El Alamein (23 October to 4 November 1942) was one of the pivotal battles of the Second World War. An undoubted victory for British Imperial forces over an Axis army of Germans and Italians, the advantage it secured for the Allies was never reversed.

The battle attracted enormous attention, both at the time and for decades thereafter. However, a campaign to diminish its significance began within days of its conclusion and proved highly influential.

In this talk, Professor Simon Ball will explore the mythology surrounding the battle as outlined in his book Alamein, part of the Oxford University Press (OUP) Great Battlesseries.

Simon Ball is Professor of International History and Politics at the University of Leeds. His book Alamein was published by OUP and will be re-issued this year in a Folio Society edition.

Alamein: Military Victory, Cultural Defeat