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Despite the often heroic efforts by the Italian Navy described by Professor James  Sadkovich, fuel and other vital supplies were gradually denied to the Axis troops. Half of the convoys to North Africa were sunk by the Allies.

Despite the often heroic efforts by the Italian Navy described by Professor James  Sadkovich, fuel and other vital supplies were gradually denied to the Axis troops. Half of the convoys to North Africa were sunk by the Allies.

The fall of the Tunis and Bizerte ports in Tunisia was inevitable, but [[US Army]] General [[Omar Bradley]] admitted that the American formations encountered serious opposition, writing that the Axis defenders were, ''"the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men."''<ref>"Allied victory was inevitable, General Omar Bradley said, but it was not an easy victory. "The trapped enemy was the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men who, "as the official British historian wrote, "fought with desperation of men who knew they could not retreat."  Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>As a junior officer in the final stages of the Tunisian fighting, future US Army General [[Vernon Walters]] interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, "The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough."''<ref>"As an officer in North Africa, Vernon Walters interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, "The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough." Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

The fall of the Tunis and Bizerte ports in Tunisia was inevitable, but [[US Army]] General [[Omar Bradley]] admitted that the American formations encountered serious opposition, writing that the Axis defenders were, ''"the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men."''<ref>"Allied victory was inevitable, General Omar Bradley said, but it was not an easy victory. "The trapped enemy was the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men who, "as the official British historian wrote, "fought with desperation of men who knew they could not retreat."  Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>As a junior officer in the final stages of the Tunisian fighting, future US Army General [[Vernon Walters]] interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, ''"The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough."''<ref>"As an officer in North Africa, Vernon Walters interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, "The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough." Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

   

   

The war in North Africa ended on May 13, 1943. American losses in the [[Tunisian Campaign]] were 2,715 dead, 8,978 wounded and 6,528 captured/missing. British Commonwealth losses were 9,233 dead, 21,528 wounded and 10,599 captured/missing. After the surrender there were 101,704 German POWs and 89,442 Italian POWs.

The war in North Africa ended on May 13, 1943. American losses in the [[Tunisian Campaign]] were 2,715 dead, 8,978 wounded and 6,528 captured/missing. British Commonwealth losses were 9,233 dead, 21,528 wounded and 10,599 captured/missing. After the surrender there were 101,704 German POWs and 89,442 Italian POWs.