The Italian Campaign: Training Ground for D-Day

Adithya, Owen, Eleni, SamPeriod 5/6

ThesisAfter an Allied success in the North African campaign, both the United States and Great Britain wanted to set up another front on mainland Europe and divert the Nazi forces in the Eastern front. The American and British forces met at the Casablanca Conference and agreed to invade Italy. During this campaign, the Allies utilized many new airborne methods and amphibious attacking, allowing them to easily destroy German property. The Italian forces lost faith in the Axis as a result and executed Mussolini when Germany retreated from Rome. The Italian campaign laid the foundation for their success in D-Day.

Timeline• July 1943 – Operation Husky-

Allies invade Sicily, capture Palermo; Italians arrest Mussolini

• August 1943 – Allies take complete control over Sicily and the Mediterranean Sea with the invasion of Messina

• September 1943 – Operation Avalanche- Allies (under direction of Clark) invade all of Italy up to Salerno on the way to Cassino

• May 1944 – Allies finish attacking Cassino after months of failed attempts

• Summer 1944 – Allied attacks fail right before Bologna

• April 1945 – After Allies make it past Gothic Line, Britain attacks in East, America attacks in West; they capture Verona. German forces surrender and the Italians execute Mussolini

North Africa

• Context: Great Britain defeated the Axis at the Suez Canal to retain its access to Middle Eastern Oil

• Allies wanted to drive away the Nazis from the Eastern Front to help the Soviets by opening second front on Continental Europe– Americans wanted to directly invade France– British wanted to attack using its navy– Compromise: Invade Sicily

BBC UK Interactive Map of Italian Campaign

American General George Patton

● Controversial figure who �often upset superiors in the U.S. Army

● Started as a leader of �cavalry troops and eventually got promoted to general during WW2

● His work helped liberate �Germany from the Nazi Party

American General Mark Clark

● �NOT a controversial army figure

● �Censored all “bad” about him

● �Inexperienced general

Sicily Operation Husky• July 10 1943• Patton in Gela • Montgomery in South East• Object was the take the beach• Little resistance from Axis forces• Naval force used to support beach due

to difficulty with tanks• Problems in the air with paratroops

Sicily: Early Problems• Missed drops• Friendly fire: anti aircraft gunners

shot at american transport planes during and air raid (by Germany)

• Air, Land and Sea forces upset with each other for mistakes

Operation Husky• Patton was told to keep north to

protect Montgomery’s flank – Instead he decided to go to Palermo– He then went toward Messina and got caught

up in the rugged terrain (mountains)• Montgomery faced strong resistance

on his way to Messina • Patton made it before Montgomery

(within hours of each other)

Operation Husky Quick Summary

• �Gliders were used for the first time to deploy troopers to the battlefield

• �First major allied airborne operation

• �Poorly executed strategy by Patton and Montgomery led to escape of Axis soldiers across Strait of Menessa but nevertheless took control of Sicily

• �The planning and logistics lessons learned paid off in the next steps of the Italian campaign

Axis Evacuated• Realize that they were going to be

defeated• Escaped through the strait of Messina

to the mainland• A significant amount of equipment and

Axis troops were able to escape

Importance and Aftermath

• Allied success/combined arms• Mistakes led to improvements

(paratroopers and speed)• People of Sicily supported the Allies• Broke Axis • Blitzkrieg wasn’t effective enough for

mechanized warfare • Mechanized warfare was efficient with the

allies• Patton slapped two shell shocked soldiers

and didn’t go to mainland Italy and was excluded from Normandy

Action Report: Mechanized Warfare

The high degree of efficiency achieved in these landings, which were undertaken without bomber support or shore artillery support, and which were executed on schedule and without confusion, was due largely to the employment of experienced naval commanders and crews and well-trained troops. This fact made it possible to launch these operations with little preparation and on short notice. Because of the ever-present enemy bombers, these operations were so planned that the landing craft would be in the landing area a maximum of 31/2 hours, and be withdrawn prior to daylight. This time element necessitated loading the heavy mechanized equipment in LCTs, and carrying in LSTs the assault troops and DUKWs loaded with supplies. With experienced forces and some knowledge of the beach approaches, the existence of exits and roads for vehicles and suitable terrain for a beachhead, the task groups were dependent upon the offensive spirit and the will to win brought into the operations.

Patton quotes“There are four hundred neatly marked graves in Sicily, all because one man went to

sleep on the job—but they are German graves, because we caught the bastard asleep

before his officer did.”

“I don't want to get any messages saying, 'I am holding my position.' We are not holding

a Goddamned thing. Let the Germans do that. We are advancing constantly and we are

not interested in holding onto anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist

his balls and kick the living shit out of him all of the time. Our basic plan of operation is

to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or

through the enemy. We are going to go through him like crap through a goose; like shit

through a tin horn!”

Salerno: Operation Avalanche (September 9)

• This turned out to be almost a defeat for Allies because of General Clark’s flawed strategy

• Strategic blunder: landing of the British and American troops separated by River Sele. Germans took advantage of the gap between troops and Allies suffered heavy casualties

• Allies lost time and men, two critical resources• Lesson: Never separate troops in an amphibious

landing

Monte Cassino: Operation Diadem• “Italy is a boot – you have to enter it at the top” –

Napoleon• Battle 1 – Failure for Allies due to treacherous

mountains• Battle 2 – Failure for Allies because they accidentally

bombed a monastery, giving the Germans a defense base

• Battle 3 – Failure for Allies because they unnecessarily bombed Venafro

• Battle 2 – Success for Allies because the Germans surrendered to the Polish troops

• Success – Allies ready to invade Rome

Rome�

• Delay between last two events on timeline caused by Clark’s indecisiveness�• 3 Axis Defense Lines:�

– Barbara Line: Monte Massico à Matese Mountains�– Reinhard Line: Naples à Garigliano River�– Gustav Line (as shown on the map)�

• Disagreement and Disorganization with this invasion as the “all-or-nothing” situation�• Allied Strategy�

– Cut Axis communication lines�– Amphibious attack�– Burn down Axis supply lines�

• Significance�– Germans retreated�– Italians captured Mussolini again and executed him�– Less troops and equipment for D-Day�– Best practice for Operation Overlord

Conclusion: Results and Impact

• �Diverted powerful German forces from the Eastern front, relieving pressure on the Russians

• �Allies got control of Mediterranean Sea route, helping with trade and safe passage

• �Patton and Montgomery succeeded at mainland fighting while Clark failed due to lack of experience

• �Airborne fighting allowed the Allies to easily destroy German buildings in Italy

• �This experience prepared the Allies well for D-Day