Afrika Korps

German army in the western desert of North Africa 1941–43 during World War II, commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. They were driven out of North Africa by May 1943.

The Korps was formed as the German component of a joint Axis force to fend off the Allied counteroffensive against Italian advances in North Africa 1940. They were initially successful in revitalizing the Axis effort in the area; in their first clash with the British 24 March 1941, a reconnaissance force succeeded in taking their forward outpost at El Agheila. They recaptured Tobruk and advanced over the Egyptian border June 1942 until they were halted at El Alamein in November 1942. The Allies gradually drove them back and they surrendered on May 1943.