Battle of Tunis

The Battle Tunis (5–7 May 1943) was an engagement between Allied and Axis forces during the Tunisian Campaign. Tunis and its neighbouring town of Bizerta in Tunisia were two important sea ports.

Preceded on 5 May by a German attack to recover Bou Aoukas, the main Allied attack was delivered on the next day. The Allied infantry assault, preceded by heavy air attacks and artillery bombardment, broke through the Axis mountain strongpoints and opened a gap for the supporting armour to advance through the open country. Delivered on a narrow front and aimed straight at Tunis through Massicault, it was a labelled a "blitzkrieg attack" and in a matter of a few hours completely broke the whole German defence line.

Allied offensive

The final Allied offensive began on 5 May, with the 5th Corps gaining the hills which dominated the Tunis plain and the 9th Corps advancing in bright starlight on the morning of 6 May. The village of Massicault, which had been prepared for hedgehog defence, fell without resistance. By the afternoon their infantry had gained their objective, and the 6th and 7th Armoured Divisions, swept forward and entered Tunis on 7 May. On the same day the U.S. 2nd Corps and Free French Corps d'Afrique took Bizerta, a fortress designed and equipped to stand a long siege .

By 9 May the 5th Panzer Armee in the northern pocket had surrendered, with 250 German tanks falling into Allied hands. The divisions of the Allied 1st Army then turned to assist in the capture of the Italian 1st Army, which they achieved between 11-13 May.

The heavy counter-attacks which von Arnim had delivered may have sacrificed the ability of the German forces to offer prolonged resistance. When the final Allied offensive came, General von Arnim's reserves were either exhausted or in the wrong place.