Evacuation Day in Tunisia ― Date, History, and Details
Evacuation Day in Tunisia may be something you want to learn more about, and we want to help with that.
Let's dive deeper into learning more about the history of Evacuation Day in Tunisia and why people celebrate or observe it.
History of Evacuation Day in Tunisia and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
In Tunisia, Evacuation Day is celebrated on May 7th. It commemorates the day in 1943 when the Allies began their successful campaign to drive the Axis powers out of North Africa during World War II. The day is also a national holiday in Malta, which was also liberated from Axis control on that day.
The Tunisian campaign began on November 8th, 1942, when British and Commonwealth troops under the command of General Bernard Montgomery launched an offensive against Axis forces in Egypt. The goal of the offensive was to push the Axis powers out of Egypt and into Libya, where they could be destroyed.
The campaign was initially successful, and by early 1943 the British and Commonwealth forces had driven the Axis powers back into Tunisia. However, the Axis forces were not ready to give up yet, and they launched a counteroffensive in March of 1943.
The counteroffensive was stopped by the Allies, and in May of 1943 they began their own offensive. This time, the goal was to drive the Axis powers out of Tunisia entirely. The offensive was successful, and on May 7th, the last Axis troops were forced to evacuate Tunisia.
The Tunisian campaign was a major victory for the Allies, as it drove the Axis powers out of North Africa and paved the way for the invasions of Sicily and Italy. It also put pressure on the Axis powers in Europe, which helped to hasten the end of the war.