Malta: Strategic Impact During World War II

摘要

No discussion of World War II is complete without an examination of the role that the tiny island of Malta played in the conflict. Primarily because of its location and proximity to lines of communications in the North African Theater, Malta became the most important base of operations in the entire Mediterranean. Throughout the North African Campaigns, the island repelled the Axis powers against severe odds and hardships. Withstanding the most concentrated bombing campaign of the war, the British airfields at Malta were responsible for harassing Axis shipping and providing invaluable intelligence to the British Admiralty. After contributing immeasurably to the Allied victory in North Africa, Malta was one of the staging areas for the Allied forced invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland and was the site of the surrender of the Italian Navy.