However, the development of the situation did not go as Mussolini intended. Graziani, who served as the commander-in-chief of Italy in Africa, was a scheming pharaoh general. Although he won the crown of conquering Abyssinia, he was regarded by the "leader"

" received commendations, applause, and was promoted to marshal, but this time he was full of worries. He thought: The British have recently retreated without fighting and ran away as soon as they hit. It may be a trap. Therefore, no matter how Mussolini reprimanded and insulted

, still don’t act rashly.

However, while Graziani hesitated, the British completed preparations for the "Compass" campaign as quickly as possible.

Before the war began, General Wavell, the British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, personally inspected combat readiness and then made a brief and powerful mobilization for the soldiers. He said:

"Although we are outnumbered by the enemy, we are highly trained, well-equipped, accustomed to desert warfare, have a great glorious tradition, and are full of perseverance. This is the guarantee of our invincible victory.

.”

Before the start of a major operation, the days were really like a year. All the generals were in high spirits and determined to win the war to boost their morale and teach Mussolini a lesson. On December 6, 1940, the British soldiers were thin and dark-faced.

The fully mechanized army, which had been trained in the desert, advanced for more than 40 miles with about 25,000 troops, and hid motionless all day in the desert wilderness the next day without being discovered by Mussolini's air force.

On December 8, they moved forward again, but the troops were informed that night that this was not an exercise in the desert, but "a real war." At dawn on the 9th, the battle of Sidi Barani began.

After a burst of fierce artillery fire, the British and Indian forces launched an offensive. Within just a few minutes, 25 Italian tanks were paralyzed.

At that time, the Italian army fighting in Nibewa, south of Sidi Barani, put up a tenacious resistance. General Maliti, the commander of the Italian division, was killed as soon as he came out of the trench.

After more than an hour of fierce fighting, the British army captured the city. They began to attack Tumar Barracks at 1:30 pm. By evening, almost the entire barracks area was occupied by the British army, and most of the defenders were captured.

At the same time, the 7th Armored Division cut off the highway along the Mediterranean Sea in the west, thus isolating Sidi Barani. The troops stationed in Matruh Port were also prepared and ready to attack.

Just after dawn on the 10th, under the cover of powerful firepower from warships, they stormed the Italian position on the front. The battle lasted all day, and at 10 o'clock, the Colstream Guard Headquarters reported that there were too many prisoners.

, it was impossible to count, and the captured soldiers and officers occupied an area of ​​about 200 acres.

Since December 11, 1940, the British Seventh Armored Division, followed by the British Sixteenth Infantry Motorized Brigade and the Australian Sixth Division, continued to pursue the victory.

A few days later, the entire seaside area around Booker Puk and Sidi Barani fell into Allied hands.

At that time, Churchill learned from the front lines that at least three divisions of Mussolini's elite were either annihilated or captured.

When the victory of Sidi Barani was finalized, that is, on December 12, General Wavell took the initiative to take a wise and bold decision.

Instead of leaving the newly replaced 4th British and Indian Division on the battlefield as a general reserve, he immediately transferred it to Eritrea to join the 5th British and Indian Division in Abisi under the command of General Platt.

Battle of Niya. Part of the division went to Port Sudan by sea, and the other part took a train and then changed to a ship to go up the Nile River!

Some of them went almost directly from the Sidi Barani front line to where they boarded the ship.

After they arrived at the battlefield 700 miles away, they quickly entered the battle again. Without General Wavell's foresighted decision, not only would the victory of the Battle of Keren in Abyssinian Fortress not be guaranteed, but the liberation of Abyssinia would also be far away.

No deadline.

Churchill was delighted with the victory on the North African front. He hurriedly congratulated the soldiers on the front and urged them to spare no effort to encircle and annihilate the enemy.

His telegram to Wavell on December 13, 1940 said:

"I sincerely congratulate you on your glorious victory, which has fulfilled our highest hopes. When I told the House of Commons what skilful staff work was required and how bravely the Army performed this difficult task, the hall roared with joy. The poet Walter.

Whitman said that every fruit of success, no matter how satisfactory it is, will bring about some problems that require a larger battle to solve. Naturally, in your mind, the pursuit of the enemy takes precedence. When victory is

The day when the loser is exhausted is the time when the greatest compensation can be obtained from the loser.

Nothing made Mussolini tremble more than the defeat in Libya!"
Chapter completed!