In November 1942 British and American troops landed in North Africa to dislodge the German Afrika Korps and the Italian troops. For Franco it was the end of his putative aspirations of conquest and a possible risk of invasion by the allies given their alignment with Germany and Italy. It would not be until the fall of Mussolini in July 1943 after the allied landing in Sicily, when General Franco returned to "strict neutrality" against his wishes, ordering in November the withdrawal of the Russian front of the Blue Division.