Capture of Tunis and Bizerte

The final offensive of the Tunisian campaign allowed the Allies, including a seasoned French corps, to capture Tunis and Bizerte, marking the end of the German-Italian presence in North Africa. General Juin's French Expeditionary Corps played a key role in the encirclement and destruction of the last pockets of resistance.

After the earlier breakthroughs at Wadi Akarit and Enfidaville, Axis forces were cornered around Tunis. The inter-Allied maneuver, conducted jointly by the British, Americans, and French, aimed to crush the last enemy units. For the first time since 1940, French forces fought as a complete, recognized, and integrated army corps.

The offensive began with a series of rapid breakthroughs into the enemy's rear. The French attacked through the Djebel Boukornine and the Zaghouan sector, exploiting Axis weaknesses. Allied aviation bombed the retreat routes. The junction of British and French forces allowed entry into Tunis on 7 May, then into Bizerte on 8 May. The remaining Axis forces surrendered in the following days.

Victory in Tunisia ended the war in Africa. The surrender of more than 250,000 Axis soldiers was a strategic disaster for Hitler and Mussolini. The prestige of the French army was restored. This victory paved the way for future operations in Sicily and Italy, where the French corps would again play a decisive role.