England's Western Desert Force, under the command of Lt. General Sir Richard O'Connor, defeats the Italians soundly at Bardia on 3 January 1941 and seizes their fortified port city of Tobruk in Libya on the 22nd. They push the Italians as far west as Beta Fomm, where the Italian 10th army is totally defeated. But on 12 February Brig. Gen. Rommel arrives in Tripoli and this campaign takes a dramatic turn.