Siege of Tobruq

Siege of Tobruq
Part of the Middle East Campaign of the Second Europan War
Zanarkian troops occupy a front line position at Tobruq
Date 20 January 1938 - 25 December 1938 Location Tobruq, Oshmar Result ZANAC Victory
Belligerents
Zanarkand New Akiba August Relief: Esthar and Balamb Logistical Support: Dalmasca and Nabradia Holy Galbadian Empire	Empire of Quenmin Archadia-Archedes
Commanders and leaders
Leslie Oliver Morshead Shinichi Samonji August Relief: Ferdinand Franco	Thạch Hung Sõn Chiến Kiều Dũng Quang Alessandro Berdoli Giovanni Filiberto
Strength
57,000	100,000
Casualties and losses
5,989	21,757

The Siege of Tobruq lasted for 340 days in 1938, after Imperial forces advanced through Oshmar from Gazelle in the 1937 Winter Campaign against Allied forces in Oshmar. A garrison, consisting mostly of the 6th Zanarkian Division (Lieutenant-General Leslie Oliver Morshead) and the 9th New Akiba Division (Major-General Shinichi Samonji remained at Tobruq, to deny the port to the Imperials, while the Lucis Commonwealth forces established key defensive lines at Ardur, Mordan, and Sania.

The Imperials began their attack on 20 January but was repulsed for the next few days. Upon reaching the news that the Allies had fallen back to Sania, Morshead remained determined to never yield the port to the Imperials. On 2 July, the defenders at Tobruq began to experience starvation and low on ammunition. Morshead sent a radio message to General Archibald Sugiyama to attempt to relieve the port. However, the distance from Sania to Tobruq was 37kms, which rendered it impossible to relieve the port in a few days. However, Sugiyama instead requested the Galbadian and Dalmascan Navies to attempt to resupply the port with fresh reinforcements, food, and ammunition. A contingent of Galbadians and Dalmascans managed to arrive on 21 July.

Marshal Chien became aware of this and dispatched the Imperial Quenminese Air Force to destroy all allied shipments going to Tobruq. However, the RAF maintained contact with the defenders and managed to repulse all air strikes on the port and on the shipping lanes. By 30 November, Lucis Commonwealth forces had already counter-attacked and were less than 10kms away from the port of Tobruq. Realizing that the Allies would endanger the rear, Chien and Berdoli retreated from the battlefield on 23 December. Tobruq was officially relieved by elements of the 7th Armoured Division and the 4th Basel Ebelian Division.