WW2's Tunisian campaign: the Stalingrad of Africa
Saul David explains why the 1942-3 Tunisian campaign should be viewed as one of the decisive moments of the Second World War
For the Allies it was an enormous triumph and for Nazi Germany it was another Stalingrad. But 80 years on, the battle for Tunisia is barely mentioned in popular accounts of the Second World War, having been totally eclipsed by the iconic clashes in Europe and the Pacific. In his new book, Tunisgrad, military historian Saul David seeks to redress the balance, arguing that this north African campaign was one of the three biggest turning points of the entire war. In conversation with Rob Attar, he explains why.
Saul David is the author of Tunisgrad: Victory in Africa (HarperCollins, 2025).
Authors
Rob Attar is editor of BBC History Magazine and also works across the HistoryExtra podcast and website, as well as hosting several BBC History Magazine events.