North Africa 1942: Torch

Where: World War II Memorial (meet the ranger outside of the Pacific Arch). On November 8, 1942, Allied forces launched Operation Torch, the first major joint Allied operation of World War II. The landings in North Africa marked a turning point in the war and helped build momentum for the Allied campaign. Just days later, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Join a Park Ranger to explore why Operation Torch was a critical moment for the Allies in 1942.