In North Africa, the Afrika Korps, led by Generalleutnant Erwin Rommel have pushed back the Allied forces and begun the Siege of Tobruk, a major garrison.

With the success of these two campaigns, Nazi Germany was poised to push through the Middle East to India, joining Japanese forces striking from China and Burma.

In the first of a two-pronged campaign, General Bernard Montgomery, the commander of the British 8th Army during the Battles of El Alamein, repulsed Rommel's attacks and forced an Axis retreat.

With the great British gains in the desert war and the success of the invasion and capitulation of the Vichy French forces at the rear lines, the Afrika Korps was held in a "pincer vice" with no options other than surrender or abandoning North Africa.

[3] Typical of the NFB's series of morale-boosting films, Pincer on Axis Europe used the format of a compilation documentary, relying heavily on newsreel material, including "enemy" footage, in order to provide the background to the dialogue.

[7] An intertitle identified the importance of Pincer on Axis Europe, announcing in a title card that Canadian troops were involved in the invasion of North Africa.