【Discovery/探索頻道】第二次世界大戰（英語/繁體字幕/全13集/360P） P6 - 第六集：地中海與北非

在1940年夏天的早期,當希特勒在西歐積極奮鬥時, 他在意大利的同胞伍尼託·穆斯林尼也夢見了類似的運動 他的夢想是建造一個新的羅馬帝國,讓意大利不僅擴展到北部的中東海岸, 而是從北部穿過北非,將意大利轉移到馬雷諾斯圖,我們的海洋, 但那只是一個夢想,卻變成了災難, 這會導致穆斯林尼的死亡,並致命地超越了他的德國夥伴 在戰爭的初期,意大利已經控制了利比亞和阿布什尼亞,即今天的意大利 穆斯林尼計算過,如果他能夠掌握英國控制的埃及和蘇丹, 他將能夠創造出意大利控制的地區的巨大波幅, 這看起來是一個輕鬆的運動,意大利的軍隊比英國的軍隊多了十倍 在1940年9月,穆斯林尼攻入了埃及,並捕捉了西巴拉尼的一座小島 在那裡,意大利人停止了,並進入了 英國集合了所有能夠對抗的軍隊 在1940年6月6日,他們進入了沙漠 在4天後,他們超越了意大利的防衛 近40,000名意大利人被囚禁 這是意大利軍隊最初的一場戰役 剩下的敗敗的意大利人返回了利比亞邊境 英國人在熱烈的追逐中跟隨 在8月,西巴拉尼的防衛軍隊已經超越了利比亞的近600公里 現在已經停止了,並進入了利比亞的沙漠城市 差不多一半的意大利的利比亞帝國已經被捕 意大利軍隊超過100,000人被囚禁 同時,在南部,英國軍隊攻入了意大利控制的阿波西尼 戰爭持續了近12個月 沙漠的地面造成了交通和運輸的困難 但最後,意大利軍隊被迫包圍 但即使阿波西尼已經被囚禁 穆斯林的帝國建築仍在另一部分的南部造成了問題 在1939年4月,他計劃建立一個新的羅馬帝國時 穆斯林已經佔領了阿波西尼 下一年,他要求德國成為一個意大利的殖民地 當德國拒絕了,他就攻入了 俄羅斯軍隊的數量超過兩成 但他們順利反擊了意大利軍隊 在3月初,1941年 意大利軍隊不僅被迫離開了俄羅斯 也被迫離開了鄰近的阿爾巴尼亞 英國的首相,威斯頓·查丘 向俄羅斯軍隊求助,希望他們能完成任務 但俄羅斯軍隊已經在其他地區受到嚴重的威脅 因此,俄羅斯軍隊被迫離開了阿爾巴尼亞 並將大部分的軍隊運送到阿爾巴尼亞 當意大利軍隊被迫離開了阿爾巴尼亞 穆斯林的大規模的目標已經崩潰 意大利軍隊處於嚴重的困境之中 這對希特勒造成了問題 他應該將軍隊從其他地區轉移到歐洲 以支持他最重要的歐洲盟友 還是應該將穆斯林放棄 他決定幫助 在4月中,1941年 超過半百萬的德國軍隊 潛入了阿爾巴尼亞和俄羅斯 對德國來說,這將成為了 穆斯林的政治夢想和命運的開始 但一開始,一切都很不妙 儘管德國的幫助 俄羅斯無法阻止德國 在4月中,阿爾巴尼亞的軍隊 捕捉了阿爾巴尼亞的首都 約30,000人被放逐到 克里特的英國控制島 希特勒決定把他們驅逐出去 在他的指令下 他擁有了約22,000架飛機和飛行員 支援150艘潛艇 降落在5月20日的第一天 一開始,阿爾巴尼亞的軍隊 集中在主要的空中 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊被操縱 發生了不斷的德國空襲 德國軍隊迅速捕捉了空中的軍隊 並開始派出支援 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊被推到島上 幾個星期後,一切都結束了 15,000個阿爾巴尼亞軍隊被放逐 更多的18,000個軍隊被囚禁 阿爾巴尼亞的權力 現在控制了大部分的 南非和北非的重要供應路線 看來,希特勒的決定 支持穆斯林的決定成功了 他被迫將阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 迫出整個地區 2月1941年 一名中尼亞的德國總統 到達了阿爾巴尼亞的 艾爾文·羅姆 是德國軍隊的 他被希特勒選擇 為了拯救他的意大利盟友 並重新採取南非的 Axis 權力 他的阿弗尼亞軍隊的 很快就成功了 有16,000個士兵 和逾100架戰機 被迫離開了歐洲的前線 Axis 軍隊迅速地 擊敗了英國軍隊 被俄羅斯和克里斯的戰爭摧毀了 羅姆前進了 俄羅斯軍隊的 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 並攻擊了 俄羅斯軍隊撤退後 羅姆迅速地追殺了他們 幾個星期後 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 被迫返回到 歐洲海峽 但在返航中 歐洲軍隊的分支 被德國人 鎮壓在 塔布魯克的 聯邦港 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊領導人 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 現在發動了 兩次迅速的 試圖救援 羅姆迅速地 擊敗了他們 德國軍隊 迅速地取消了 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 88毫米的 反艦彈 在用在 戰車上 迅速地 取消了 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 此外 羅姆迅速地 駕駛他的戰車 在 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 周圍 迅速地 取消了 他們 這將成為 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 的 心腸 羅姆迅速地 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 在 戰場上 阿爾巴尼亞軍隊 駕駛了 他們 兩艘 已經被強制鎮壓 然後在11月18日,1941年 他發動了一場巨大的襲擊 Operation Crusader,正如它被稱為 開始了一場長期的武裝狗戰 British tanks suffered heavy casualties But the infantry slowly moved forward Finally, after a month of confused fighting Rommel retreated Tobruk had been relieved The Axis units fell back along the coast All the way to their starting point at El Agheila Borchinlek's military command now assumed Rommel was a spent force 至少當時 Its units were dispersed to bases along the coast for a badly needed refuge It was a mistake Two months later, in January 1942 Rommel's Afrika Korps was back on the attack Rommel quickly brushed aside the forward units of a now unprepared British army The chase along the coast of Africa began all over again The Allies fell back towards a new defensive line just west of Tobruk Here, a series of defensive positions known as the Gazala line were constructed Rommel attacked it at the end of May 1942 Once again, he swung his armour around the British forces in a great outflanking movement and came in behind the British positions But this time the British were prepared for it and tried in turn to outflank Rommel The fighting lasted for three weeks as each side tried to outmanoeuvre the other Eventually, the British were forced to retreat Three days later, the Germans overran the Allied positions Rommel pressed home his advantage Finally, Auchinlek turned to face his enemy at the Egyptian village of El Alamein His southern flank rested on the Qatara Depression an area impassable to tanks On July 1st, 1942 Rommel attacked again But this time the British defences held Rommel, with his supply line stretched and now seriously short of fuel was forced to give up Now Auchinlek attempted a counterattack For the rest of July, the two sides pushed at each other like exhausted boxers Churchill was furious at the lack of British progress and now visited Egypt It was time for yet another change of leadership Auchinlek was replaced by not one, but two generals General Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief near east and General Bernard Montgomery as Commander of Eighth Army Everything would now depend on whether the British could throttle the Axis supply routes across the Mediterranean The Italians now