Figure 1.--This photograph shows youthful German soldiers captured by the Allies. The photograph was taken at Castleforte Italy, May 18, 1944. This was at the times that the Allies were finally cracking the Gustav Line and moving to take Rome. Some of the soldiers look to be 16 or 17 years of age. This was before the Volkstrum was formned inducting boys and old men. These boys would have been in the Wehrmacht. They look to be glad to be out of the War. Acme News Captioned Official Photograph. .

The Italian campaign is perhaps the most controversial Allied campaign of World War II. Many military historians believe that the Allied campaign was both unecessary and poorly planned and executed. Both American general Mark Clark and British commanfer Alexander have been criticized and German commander Field Marshal Albert Kesselring generally given high marks for containing the Allies with the resources provided. While the Allies bagged a sunstantial Axis force in Tunisia, they failed to do so either in Sicily or Italy. One of the problems in Italy is that the Allied commanders were not giving overwealming force to conduct the campaign. North Africa and Sicily in 1942-43 had been the primary Allied theater of operations and resources were concentrated there. After Sicily the Allied focus and major buildup shifted to Britain in preparation for Overload, the cross Channel invasion. And forces were siphoned off from Italy for the Allied buildup. While the results were disappointing. The Italian campaign did tie up substantial German gforces, not only in Italy but in southern France, Sardina and Corsica, and the Balkans. Without the Allied presence in Italy, the Germans could have lightened their force lervel in these areas. Many assessments of the Italian campaign primarily assess German forces in Italy and ignore the larger derployment in the Mediterrrean theater. Taken as a whole the German commitment was substantial given the fact that massive Soviet forces were driving West towardBerlin and the Allies were preparing the cross-Channel invasion. This thus limited their ability to focus their dwindling resources on the defense of the Atlantic Wall as well as the Red Army's drive west toward Berlin. The Allies had the resources for diversions. The Germans did not.

Necessity

The Italian campaign is perhaps the most controversial Allied campaign of World War II. Many military historians believe that the Allied campaign in Italy was unecessary. It is very clear that Torch (North Africa) and ?? (Sicly) were necessary. Not only were there strategic advantages, but it is in North Africa and Sicily that the United states Army was transforned from inexperienced amateurs wth uneven leadership, to a tough capable modern fighting force. [Atkinson] It wascritical that the lessons be learned before the D-Day landings and the campain in France. Italy is anothr question. Losses were very high in Italy and the Allies did not suceed in brealing out from Italy until the German collapse in late April 1945.

Poorly Conducted

Many historians argue that the Italian campaign was poorly planned and executed. Both American general Mark Clark and British commanfer Alexander have been criticized. Clark is one of the most criticised of the major military commanders. Alexander has not been as sharply criticized, but few historians rate is conduct of the campaign very highly. German commander Field Marshal Albert Kesselring generally given high marks for containing the Allies with the resources provided. While the Allies bagged a sunstantial Axis force in Tunisia, they failed to do so either in Sicily or Italy.

Resources

The problems in the Italian campaign can not be entirely ascribed to poor leadership. The terraine worked in favor of the Germans. One of the problems in Italy is that the Allied commanders were not giving overwealming force to conduct the campaign. North Africa and Sicily in 1942-43 had been the primary Allied theater of operations and resources were concentrated there. After Sicily the Allied focus and major buildup shifted to Britain in preparation for Overload, the cross Channel invasion. And forces were siphoned off from Italy for the Allied buildup.

Accomplishments

While the results were disappointing., there were important achievements. It knocked Hitler Axis partner out of the War. It made a small, but not important diversion for Hitler to deal with as the Red Army was diving forward in the East. The Italian campaign did tie up substantial German gforces, not only in Italy but in southern France, Sardina and Corsica, and the Balkans. Without the Allied presence in Italy, the Germans could have lightened their force lervel in these areas. Many assessments of the Italian campaign primarily assess German forces in Italy and ignore the larger derployment in the Mediterrrean theater. Taken as a whole the German commitment was substantial given the fact that massive Soviet forces were driving West towardBerlin and the Allies were preparing the cross-Channel invasion. This thus limited their ability to focus their dwindling resources on the defense of the Atlantic Wall as well as the Red Army's drive west toward Berlin. The Allies had the resources for diversions. The Germans did not.

Sources

Atkinson, Rick. The Dsay of Battle: The War in Siculy and Italy, 2943-1944 (Henry Holt, 2007), 791p.

Created: February 23, 2004
Last updated: 6:19 AM 11/9/2007