Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, Episode

109.

All roads lead to Greece.

The momentum the Allied forces had in North Africa was gone, and Churchill never really

ever directly admitting his mistake would spend the next two years trying to get back

what he already had within his grasp.

And as each day went by, Lieutenant General Rommel of the Africa Corps erased more and

more of what Operation Compass had captured.

As may be remembered, O'Connor's forces, mostly in the form of armored cars, had reached

their most western advance as they drove up to the coastal town of El Aguilia, located

at the bottom of the Gulf of Certe on February 8th.

And if they had not been stopped by Churchill's desire to reinforce the Greeks, could have

driven through the streets of Certe another 150 miles west on February 12th.

Two days before von Becht-Mars III reconnaissance unit, as well as the Fifth Light Division, led

by Major General Strike, the first of Rommel's African Corps landed in Tripoli, a mere 200

miles away from Certe.

In those two days, the Commonwealth forces, along with the RAF and Royal Navy, could have

prepared quite a welcoming party for the Germans.

But it never happened.

Instead this did.

Rommel's initial forces landed on February 14th without incident.

And Rommel, prudently deciding he needed breathing space, sent von Becht-Mars III reconnaissance

...