<P> Fighting in North Africa started with the Italian declaration of war on 10 June 1940 . On 14 June , the British Army 's 11th Hussars ( assisted by elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment , 1st RTR ) crossed the border from Egypt into Libya and captured the Italian Fort Capuzzo . This was followed by an Italian counter-offensive into Egypt and the capture of Sidi Barrani in September 1940 and again in December 1940 following a British Commonwealth counteroffensive , Operation Compass . During Operation Compass , the Italian 10th Army was destroyed and the German Afrika Korps -- commanded by Erwin Rommel , who later became known as `` The Desert Fox '' -- was dispatched to North Africa in February 1941 during Operation Sonnenblume to reinforce Italian forces in order to prevent a complete Axis defeat . </P>
<P> Fighting in North Africa started with the Italian declaration of war on 10 June 1940 . On 14 June , the British Army 's 11th Hussars ( assisted by elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment , 1st RTR ) crossed the border from Egypt into Libya and captured the Italian Fort Capuzzo . This was followed by an Italian counter-offensive into Egypt and the capture of Sidi Barrani in September 1940 and again in December 1940 following a British Commonwealth counteroffensive , Operation Compass . During Operation Compass , the Italian 10th Army was destroyed and the German Afrika Korps -- commanded by Erwin Rommel , who later became known as `` The Desert Fox '' -- was dispatched to North Africa in February 1941 during Operation Sonnenblume to reinforce Italian forces in order to prevent a complete Axis defeat . </P>
when did germany invade africa in world war 2
when did germany invade africa in world war 2
in February 1941
in February 1941