African Front in WWII?

[Tompa_73]

I just realized that my knowledge of the African front is missing,

I watched WWII documentries on youtube and started wondering why

the african front is so much missing in movies, games/sims and such?

Did nothing happen over there or what? Why dont we see this more in

combat games or flight sims or have I missed something?

Atleast Armor warfare would use this scenario more one would think.

 

Any books, movies, games, etc you can name that focus on the african front,

pls share, I have started being obsessive over this.

 

[Sokol1]

If be "African Front" you mean the North Africa 1940 -1943 campaign, some movies:

 

Tobruk (2008) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224376/ - Good movie (IMO).

 

El Alamein: The Line of Fire  (2002)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329042/ - The desert war from Italian point of view. Good movie (IMO).

 

Sahara (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114324/

 

Others - most the typical post-war (50/60) Hollywood movies fight the "devil Nazis" with the heroes outnumbered, outgunned... blablabla.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:North_African_Campaign_films

 

FPS games like the early (and good) Call of Dutt, Medal of Honor series has missions campaigns in this scenery.

RTS game Afrika Korps x Desert Rats.

 

il-2 Sturmovik (the original) has (small scale) map and planeset, and good user made campaigns set there.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Sokol1

[Finkeren]

It's certainly not overlooked when it comes to film:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:North_African_Campaign_films

 

It's true that it's never been properly covered by a flight sim, but quite a few tank sims, strategy games and shooters have featured the war in North Africa.

 

Most of it is concerning the actions involving the (relatively small) Afrika Korps and the Italians and the entire war in East Africa are often conspicuously left out.

 

Even more overlooked than the East African campaign are the multiple campaigns in the Middle East - many people are not even aware, that WW2 was also fought throughout the Middle East. In 1941 and -42 the British invaded first Iraq, then the French-held mandates of Syria and Lebanon (The bloodiest fighting between French and British forces in WW2) and lastly the British invaded Iran in a joint operation with the Red Army (IIRC the only time the Soviet Union participated in a coordinated operation with the Western Allies) 

Edited May 11, 2015 by Finkeren

[J2_Trupobaw]

A lot happened there, front moving back and forward and back and forward while both sides pushed each other only to overstretch their supply lines through desert. It was quite "civilised" theatre, too, with rules and customs of war more adhered to and combatants more respectful towards their opponents than usual for WW2.

"A Higher Call" has description of later stages of the war, from German PoV, based on memories of German pilots.
http://www.amazon.com/Higher-Call-Incredible-Chivalry-War-Torn/dp/0425255735

[Finkeren]

It was quite "civilised" theatre, too, with rules and customs of war more adhered to and combatants more respectful towards their opponents than usual for WW2.

 

That might have been true for the European/American combatants, but both before and during the war, especially the local Berber tribes were victims of repeated massacres, forced removals and other types of atrocities approaching genocide prepetrated primarilly by the Italians.  

[Rolling_Thunder]

Ice cold in Alex is a great film.

Worth waiting for.

[C-Bag]

This is a great topic. There was so many stories/actions that took place all over the world. It just seems a waste to me that battles like D-Day, Battle of Britan and the Pacific seem to be the only focus when these seem like all I've ever heard about. The diversion from the common is what drew me to IL2 and the Eastern Front. Instead of rehashing the same old stuff. I can't figure out if it's guys just want something familiar, or they are just stuck on those stories or they are new to this history.

 

I've learned more about history and especially Russian aircraft since getting involved with BOS than I ever did in school. I do hope IL2 sooner or later moves into Mediterranean/North Africa and drags me along with it. I also know little about Italian aircraft. The more I read and study the more I realize like the OP I have a sound bite knowledge of a lot of this history.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Google the Battle of Dakar

 

But...it is the Allies & Free French fighting the Vichy French which isn't the sort of thing that is a hot topic today.