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During late 1941, the 8th Army launched Operation Crusader and drove the Axis forces eastwards, in the process relieveing Tobruk. They could then go on no further due to lack of supplies etc

During early 1942 the German and Italian forces after reinforcing there losses and supplies attacked and drove the 8th Army back to Gazala, there they defeated them yet again and captured enough supplies to drive them further into Egypt then they ever had before.

The 8th Army had however enough time to pull back enough forces from the Gazala positions and dig in at the El Alamein position, basicaly there last stand before there supply base of the canal zone and utter defeat.

The Axis forces, with no opporunity to flank the position due to the mostly impassable Qattara Depression had to hit stright on. If i remember correctly the full weight of the attack fell upon the South African brigade boxes and they held firm.

Because of this stand, the Axis forces dug in to build up there supplies again, while the 8th Army also dug in and prepared to counter attack, which happened later that year being the Second Battle of El Alamein.

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Q: Why did the Battle of El Alamein start?
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