" title="Bengal famine of 1943">Bengal famine of 1943</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Chinese_famine_of_1942%E2%80%9343" title="Chinese famine of 1942–43">Chinese famine of 1942–43</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Great_Famine_(Greece)" title="Great Famine (Greece)">Greek Famine of 1941-1944</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Dutch_famine_of_1944%E2%80%9345" title="Dutch famine of 1944–45">Dutch famine of 1944–45</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Vietnamese_Famine_of_1945" title="Vietnamese Famine of 1945">Vietnamese Famine of 1945</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Air_warfare_of_World_War_II" title="Air warfare of World War II">Air warfare of World War II</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Blitzkrieg" title="Blitzkrieg">Blitzkrieg</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_II" title="Comparative officer ranks of World War II">Comparative military ranks</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_cryptography" title="World War II cryptography">Cryptography</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Diplomatic_history_of_World_War_II" title="Diplomatic history of World War II">Diplomacy</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Home front during World War II">Home front</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="United States home front during World War II">United States</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Australian_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Australian home front during World War II">Australian</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Timeline_of_the_United_Kingdom_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II">United Kingdom</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Manhattan_Project" title="Manhattan Project">Manhattan Project</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/List_of_military_awards_of_World_War_II" title="List of military awards of World War II">Military awards</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Lists_of_World_War_II_military_equipment" title="Lists of World War II military equipment">Military equipment</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_production_during_World_War_II" title="Military production during World War II">Military production</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Nazi_plunder" title="Nazi plunder">Nazi plunder</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Category:Opposition_to_World_War_II" title="Category:Opposition to World War II">Opposition</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Technology_during_World_War_II" title="Technology during World War II">Technology</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied_technological_cooperation_during_World_War_II" title="Allied technological cooperation during World War II">Allied cooperation</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Total_war#World_War_II" title="Total war">Total war</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II" title="Strategic bombing during World War II">Strategic bombing</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_puppet_states" title="List of World War II puppet states">Puppet states</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Women_in_World_War_II" title="Women in World War II">Women</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Art_and_World_War_II" title="Art and World War II">Art and World War II</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Aftermath_of_World_War_II" title="Aftermath of World War II">Aftermath</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans_(1944%E2%80%9350)" title="Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–50)">Expulsion of Germans</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Paperclip" title="Operation Paperclip">Operation <I>Paperclip</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Osoaviakhim" title="Operation Osoaviakhim">Operation <I>Osoaviakhim</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Operation_Keelhaul" title="Operation Keelhaul">Operation <I>Keelhaul</I></A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied-occupied_Germany" title="Allied-occupied Germany">Occupation of Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Oder%E2%80%93Neisse_line" title="Oder–Neisse line">Territorial changes of Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Military_occupations_by_the_Soviet_Union" title="Military occupations by the Soviet Union">Soviet occupations</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_occupation_of_Romania" title="Soviet occupation of Romania">Romania</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Polish_People%27s_Republic" title="Polish People's Republic">Poland</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Russian%E2%80%93Hungarian_relations,_1945%E2%80%931991" title="Russian–Hungarian relations, 1945–1991">Hungary</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_states" title="Occupation of the Baltic states">Baltic States</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan" title="Occupation of Japan">Occupation of Japan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/First_Indochina_War" title="First Indochina War">First Indochina War</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolution" title="Indonesian National Revolution">Indonesian National Revolution</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Decolonization" title="Decolonization">Decolonization</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Final_Settlement_with_Respect_to_Germany" title="Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany">Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_popular_culture" title="World War II in popular culture">Popular culture</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/War_crime" title="War crime">War crimes</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Allied_war_crimes_during_World_War_II" title="Allied war crimes during World War II">Allied war crimes</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="Soviet war crimes">Soviet war crimes</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/British_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="British war crimes">British war crimes</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/United_States_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="United States war crimes">United States war crimes</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="German war crimes">German</A> (<A href="/wiki/Forced_labour_under_German_rule_during_World_War_II" title="Forced labour under German rule during World War II">Forced labour</A>) / <A href="/wiki/War_crimes_of_the_Wehrmacht" title="War crimes of the Wehrmacht"><I>Wehrmacht</I> war crimes</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/The_Holocaust" title="The Holocaust">Holocaust</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Aftermath_of_the_Holocaust" title="Aftermath of the Holocaust">Aftermath</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/International_response_to_the_Holocaust" title="International response to the Holocaust">Response</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Nuremberg_trials" title="Nuremberg trials">Prosecution</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_war_crimes" title="Italian war crimes">Italian war crimes</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes" title="Japanese war crimes">Japanese war crimes</A>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Unit_731" title="Unit 731">Unit 731</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East" title="International Military Tribunal for the Far East">Prosecution</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI>Croatian war crimes
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/World_War_II_persecution_of_Serbs#Ustaše_persecution_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="World War II persecution of Serbs">against the Serbs</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/The_Holocaust_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="The Holocaust in the Independent State of Croatia">against the Jews</A></LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Romania#The_Holocaust" title="History of the Jews in Romania">Romanian war crimes</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Wartime_sexual_violence" title="Wartime sexual violence">Wartime<BR />
sexual violence</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German military brothels in World War II">German military brothels</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_camp_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German camp brothels in World War II">Camp brothels</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan" title="Rape during the occupation of Japan">Rape during the occupation of Japan</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Sook_Ching" title="Sook Ching">Sook Ching</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Comfort_women" title="Comfort women">Comfort women</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Nanking_Massacre" title="Nanking Massacre">Rape of Nanking</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Rape_of_Manila" class="mw-redirect" title="Rape of Manila">Rape of Manila</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Germany" title="Rape during the occupation of Germany">Rape during the occupation of Germany</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_France" title="Rape during the liberation of France">Rape during the liberation of France</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_Poland" class="mw-redirect" title="Rape during the liberation of Poland">Rape during the liberation of Poland</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TH scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:9.0em;background-color:#DCDCDC;"><A href="/wiki/Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war">Prisoners</A></TH>
<TD class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;padding:0px">
<DIV style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Finnish_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_States" title="German prisoners of war in the United States">German prisoners of war in the United States</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Italian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_World_War_II" title="Japanese prisoners of war in World War II">Japanese prisoners of war in World War II</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/German_mistreatment_of_Soviet_prisoners_of_war" title="German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war">German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Polish_prisoners-of-war_in_the_Soviet_Union_after_1939" title="Polish prisoners-of-war in the Soviet Union after 1939">Polish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Romanian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Soviet_prisoners_of_war_in_Finland" title="Soviet prisoners of war in Finland">Soviet prisoners of war in Finland</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY></TABLE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="display: none;">
<TD class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;">
<DIV>
<UL>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Bibliography_of_World_War_II" title="Bibliography of World War II">Bibliography</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Category:World_War_II" title="Category:World War II">Category</A></LI>
<LI><A href="/wiki/Portal:World_War_II" title="Portal:World War II">Portal</A></LI>
</UL>
</DIV>
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question_text: the axis powers were routed to north africa sicily and