NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Battle of Anzio

Operation Shingle (January 22, 1944), during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an attack on Rome. The resulting combat is commonly called the Battle of Anzio. January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... When spelt with a capital A, Allies usually denotes the countries that fought together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis powers in World War II. Other uses In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to... The Axis Powers is a term for those participants in World War II opposed to the Allies. ... Anzio (2003 pop. ... John P. Old Luke Lucas (January 14, 1890 - December 24, 1949) was a General and the commander of the US VI Corps during World War II. On January 22, 1944, from the deck of the cruiser USS Biscayne, Lucas oversaw Operation Shingle. ... The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ...

Introduction

At the end of 1943, following the Allied invasion of Italy Allied forces were bogged down at the Winter Line, a defensive line across Italy south of the psychologically important objective of Rome. The terrain of central Italy had proved ideally suited to defence, and Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring had proved more than able in exploiting it. A number of Allied proposals were made to break the stalemate, but Winston Churchill's idea for "Operation Shingle" was accepted by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. A major attack in the South by U.S. Fifth Army and the British Eighth Army would draw Germany's depleted forces away from the areas around Rome, and from the hills between Rome and the coast. This would make possible a surprise landing by the U.S. VI Corps under the command of Maj. Gen. Lucas in the Anzio/Nettuno area, and a rapid advance into the Alban Hills to cut German communications and "threaten the rear of the German XIV Corps". This article covers the invasion of mainland Italy by the World War II Allies in September 1943 during the Italian Campaign. ... The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... Generalfeldmarschall (General Field Marshal, usually translated simply as Field Marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall) was a rank in the armies of several German states and also of the Holy Roman Empire and Austrian Empire which could be granted to active officers only in wartime. ... Albert Kesselring (August 8, 1881 _ July 16, 1960) was a German Generalfeldmarschall who commanded Army Group C during World War II. He was nicknamed Smiling Albert or smiling Kesselring. He was born in Marktsteft, Germany, in 1881 . ... The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. At various times an author, soldier, journalist, and politician, Churchill is generally regarded as... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვილი; see Other names section) (December 21, 1879[1] – March 5, 1953) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and leader of the Soviet Union. ... The US Fifth Army was one of the principal formations of the US Army in the Mediterranean during World War II. It was activated on 4 January 1943 and made responsible for the defence of Algeria and Morocco. ... The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... For the VI Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, see VI Corps (ACW) The VI Corps took part in some of the most high profile operations in World War II. Its first combat was during the Allied invasion of Italy when it landed at Salerno with... The Alban Hills (It. ...

The Plan

Planners argued that if Kesselring (in charge of German forces in Italy) pulled troops out of the Gustav Line to defend against the Allied assault, then Allied forces would be able to break through the line; the planners felt that if Kesselring did not pull troops out of the Gustav Line, then Operation Shingle would threaten to capture Rome and cut off the German units defending the Gustav Line. Should Germany have adequate reinforcements available to defend both Rome and the Gustav Line, the Allies felt that the operation would be a success in engaging forces which could otherwise be committed on another front. The operation was disbanded on December 18, 1943, however, it was later reselected and executed. The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ... A military front is an area in which an army or nation expects to do most of its fighting. ... December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ...

Lucas did not have full confidence in his superiors or the operational plan. A few days prior to the attack, he wrote in his diary, "Unless we can get what we want, the operation becomes such a desperate undertaking that it should not, in my opinion, be attempted." and "[The operation] had a strong odor of Gallipoli and apparently the same amateur was still on the coach's bench." The 'amateur' can only have referred to Winston Churchill, architect of the Gallipoli landings and personal advocate of Shingle. Gallipoli, called Gelibolu in modern Turkish, is a town in northwestern Turkey. ... The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. At various times an author, soldier, journalist, and politician, Churchill is generally regarded as...

Availability of Naval forces

One of the problems with the plan was the availability of landing ships. The American commanders in particular were determined that nothing should delay the Normandy invasion and the supporting landings in southern France (Operation Dragoon). Operation Shingle would require the use of landing ships necessary for these operations. Initially Shingle was to release these assets by January 15. However, this being deemed problematic, President Roosevelt granted permission for the craft to remain until February 5. The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... During World War 2, Operation Dragoon (Allies, 1944) was the invasion of southern France between Toulon and Cannes executed on 15 August 1944. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Only enough Tank Landing Ships (LSTs) to land a single division were initially available to Shingle. Later, at Churchill's personal insistence, enough were made available to land two divisions. Allied intelligence thought that five or six German divisions were in the area. The tank landing ship (LST, for Landing Ship, Tank) was created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and troops directly onto an unimproved shore. ...