concentrated their fire on the strategically crucial British-controlled island of Malta The island was an important refuelling base for British submarines and aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean It had become the centre for Royal Navy attacks on Italian and German supply convoys to North Africa In summer 1940, Italy bombed it No fighter aircraft on the island to beat off the attacks Then, almost by accident, four gladiator fighter biplanes were found in crates on the island They were hastily assembled The aircraft put up a fierce resistance For three weeks, the fate of Malta remained uncertain Then, finally, British fighter reinforcements arrived and the Italian bombers were temporarily beaten off But it was now obvious to the British that they had to do something if they were to keep a toehold in the region That winter, Britain launched what it hoped would be a knock-out blow against the Italian navy On the evening of November 11th 21 Swordfish torpedo bombers lifted off an aircraft carrier They swept in on the Italian fleet anchored in its base at Taranto The Italians hadn't expected it Three of Italy's six battleships were crippled Four months later, Britain struck again The Italian fleet was again caught off guard the coast of Greece A fourth Italian battleship was damaged Mussolini's challenge to the British navy was finished It was a turning point for Hitler, too It was now clear that Italy could no longer be depended on to maintain control of the Mediterranean It meant his supply lines to North Africa were at risk of being cut off Germany decided to take a direct hand Early 1941, the Luftwaffe bombed Malta The island took another severe battery The attacks continued, month after month Yet the British garrison hung on During an interlude in the German bombardment in autumn 1941 it even managed to step up its attacks on the Axis supply convoys to North Africa Then the Luftwaffe resumed the assault But despite the battering, the people of Malta held on The following spring, in April 1942 they received a unique honour for the heroism they had shown under four months of devastating Axis bombardment The island was awarded the George Cross Britain's highest award for civilian courage In mid-June, the British navy sent convoys from Gibraltar and Egypt to relieve it But the Germans were waiting Just two of the 17 ships got through The situation on the island was getting desperate It was time for some decisive action In August, Britain launched Operation Pedestrian the biggest convoy ever sent to Malta 14 merchant ships entered the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar accompanied by a large naval escort Almost immediately, they ran into German opposition For three days, there was a ferocious sea battle As Axis submarines and aircraft attempted to stop and sink the convoy Finally, on the fourth day five of the British merchant ships made it into port They brought with them just enough supplies to keep the island going Malta had been rescued It meant the Allies could continue to harass the Axis supply lines to North Africa It was a strategic advantage that would prove crucial to future events in the region In North Africa, Churchill's orders to his new team, Generals Alexander and Montgomery were simple Destroy the army commanded by Field Marshal Rommel Almost immediately, they were informed by the team that had broken Germany's Enigma Code that Rommel was preparing to attack them Montgomery assumed that Desert Fox would try another of his outflanking moves and fortified the ridge of Alam Halfa just to the southeast of El Alamein It was, he hoped, the rock on which the Axis forces would be broken When it came, the fighting lasted for three days This time, Allied ground forces were helped by air power The RAF played havoc with the advancing German tanks Rommel was forced to give up and, short of fuel again, he pulled back It was now Rommel's turn to dig in He chose a line between the impassable sand sea of the Qatara Depression and the Mediterranean coast Montgomery was well aware it was a formidable barrier He also knew it was impossible to outflank it His only option was to punch his way directly through the middle of the Axis defences He was helped by a flood of new equipment from the United States which included the new American Lee and Sherman tanks with 75mm guns At last, the Allies had a weapon which could match the Germans Finally, on the evening of October 23, 1942 the British opened up an artillery bombardment on Rommel's positions The Battle of El Alamein had begun Under cover of the bombardment Allied engineers moved forward to clear paths through