American troops on board a landing craft heading for the beaches at Oran in Algeria during Operation 'Torch,' November 1942

 Even though these brave men are floating into an uncertain future it’s clear that they’re in high spirits. Operation Torch was a plan to draw Axis forces away from the Eastern Front in order to give the members of the Soviet army a break from battling the Axis.

At the time the British didn’t want Americans to land in Europe, they thought it would be disastrous for the war to do so in such early stages. The members of the Allies compromised and the Americans landed in Northern Africa.

Thanks to Operation Torch American and British forces finally had the offensive following three years of German and Italian forces dictating the tempo of events.