The North African desert... Its mysteries have made it a land of intrigue and espionage and armies have fought over it almost since time began. In November 1942 American and British troops landed on its shores to begin the first offensive against the axis powers. Three months later, in February 1943, American troops first encountered Hitler's Panzer divisions in a bloody battle at Kasserine Pass.

These were battles fought in the barren trackless terrain of North Africa, where inexperienced leaders and raw American soldiers, some just weeks out of recruit training saw the horror of war for the first time.

In this exciting episode of "War Stories with Oliver North," you'll hear the stories of five army soldiers who survived their first time under fire against a combat-hardened German army, led by Erwin Rommel -- "the desert fox."

From this bloody first offensive against Hitler emerged a battle-tested American army. The skills they honed in 1942 and 1943 in the north African desert are still used today.

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