Why was North Africa was a key location for the British to defend.
1. The Allies needed to maintain shipping lanes through Egypt.
2. The Allies needed to protect the Cape of Good Hope from invasion.
3. The Axis powers wanted to gain control of oil fields in Iraq.
4. The Axis wanted to protect the cotton production in North American.
5. North Africa was a strategic location for controlling access to the Suez Canal, a vital shipping route connecting Europe to Asia and the Middle East.
Overall, controlling North Africa was crucial for both the Allies and the Axis powers in terms of securing important resources, maintaining strategic transportation routes, and protecting key territories.