Join us this Saturday, December 7th, 1pm to 2:30pm at the American Heritage Museum for a presentation on V-Mail during WWII. No reservations needed. For more information see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/speaker-series-v-mail-in-wwii/
You might have just noticed that we added a brand-new event on December 28-29... the Battle of the Bulge History Experience! We are transforming our wooded tank course into an Allied encampment in the Ardennes in Winter of 1944 as the German surprise offensive cuts off soldiers from reinforcements. A force of 50+ Allied re-enactors and 40 German re-enactors will be braving the cold in foxholes and makeshift camps through the weekend. With your ticket, you'll be literally transported back in time as you are shuttled from the museum to the encampments in either a WWII vintage M3 Half-Track or WC56 Command Car - worth the ticket price in itself! ![]()
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Bring your family and friends who are visiting from out of town and share the living history at the American Heritage Museum and the Battle of the Bulge History Experience!
Battle of the Bulge History Experience Weekend - The American Heritage Museum
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
Join us on December 28th and 29th for the Battle of the Bulge Commemorative Weekend at the American Heritage Museum to honor the 80th Anniversary of the German offensive siege that surrounded and cut-...
As #GivingTuesday approaches on Tuesday, December 3rd, we are only $10,000 away from our $25,000 goal to unlock a donor challenge! Help us make your year-end donation go even farther to support our living history mission and allow us to continue growing our exhibits, programs, and events into 2025! Donate before midnight on 12/3/24! ![]()
Step Forward: Give to the 2024 American Heritage Museum Annual Fund
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
In the spirit of America's heritage of voluntary generosity, will you step forward with a year-end gift to support the Living History programs of the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA?
Our mission at the American Heritage Museum is to keep history alive for our future generations and when we meet young adults who have that same passion, we are happy to help! Meet Luke Morrison, a 13 year old historian from Vermont who is on his way to being the youngest person to operate a military museum! Way to go Luke!
As another amazing year comes to a close, the American Heritage Museum hopes that you will consider a year-end gift to help propel us into the coming year! Americas history is full of stories of voluntary generosity and we hope you'll join in that heritage to support our living history programs. Make your donation before #GivingTuesday on December 3rd and your donation will go even farther thanks to a $25,000 challenge from a group of donors. We are almost half-way to the goal, so please give today!
Step Forward: Give to the 2024 American Heritage Museum Annual Fund
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
In the spirit of America's heritage of voluntary generosity, will you step forward with a year-end gift to support the Living History programs of the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA?North Africa
M3 Lee – USA | TANK
Matilda MK.II – UK | TANK
Sd.Kfz 10 1-Ton – GER | PERSONNEL CARRIER/PRIME MOVER
Leichter Panzerspähwagen SdKfz 222 – GER | SCOUT ARMORED CAR
BMW R75 & Sidecar – GER | MOTORCYCLE & SIDE CAR
7.5 cm Pak 40 – GER | ANTI-TANK GUN
The North African Campaign of the Second World War started June 10th, 1940, when Fascist Italy declared war on Britain and France. It lasted until May 13th, 1943, when the last Axis troops in Africa surrendered in Tunisia, including the defeated Afrika Korps sent by Hitler to prop up his faltering Italian ally.
The United States officially entered the war against Germany on December 11, 1941. Struggling against Japan while arming and training its brand new mass armies in haste, the United States began direct military assistance to Allied forces in North Africa on May 11th, 1942. Canada provided a small contingent of 348 officers and enlisted. Australians, Indians, and South Africans also fought under British command in Egypt and Libya, where Britain’s 8th Army and the ‘Desert Rats’ were led by General Montgomery. Meanwhile, Free French forces struck out for North Africa from deep inside West Africa, as the Allies sought to drive the Axis out of Africa as a preliminary to the invasion of Italy and Germany.
The training, build-up, and transport of green American forces took time. While tanks and troops were supplied to the British, large numbers of American troops did not arrive in North Africa to join in the Allied effort until the start of Operation Torch in November, 1942. With some American material assistance, including tanks and aircraft and intelligence assets, British and Commonwealth forces fought the Axis in campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert Campaign). Anglo-American landings in Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch), as well as Tunisia (Tunisia Campaign) book-ended a coordinated Allied strategy of driving and squeezing the last Axis armies in North Africa from east and west, until their total defeat and surrender in Tunisia May 1943.
The battle for North Africa was primarily a struggle for control of the Suez Canal and access to oil from the Middle East and raw materials from Asia, but also an effort to drive Italy out of the war as a prelude to invasion of southern Europe and a planned bombing campaign against Germany. It was the place German and American armies first faced off against each other. After early and terrible losses to the Germans, soldiers from America joined the ongoing Allied effort in North Africa and helped turn the tide of war decisively against the Axis. Next would come landings in Sicily and southern Italy. Based in a secured North Africa, bombers and invading armies would next bring the war home to the heartlands of the fascist nations themselves.
