Anglo-Iraqi War happened in May 2-May 31, 1941.
Operation Countenance or the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran was 25 August to 17 September 1941.
The Syrian-Lebanon campaign, or Operation Exporter was 8 June – 14 July 1941.
The North Africa Campaign took 1940-1943.
Do you see where your history is failing OddBall? I suggest
you don't play wargames with me.
You said that Hitler never made a move in the Middle East? Yes, this is why he was pushing Stalingrad (now Volgograd), read up on Operation Blau, it was to push into the Caucasus to take over the Soviet oil fields there and secure the Persian corridor which is how the Allies were getting oil up from Iran. Why did Hitler want the Italians to push the 8th Army out of Egypt, or even push through Greece into Turkey?
Germany did not have adequate oil supplies and needed them.
You also tend to forget that the U.S. didn't even enter into the North Africa campaign until 1942 when we started to provide direct military assistance. Also what ever happened to Field Marshall Montgomery who delivered the decisive defeat to the Axis powers in North Africa at the Second Battle of El Alamein? 30% of the Axis forces became casualties after this. Whatever happened to the intel gained by UK Ultra codebreakers? 40-60% of the Axis supplies were intercepted and destroyed en route across the Mediterranean due to this intelligence.
Patton didn't even take command of the US II Corps until 1943 during the Tunisian campaign when the British 8th Army (one of the most famous formations) was doing most of the fighting. In 1943 The US II Corps was facing a
complete tactical defeat at the hands of Rommel (the aftermath of the Battle of Kasserine Pass). Sure, when the commander before Patton was pulled and Patton put in he saved the US II Corps from this, but the success of the North Africa campaign cannot be solely attributed to the small role he played because the Axis surrender on 13th May, 1943, and Patton's first engagement was The Battle of El Guettar which was 23 March – 3 April 1943. The Axis powers were
already in a fighting retreat after The Second Battle of El Alamein. El Guettar was the 1st US victory against the Germans, and the follow up battle was actually indecisive. I mean, even the North African theater and the Middle East theater were
commanded by the British.
Seriously, OddBall, go look all of this up and you'll see that I'm correct. Pick up any History book and stop getting your information from watching the movie
Patton.