Village on the north coast of Egypt which was the site of two important battles in *World War II. In June 1942 the German Afrika Corps, headed by Rommel, was storming east through north Africa and seemed likely to reach Cairo and the Suez Canal. They were held at El Alamein in July by the British 8th Army under *Auchinleck. By late October, when the 8th Army had been greatly reinforced and was under the command of *Montgomery, a counterattack was launched which was to be one of the turning points of the war. The battle lasted October 3–November 5, after which Rommel withdrew 1100km/700m to the west. The momentum had begun for the expulsion of the Germans from Africa, which was followed by the allied invasion of Italy.
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