World War II: This Daring Allied Raid on Algiers Harbor Ended in Failure
A joint U.S. Army and Royal Navy force attempted a coup de main on Algiers harbor in the opening hours of Operation Torch.
Here s What You Need to Know: Preparations included seizing Algiers Harbor intact.
In November 1942, the Anglo-American invasion of North Africa, Operation Torch, caused a short but intense conflict with French forces loyal to the Vichy regime in power on the European mainland. The Allies sought to finish the Axis presence not only in Vichy-controlled areas but also to eliminate the Italian-German forces to the east in Libya. The British Eighth Army, fresh from victory at El Alamein, was steadily pushing those forces westward. Taking control of the entire North African coastline would cement the Allied position and make follow-on operations in the Mediterranean Theater possible.