the Axis minefields The Axis forces were harried by Allied air power Finally, after ten days of fighting the Allied forces broke through The following day, Rommel retreated It was Germany's first major defeat at the hands of the Western Allies Churchill was triumphant This is not the end It is not even the beginning of the end But it is perhaps the end of the beginning An Anglo-American force had landed a thousand miles to his rear in French North Africa Morocco and Algeria today It was codenamed Operation Torch The Allied First Army was soon moving eastwards towards Tunisia Rommel was in danger of being attacked from behind Over the next few days the Germans flew in tens of thousands of troops from Yur to save Rommel and shore up the German position in North Africa Finally, in late February 1943 Rommel reinforced set up a new defensive line a hundred miles inside Tunisia and turned to attack Montgomery's advancing forces But Montgomery had been forewarned by the Enigma codebreakers and his troops were waiting as the German tanks rolled forward British artillery broke up the assault and the panzers were quickly halted It was Rommel's last battle in North Africa On May 7th, US forces took the port of Bizerta The British 7th Armoured Division the famous Desert Rats drove into Tunis The Allies' pincer closed and the Axis troops were trapped Five days later a quarter of a million German and Italian soldiers surrendered In January 1943 at a conference in the Moroccan city of Casablanca Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to open a new front on German-dominated Europe The obvious target was Italy seriously weakened by its North African failures The only question was where should the invasion begin should the route go via Sardinia or Sicily? The Allied high command chose the Sicilian route but to throw the Germans off the scent they organised a deception plan Operation Mincemeat was launched A corpse was dropped off the shores of Spain carrying false papers When it was washed ashore in May 1943 and the papers passed to the Germans they revealed that the Allies would pretend to attack Sicily but that their real target was Sardinia Enigma codebreakers soon confirmed the Germans had fallen for it Six weeks later the British Eighth Army under Montgomery landed in the southeast corner of Sicily Further west the U.S. Seventh Army landed in the Gulf of Gala The Italian resistance was again overwhelmed For the Italian people the invasion of Sicily was the final humiliation Mussolini was overthrown in a popular uprising The new government now opened secret talks with the Allies for an armistice Within five weeks the Germans had been pushed out of Sicily The Allies now crossed to the mainland and pushed up through the country U.S. troops moved up the west side British troops moved up the east The Germans fought back savagely all the way Even so, Naples fell to the Allies on October the 1st, 1943 But then their progress was slowed by autumn rains and skillful German rearguard attacks It was not until the end of November that Allied forces finally reached the Gustav Line the first of a series of German defensive positions cutting across Italy British troops managed to break through at the eastern end of the line but winter was setting in and bad weather forced them to halt Nevertheless, in the west U.S. forces attempted to outflank the German defences by taking to the sea They landed on January the 22nd, 1944 60 miles to the north at the point of Anzio But here, amidst fierce fighting they were pinned down and nearly driven back into the sea The Americans remained trapped at Anzio for the rest of the winter and into the spring Finally, in late spring 1944 as the weather improved the Allied forces broke through the German lines Simultaneously, the Americans broke out of Anzio The Allied forces now moved swiftly north to Rome The Italian capital was liberated on June the 4th, 1944 For Hitler, it was another blow He was now hanging on to Italy by his fingernails The Allies continued to push north The German defenders finally fell back to the formidable Gothic Line just north of Florence Here, bad weather again and brought the Allied advance to a halt It wouldn't be until the spring of 1945 that the campaign could resume and Italy was finally won By then, the Italians had had enough of Mussolini He was captured by Italian partisan forces and shot His corpse was hung by its heels in Milan Mussolini's war had been a catastrophe for himself and his country It had also left the German southern flank dangerously exposed The German army was now over-committed short of troops and retreating on all fronts