40
After Mareth, Rommel planned to continue hi? delaying action
and to defend only when the terrain favored the defense. Although
he probably realized that the days of the Axis forces in North Africa
were numbered, his mission was to delay the final outcome as long
as possible. While still fighting the Battle of Mareth, he had preï؟¾pared a strong position behind the Wadi Akarit in the Gabes gap.
Finding that it could not be enveloped by forces advancing from the
south, Montgomery quickly penetrated it—much to the surprise of
the Germans.
After the action at the Wadi Akarit, Rommel lacked defensive
terrain until he reached Enfidaville. During the retreat to this
place the Germans were faced with the difficult problem of withï؟¾drawing under pressure from the west as well as from the south.
While the Eighth Army was pursuing Rommel, the Allies were at
the same time attacking von Arnim’s holding forces in the mounï؟¾tains west of the coastal corridor. At El Guettar, at Maknassy, and
at Fondouk the Allied forces threatened to break through the passes
of the Eastern Dorsal and drive to the sea across Rommel’s line of
retreat. If von Arnim’s men gave way too soon, Rommel would be
trapped; if they stayed too long, they would be cut off by the Eighth
Army. From the course of events we must conclude that once again
the German commanders executed a skillful withdrawal under diffiï؟¾cult circumstances.
Battle of Tunis, 22 April-13 May 1943.—It was now evident that
the Axis forces intended to defend on the line Enfidaville-Bou
Arada-Medjez el Bab-Sedjenane, and General Alexander immeï؟¾diately commenced preparations for a general offensive to break
through this perimeter.
Plans and Preparations.—A large-scale regrouping of the Allied
divisions was decided upon. In the space of two weeks the entire
American II Corps, over 100,000 men, was moved some 150 miles
over difficult country—and across the First Army’s lines of comï؟¾munication—to take over from the British V Corps the sector along
the coast in the north. In this regrouping the American 34th Inï؟¾fantry Division and the British 6th Armored Division moved from
the vicinity of Fondouk and Kairouan to rejoin their respective
corps. At the same time the British 1st Armored Division was
transferred from the Eighth Army to the IX Corps.
These moves were completed about 22 April, and at this time
Major General Omar N. Bradley took over the command of the II
Corps (Map 7).
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