The war in North Africa started in 1940 and didn’t end until 1943. The Allies General, Montgomery, was often rude, but he was good at inspiring his troops. This caused the Allies to start winning battles, a place where their previous commander failed. The British and Allied strategy was to trap the Afrika Korps and force them into surrendering. Monty’s troops would come from one side and Patton from the other. Monty and the Allies had 230,000 men and 1,400 while Rommel and the Axis powers only had 80,000 men and 500 tanks. There were many tank battles in the war in North Africa. “Over to my left I could see two tanks burning and on my right two more in the minefield.” -Sergeant Samuel Allen, describing tank battles in North Africa, May 1943