When the Italian dictator Mussolini saw that Hitler was conquering Europe hedecided that he too, would have a share of the plunder. He declared war on theAllies, vowed to control the Mediterranean, and with his 300,000 troopsstationed in Libya, take Egypt and the Suez Canal. But he knew that this couldnot be accomplished while the strategic island of Malta remained in Alliedhands. For the next two years Malta and its people suffered for almostcontinuous bombardment, but never gave in. In North Africa, because of stubbornAllied resistance, the Italian ambitions where not realised and the Germans ledby General Rommel, joined them in campaign. Following months of bitter fightingRommel's Afrika Corps were only halting just 150 miles from Cario. But after theAllies' victory at El Alamein, General Montgomery's 8th Army drove the Italiansand Germans back to Tunisia where, strengthened by the British first army andthe U. S. Second corps the Axis troops were driven from North Africa. Thisopened the way for the Allies to invade Sicily and eventually the Italianmainland.

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