Palestine Final Fortress facts for kids
The Palestine Final Fortress was a secret plan made by the British during World War II in 1942. It was a defense plan for a place called Mandatory Palestine, which is now Israel and Palestine. The plan was to protect this area from a possible attack by Nazi Germany from the north.
Why the Plan Was Needed
During World War II, the land of Mandatory Palestine was in danger of being invaded by the German army. This threat happened twice.
The first danger came in June 1940. Nazi Germany had taken over France. A new French government, called Vichy France, worked with the Nazis. This government controlled nearby countries like Lebanon and Syria. This meant German forces could easily attack Palestine from the north. Because of this, the British army started building defenses in the summer of 1940.
Building the Fortress
In 1941, the British took control of Lebanon and Syria from Vichy France. This helped reduce the immediate threat. However, the British still worried that the German army might break through the Red Army's defenses in Russia.
So, the British created a new plan. If their troops had to retreat from Syria, they would gather in a strong natural area. This area was the mountainous region between Mount Carmel and the Jordan Rift Valley. The mountains and valleys here would make it hard for the German tanks, called Panzerwaffe, to attack.
This plan was called the Palestine Final Fortress (PFF). It was also known as the "Defence of the Last Position Palestine." In early 1942, the British declared the Mount Carmel area a closed military zone. They began building many defense structures there.
Threat from the South
In 1942, a new danger appeared. German forces, known as the Afrika Korps, were advancing into Egypt from the south. This meant Palestine could be attacked from two directions.
Leaders of the Yishuv, the Jewish community in Palestine, were very worried. They feared what might happen if the British had to leave. They made their own defense plans, sometimes called "Masada on the Carmel." These plans included using the Palestine Final Fortress structures.
People were very anxious during a period known as the 200 days of dread. However, the British and the Yishuv did not take many more actions to prepare. By late 1942, the danger from the south ended. The Allied forces won a major battle called the Second Battle of El Alamein. The German army then retreated across North Africa. This meant the Palestine Final Fortress was never needed for battle.
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