Complex sentence: Benito Mussolini sought help from Hitler and a small German blocking detachment was sent to Tripoli, the first units of the "Afrika Korps" ("Generalleutnant" Erwin Rommel) under nominal Italian command but Italian dependency on Nazi Germany made it the dominant partner.
Split into simpler sentences: Benito Mussolini sought help from Hitler and a small German blocking detachment was sent to Tripoli, the first of a number of units that were transferred to Africa under the command of Erwin Rommel. Axis forces in Africa were nominally under Italian command but Italian dependency on Nazi Germany made it the dominant partner.