During the summer the exhausted British forces in charge of conducting the war in the North African desert were in retreat across all sectors, unable to oppose the "Rommel phenomenon." The last obstacle on the road to Alexandria was the British 8th Army, which had finally halted at the isolated El Alamein railroad station after a long, bitter retreat. At this insignificant spot, the disciplined British troops and their battle-hardened allies, under General Bernard Law Montgomery, prepared to make a final stand. Rommel launched a violent assault, but was unable to overcome his opponents' stubborn defense. After a bloody 12-day battle, the Africakorps was forced to retreat. The soon-to-be-legendary 8th Army had smashed German dreams of dominating North Africa.