241: North Africa 1940 Pt. 5 - Operation Compass

History of the Second World War

Wesley Livesay

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.5 • 626 Ratings

🗓️ 26 November 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In Episode 241 of “History of the Second World War,” dive into the explosive opening of Operation Compass — Britain’s first major offensive in North Africa during WWII, launched in December 1940 against Italian fortified camps. Witness how British forces, including the 7th Armored and 4th Indian Divisions with their iconic Matilda tanks and devastating artillery, overwhelmed Italian defenses through clever flanking maneuvers and overwhelming firepower — even catching Italians off-guard during breakfast! The episode captures the rapid, almost unstoppable success of the attack, which far exceeded initial objectives, while also hinting at looming logistical challenges that would test British momentum. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:16.9	Hello everyone and welcome to History of the Second World War,
1:22.4	Episode 241, North Africa, 1940, Operation Compass.
1:28.0	This week, a big thank you goes out to Georgeta for supporting the podcast by becoming a member.
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