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Gazala–Bir Hakeim line
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Gazala–Bir Hakeim line

World War II
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The Gazala–Bir Hakeim line was a defensive position established by the British Eighth Army in Libya during World War II. Following an initial British offensive in November 1941 that pushed Axis forces back, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel counterattacked in January 1942, forcing the British to retreat to this line west of Tobruk.12

In May 1942, Rommel launched a major offensive, bypassing the southern flank of the British defenses. Despite initial successes and the eventual capture of Tobruk, Rommel's forces were depleted. The British, after suffering heavy tank losses due to costly assaults on Rommel's "Cauldron" position, began a retreat towards the Egyptian frontier. This marked a significant Axis victory, but the subsequent First Battle of el-Alamein halted Rommel's advance into Egypt.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. North Africa campaigns - Rommel’s advance and the fall of Tobruk
  2. World War II - Libya and Egypt , autumn 1941–summer 1942

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