This pages deals with the United States military's Mediterranean Theater of Operations. See Mediterranean Theatre of World War II for more details of other campaigns in the theater. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... The Mediterranean region. ...

The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) was originally called North African Theater of Operations (NATO) and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II. US operations in the theater began with of the Allied Expeditionary Force, which landed on the beaches of northwest Africa on November 8, 1942, in Operation Torch. They ended in the Italian Alps some 31 months later with the German surrender in May 1945.[1] In warfare, a theater or theatre is normally used to define a specific geographic area within which armed conflict occurs. ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... The word axis has several meanings: In geometry, it may refer to: An axis of rotation A coordinate axis An axis of symmetry In anatomy, the axis is the second cervical vertebra. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1942 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Operation Torch (from November 8, 1942) was the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign. ...

Command Structure

The operational command of the MTO was a combined U.S.-British operational command called Allied Forces Headquaters AFHQ, which planned and directed Pigs, Cows, and Billy joes operations and military government activities in NATO and MTO. It was created on September 12, 1942 to launch a combined U.S.-British operation against the northern and northwestern coast of Africa. In February 1943 the authority of AFHQ was extended to include the British 8th Army, command by General Bernard Montgomery which was moving into position for the start of the Tunisia Campaign. Allied Forces Headquarters was the headquarters that controlled all Allied forces in the Mediterranean theatre from late 1943 to the end of the war. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1942 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... The Tunisia Campaign was a series of World War II battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the World War II, between forces of the German/Italian Axis, and allied forces consisting primarily of US, British and small numbers of Vichy French. ...

Initially AFHQ was located in London from September until November 1942, it relocated to Algiers in Algeria in November 1942 and remaind there until July 1944. From Algiers it moved to Caserta in Italy until April 1944. Its last relocation was to Leghorn (Livorno), Italy between April 1944 until April 1947. 1942 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... For other uses, see Algiers (disambiguation). ... Caserta, near Naples was certainly the largest palace and probably the largest building erected in Europe in the 18th century. ... Livorno, sometimes in English Leghorn, (population 170,000) is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. ...

The initial Supreme Commander Allied (Expeditionary) Force was General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Shortly after the establishment of the headquarters, expeditionary was deleted from its title for reasons of operational security. He then returned to the United Kingdom to assume command of the forces assembling for Operation Overlord. He was succeeded by Field Marshal Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. Wilson's title became Supreme Commander, Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Wilson was in command for just under a year, until he was sent to Washington in December 1944 to replace Field Marshal Sir John Dill of the British Joint Staff Mission who had died suddenly. Wilson was succeded by Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander who was Supreme Commander and commander of AFHQ until the end of the war. Order: 34th President Vice President: Richard Nixon Term of office: January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 Preceded by: Harry S. Truman Succeeded by: John F. Kennedy Date of birth: October 14, 1890 Place of birth: Denison, Texas Date of death: March 28, 1969 Place of death: Washington, D.C. First... The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson of Libya (5 September 1881 - 31 December 1964), better known as Jumbo Wilson was a senior British General during World War II. He saw active service in the Boer War and the First World War. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... Field Marshall Sir John Greer Dill CMG DSO GCB (25 December 1888 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship. ... The British Joint Staff Mission was a body constitued in Washington during World War II to represent British interests on the Combined Chiefs of Staff when the British Chiefs of Staff Committee could not attend meetings of the Combined Chiefs of Staff. ... Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (December 10, 1891 - June 16, 1969) was a British military commander and Field Marshal, notably during World War II as the commander of the 15th Army Group. ...

For administrative purposes, U.S. components were responsible to Headquarters North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA), from February 14, 1943 (NATOUSA redesignated Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army, MTOUSA, November 1, 1944). The British components were responsible to General Headquarters Central Mediterranean Forces (CMF), from October 1, 1945.

Headquarters MTOUSA and General Headquarters CMF formally separated from AFHQ on October 1, 1945, leaving AFHQ to consist of a small interallied staff responsible for combined command liquidation activities. AFHQ was abolished, effective September 17, 1947, by General Order 24, AFHQ, September 16, 1947. October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in Leap years). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Campaigns and Operations

See also U.S. campaigns in WWII

• Operation Torch (Allied invasion of French North Africa)
• Egypt-Libya Campaign
• Tunisia Campaign
• Operation Husky (Allied invasion of Sicily)
• Naples-Foggia Campaign (Allied invasion of Italy)
• Operation Shingle (amphibious landing in the area of Anzio)
• Winter Line (The western part of the line centered around Monte Cassino, was called the Gustav Line)
• Operation Dragoon (invasion of southern France – one month after the invasion operational command was passed to SHAEF)

The names below are as used by the US Army, although they were Allied campaigns. ... Operation Torch (from November 8, 1942) was the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign. ... The Egypt-Libya Campaign was an American campaign in North Africa during World War II. It is the name used by the United States military to describe the support that US force gave the British Commonwealth fighting the Axis forces in the Western Desert Campaign and was part of the... The Tunisia Campaign was a series of World War II battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the World War II, between forces of the German/Italian Axis, and allied forces consisting primarily of US, British and small numbers of Vichy French. ... Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ... This article covers the invasion of mainland Italy by the World War II Allies in September 1943 during the Italian Campaign. ... Operation Shingle (January 22, 1944), during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. ... Anzio (2003 pop. ... The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ... Battle of Monte Cassino Conflict World War II, Italian Campaign Date January 17, 1944-May 19, 1944 Place Monte Cassino, Italy Result Allied victory The strategic position of Monte Cassino has made it the repeated scene of battles and sieges from antiquity. ... During World War 2, Operation Dragoon (Allies, 1944) was the invasion of southern France between Toulon and Cannes executed on 15 August 1944. ... Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (abbreviated as SHAEF), was the command headquarters of the commander of Allied forces in North West Europe in 1944 and 1945. ...

A theater of operations

The term "theater of operations" was defined in the [American] field manuals as the land and sea areas to be invaded or defended, including areas necessary for administrative activities incident to the military operations (chart 12). In accordance with the experience of World War I, it was usually conceived of as a large land mass over which continuous operations would take place and was divided into two chief areas-the combat zone, or the area of active fighting, and the communications zone, or area required for administration of the theater. As the armies advanced, both these zones and the areas into which they were divided would shift forward to new geographic areas of control.[2]

See also

• North African Campaign
• Middle East Theatre of World War II
• Egypt-Libya Campaign
• Italian campaign
• Military history of Britain during World War II

The battle in the North African desert during World War II from 1940-1943. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II Command Structure main article Middle East Command The British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility not just for British Empire and Dominions ( British Commonwealth) operations in the Middle East and North Africa, but also East Africa, Persia, and the... The Egypt-Libya Campaign was an American campaign in North Africa during World War II. It is the name used by the United States military to describe the support that US force gave the British Commonwealth fighting the Axis forces in the Western Desert Campaign and was part of the... The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. ... The United Kingdom, along with France, declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939 as part of the United Kingdoms pledge to defend Poland to the invasion of Poland. ...

References

1. The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/11-9/mto.htm)
2. Chapter VII: Prewar Army Doctrine for Theater (http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/orgadmin/org_admin_wwii_chpt7.htm)

External link

• GENERAL RECORDS OF ALLIED FORCE HEADQUARTERS (AFHQ) (http://www.archives.gov/research_room/federal_records_guide/ww2_allied_occupation_headquarters_rg331.html#331.16)