Operation Torch refers to which Allied action?

• A. The Allied invasion of Sicily
• B. The Allied invasion of French North Africa in 1942
• C. The invasion of Normandy
• D. The Luftwaffe air raid on London

Answer: (B)

Operation Torch is the Allied invasion of French North Africa in 1942. It was a coordinated American-British assault aimed at establishing a foothold in North Africa, removing Axis forces from the region, and opening a path for Allies to push into the Mediterranean and eventually into Europe. In November 1942, troops landed at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers under Eisenhower’s command, marking the first major combined American operations in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater. This campaign helped relieve pressure on Allied forces in the Soviet Union by opening a second front, secured vital shipping routes, and set the stage for the later push into Italy. By contrast, the invasion of Sicily happened later in 1943 (not 1942), the Normandy invasion occurred in 1944, and the London air raids were German attacks, not an Allied invasion.