In 1942, the Allied forces' advances in Europe were limited and mostly occurred outside continental Europe, as the main focus was on halting Axis advances and preparing for future offensives. Key Allied advances in 1942:
- North Africa: The Allies, particularly British Commonwealth forces, launched counter-offensives in North Africa. After the German and Italian forces initially pushed the British back to the Gazala line early in 1942, the Allies managed to stop the Axis advance at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October-November 1942. Following this, they began a westward push across Libya, culminating in the Anglo-American landings in French North Africa (Operation Torch) in November 1942. This led to the region joining the Allies and forced Axis forces to withdraw into Tunisia, which was later conquered in 1943
- Eastern Front: The German summer offensive of 1942 advanced deep into southern Russia, aiming for the Caucasus oil fields and the city of Stalingrad on the Volga River. The Germans reached the Volga by June 1942. However, Soviet forces made a determined stand at Stalingrad. By mid-November 1942, the Soviets launched a counteroffensive that encircled German forces there, marking a turning point. Although the Germans initially advanced, the Soviets began pushing them back by late 1942 and early 1943
- Western Europe: There was no significant Allied advance into continental Western Europe in 1942. The Western Allies conducted raids and commando operations, such as the failed Dieppe Raid, but a major invasion of France was deemed infeasible in 1942. Instead, the Allies focused on peripheral campaigns like North Africa and the Mediterranean
In summary, in 1942, the Allies were able to advance primarily in North Africa after the Second Battle of El Alamein and the Operation Torch landings in French North Africa. On the Eastern Front, the Soviets halted and began to reverse the German advance at Stalingrad. There was no major Allied advance into Western Europe in 1942
