Figure 1.--Here a group of Gugilonese boys cheer British-manned Sherman tanks as they drive the Germans north. The photograph was taken November 25, 1943. Despite the fact that Italy had been an Axis nation, the Allies were generally treated as linerators." Guglionese" is the name of the inhabitant of "Guglionesi", a village in central Italy near the eastern coast (but not on the seaside, altitude 370 m. over the sea), about 200 km south east of Rome. The Allies were hoping to reach Rome after securing Naples. The British drove up the eastern coast and the Americans the western coast along with units from many other countries. They were stopped during the winter by the Gustav Line anchored on the stronghold of Casino below medieval monestary at Monte Casino.

The Allied commanders were divided in how to persue the Italian campaign. The differences resulted in perhaps the worst possible decession, a drive north from Naples with an inadequate force. The Italian campaign was never designed to be the Allies major offensive to drive into Germany. Important units and the best commanders were transferred to England to begin preparations for the cross-Channelinvasion into France. The U.S. 5th and British 8th Armies had a combined force of only 11 divisions (October 1943). They were able to take the inititive becuse they were much better supplied and had vastly superior air support. The terraine, however, enable the Germans to effectively resist. The Germans were forced to commit more than 20 divisions, forces they had to withdraw from France and the Eastern Front. The American 5th Army was strengthened with a French French Corps (December 1943). Italy had been an was an Axis nation. While Mussolini was intent on the War, the Italian people never seemed to have committed to the War in the way the German people did. The Italians treated the Allies as liberators more than conquerors as they pushed north. This was especially true of the Americans. Many Italians had lived in America or had relatives in America.

Allied Invasion (September 1943)

The Allies began the Italiam campaign, putting land troops ahore on the European mainland (September 3). Units of the British 8th Army was the first to go ashore, landing at the toe of the Italian boot. The Allies hoped that the Germans would rush south to engage them, but Kesserling did not take the bait. The U.S. 5th Army commanded by Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark landed next at the Gulf of Salerno in force (September 9). The British than landed at Taranto in the arch of the boot. The Germans fought delaying actions in the south against the British and concentrated his forces on the Americans at Salerno. There were 6 days of heavy fighting. German Panzers for a time put the landings in danger. The beachead was finally secure untill the British hooked up with the Americans south of Salerno (September 16). The British took the important airfields at Foggia (September 27). The British also took Naples with one of the most important ports in Italy (October 7). This left the Allies in control of southern Italy and the Germans did not have the capability of disloging them.

Allied Strategy

The Allied commanders were divided in how to persue the Italian campaign. The differences resulted in perhaps the worst possible decession, a drive north from Naples with an inadequate force. The Italian campaign was never designed to be the Allies major offensive to drive into Germany. Important units and the best commanders were transferred to England to begin preparations for the cross-Channelinvasion into France.

Allied Force

The U.S. 5th and British 8th Armies had a combined force of only 11 divisions (October 1943). They were able to take the inititive becuse they were much better supplied and had vastly superior air support.

German Force

The terraine, however, enable the Germans to effectively resist. The Germans were forced to commit more than 20 divisions, forces they had to withdraw from France and the Eastern Front. The American 5th Army was strengthened with a French French Corps (December 1943).

Italian People

Italy had been an was an Axis nation. While Mussolini was intent on the War, the Italian people never seemed to have committed to the War in the way the German people did. The Italian Army performed very poorlt in the War. (In sharp contrast to World War I.) A major factor here was poor morale and the fact that Italian soldiers had little interest in fighting the War. The German suceeded in disarming an intening mist of the Italian Army. Even before the Italian armistice, few Italian civilians saw the British as an ememy and even fewer looked on Americans in this way. The Italian people treated the Allies as liberators more than conquerors as they pushed north. This was first apparent in Sicily but proved to also be the case as the Allies moved north up the peninsula. The friedly attitude was especially true toward the Americans. Many Italians had lived in America or had relatives in America. German attrocitoes further alienated Italianian opinion.

Gutav Line

After securing Naples, the American Fifth Army and British Eighth Army moved north and forced a crossing of the Volturno River (October 1943). They then encounted Kesselring's primary defenses, the Gustav or Winter Line. The German defensive position was anchored on the mountains around Cassino and the Rapido and Gariglino Rivers. At the center of the German positions was Monte Casino, an ancient monestary. One historian calls the German preparations a tactical trap, "... a large scale concentrationof German troopsbehind the two rivers, gun pits were being blasted out of solid rock, the banks were being cleared to create fields of fire, and antitank ditches, mines and barbed wire were being readied everywhere." [Parker] Kesseling managed to stop the Allied advance for months. Repeated attempts to break through the German lines were beaten back. Losses were staggering. The bombing of Monte Casino was more out of frustration than a well thoughout strike. The British were more cautious than the Americans who were more willing to expend men on fritless asaults. Over 60,000 Allied and German soldiers were killed in the vicious fighting. [Parker] The Americans were to cross the Rapido River in an attack timed to coincide with the Anzio landing. Thgis was delayed and when launched with serious casualties. Further efforts to blast through the Gustav Line filed. Even the use of massed bombers attacks including an attack targetting Monte Cassino failed. The Allied attacks Only after repeted and costly attacks did the Gustav Line begin to creack Mone Casino finally fell after a Polish assault (May 18, 1944). This finally breached the Gustav Line opening the advance on Rome.

Created: 11:53 PM 1/11/2008
Last updated: 11:27 AM 12/24/2014