Battle of Kasserine Pass

The Battle of Kasserine Pass took place in North Africa in 1943, during World War II. Erwin Rommel, the Afrika Korps, and the Italians were being pushed back into Tunisia by the British in the east and the Americans and Free French in the west.

Outnumbered and lacking materiel, Rommel planned to combine his eastern and western forces, and left a small holding force in the east against Montgomery. A similar strategy had been attempted by Napoleon at Waterloo and by Robert E. Lee at Chancellorsville.

Attacking west, the well-organized and experienced Germans made ground against the Americans.

Though the battle was a tactical victory for the Axis, their strategic situation soon became hopeless.

The Americans quickly recovered from the battle and incorporated lessons learned into their tactical and organizational doctrine.

Closing in from east and west the Allies captured hundreds of thousands of Axis prisoners.