As World War II inched toward crucial turning points in 1942, British, Commonwealth and Free French forces mounted a heroic defence of their positions at Bir Hakeim, an oasis in the Libyan desert, from May 27 to June 11. While technically a defeat, the two-week battle nevertheless won tremendous respect for General Charles de Gaulle’s Free French – and helped set the stage for the famous British victory at El Alamein, which months later turned the tide of war in the West. FRANCE 24 looks back at the Battle of Bir Hakeim, 80 years later.