Spring 1940 saw the amazing defeat of the French. Bold from this unexpected and easy victory, Hitler thinks about greater goals. He wants to crush Britain to rule the entire Europe. He looks especially towards East, living space in the Nazi mysticism. In 1940, Germans don’t care about Africa.
Mussolini’s Italy doesn’t want to stay behind his powerful ally. It retains colonies on the continent: Libya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Great Britain is engrossed in its own territory’s defence (cf Radar page). Does the British Empire seem an easy prey to Mussolini? Anyway, hostilities start on his orders in 1940, in the beginning of summer.

After battles of modest importance in Somalia and Sudan, the main Italian offensive (250000 men) from Libya to Egypt starts the 13th of September, led by Marechal Graziani. British colonial troops resist.
From September 1940 to April 1941, Britons, assisted by irregular troops and later by French, expel the Italians from black Africa. In Egypt, the counter offensive starts the 9nth of December under the command of General Wavell. The Italian army, though of superior numbers, is crushed. British make more than 130000 prisoners. The 21st of January 1941, British settle in Tobrouk (Libya). Such victories boost British’s morale, the only left to resist the axis forces.