Lloyd Fredendall
Lloyd Fredendall
The Battle of Kasserine Pass proved to be a shock both to American military forces in the field and to the American public at home. The defeat of the Allied forces in the battle put doubt into the minds of many. The defeat suffered by the Allies had nothing to do with right versus wrong, however, but was very much a product of a number of operational shortcomings on the part of the Allies (Carr). Poor logistics, failures on the part of American leadership, lack of unity of effort on the part of the Allies, the lack of combat experience, and inferior equipment all combined to contribute to the failure at Kasserine. Despite the setback at Kasserine Pass, the Americans proved quick learners and applied the lessons of the North African experience to the remainder of their campaign in the European theater.
Some Reason for defend included logistics issues, failures on the part of the Allies to adhere to principles of war, problems with the use of intelligence information, and general failings on the part of various American and Allied military leaders throughout the theater of operations. Additionally, the essay will briefly discuss how this defeat, combined with experiences throughout the Tunisian campaign proved to be a great learning experience, providing invaluable lessons for the war in Europe. The failure at Kasserine Pass proved to be a temporary tactical setback for the American and Allied forces. Despite the various operational failings on the part of the Allies, and particularly the Americans, Axis forces were unable to make any strategic gains from their victories. Ultimately, the Americans learned much from their failures in this campaign; lessons that would be carried over to the ensuing campaigns in Sicily, Italy, and northern France. A valuable lesson for the Americans was the importance of competent combat leadership. Eisenhower realized the role of commanders to instill the necessary discipline among the troops and also the importance
The Battle of Kasserine Pass proved to be a shock both to American military forces in the field and to the American public at home. The defeat of the Allied forces in the battle put doubt into the minds of many. The defeat suffered by the Allies had nothing to do with right versus wrong, however, but was very much a product of a number of operational shortcomings on the part of the Allies (Carr). Poor logistics, failures on the part of American leadership, lack of unity of effort on the part of the Allies, the lack of combat experience, and inferior equipment all combined to contribute to the failure at Kasserine. Despite the setback at Kasserine Pass, the Americans proved quick learners and applied the lessons of the North African experience to the remainder of their campaign in the European theater.
Some Reason for defend included logistics issues, failures on the part of the Allies to adhere to principles of war, problems with the use of intelligence information, and general failings on the part of various American and Allied military leaders throughout the theater of operations. Additionally, the essay will briefly discuss how this defeat, combined with experiences throughout the Tunisian campaign proved to be a great learning experience, providing invaluable lessons for the war in Europe. The failure at Kasserine Pass proved to be a temporary tactical setback for the American and Allied forces. Despite the various operational failings on the part of the Allies, and particularly the Americans, Axis forces were unable to make any strategic gains from their victories. Ultimately, the Americans learned much from their failures in this campaign; lessons that would be carried over to the ensuing campaigns in Sicily, Italy, and northern France. A valuable lesson for the Americans was the importance of competent combat leadership. Eisenhower realized the role of commanders to instill the necessary discipline among the troops and also the importance
Cited: Ambrose, Stephen E. D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Print. Carr, Vincent M., Jr. "The Battle Of Kasserine Pass: An Examination Of Allied Operational Failings." The Defense Technical Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA424990>. Citino, Robert M. "Fredendall 's Art of War." History Net-Live The History. N.p., 04 Mar. 2010. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historynet.com/fredendalls-art-of-war.htm>. D 'Este, Carlo. Patton: A Genius for War. New York: HarperCollins, 1995. Print.