Allied Force Composition

Allied forces in this attack consisted of 5 cruisers, 24 destroyers, 238 landing craft, 62+ other ships, 40,000 soldiers, and 5,000+ vehicles. The USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga class cruiser. ... This article is about the warship. ... Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ... A ship is a large, usually decked watercraft. ... A Norwegian soldier (a Corporal, armed with an MP-5) A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment to defend that country or its interests. ... Vehicles are non-living means of transport. ...

British Force

This force attacked the coast 10 km north of Anzio. A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ...

List of military divisions — List of British divisions in WWII The British 1st Infantry Division was a permanently established Regular Army division. ...

Northwestern US Force

This force attacked the port of Anzio. There had been plans to use the 504th Parachute Infantry Battalion in an airborne attack north of Anzio, however these plans were scrapped. Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ...

The 93rd Evacuation Hospital was a make-over the 61st Surgical Hospital and operated through WWII, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. ...

Southwestern US Force

Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized). ...

The Southern Attack

The Fifth Army's attack on the Gustav Line began on 16 January 1944 at Monte Cassino. Although the operation failed to capture its target, it did succeed in part in its primary objective. General Heinrich von Vietinghoff, commanding the Gustav Line, called for reinforcements, and Kesselring transferred the 29th and 90th Panzergrenadier Divisions from Rome. For more details of this actions see Gustav Line. January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Battle of Monte Cassino Conflict World War II, Italian Campaign Date January 17, 1944 – May 19, 1944 Place Monte Cassino, Italy Result Allied victory The strategic position of Monte Cassino has made it the repeated scene of battles and sieges from antiquity. ... Heinrich von Vietinghoff, during World War II, was a General of the German Wehrmacht who commanded the German 10th Army in Italy. ... The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ...

Initial Landings

The landings began on January 22, 1944. January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Although resistance had been expected, as seen at Salerno during 1943, the initial landings were essentially unopposed, with the exception of Luftwaffe strafing runs. Map of Italy showing Salerrno southeast of Naples Salerno is a town and a province in Campania, Italy. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Luftwaffe (literally, air weapon, pronounced looft-vaaf-feh) is the air force of Germany. ... Warfare Strafing (adaptation of German strafen - to punish) is the practice of shooting a machine gun, from an airplane in flight, at objects or people on the ground. ...

By midnight, 36,000 soldiers and 3,200 vehicles had landed on the beaches. 13 Allied troops were killed, and 97 wounded; about 200 Germans had been taken as POWs. The 1st Division penetrated 3 km inland, the Rangers captured Anzio's port, the 509th PIB captured Nettuno, and the 3rd Division penetrated 5 km inland. Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

After the landings

It is clear that Lucas's superiors expected some kind of offensive action from him, possibly even an assault on Rome. The point of the invasion was to either divert German strength from the Winter Line, or take advantage of German weakness in the rear areas. However what Lucas actually did was to pour more men and material into his tiny bridgehead, and to strengthen the defences.

Winston Churchill was uncontestably displeased with this action. "I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat into the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale." he said. The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. At various times an author, soldier, journalist, and politician, Churchill is generally regarded as... Whales are the largest species of exclusively aquatic placental mammals, members of the order Cetacea, which also includes dolphins and porpoises. ...

Lucas decision remains a controversial one. John Keegan considers that "Had Lucas risked rushing at Rome the first day, his spearheads would probably have arrived, though they would have soon been crushed. Nevertheless he might have 'staked out claims well inland'". We have already seen that Lucas did not have confidence in the strategic planning of the operation. Also his order from Clark told him to "land, secure the beachhead and advance". With two divisions landed, and facing two or three times that many Germans, it would not have been unreasonable for Lucas to consider the beachhead insecure. Again according to Keegan, Lucas's actions "achieved the worst of both worlds, exposing his forces to risk without imposing any on the enemy". Lucas was relieved of his command on 23rd February, to be replaced by General Lucian Truscott. Sir John Keegan (born 1934) is an English military historian specializing in 20th-century wars. ... Lucian King Truscott, Jr. ...

Kesselring's Response

Kesselring was informed of the landings at 03:00, on the 22nd. At 05:00 he ordered the 4th Fallschirmjäger and replacement units of the Hermann Göring Division to defend the roads leading from Anzio to the Alban Hills. In addition he requested that OKW send reinforcements from France, Yugoslavia, and Germany. Later that morning he would order Generaloberst Eberhard von Mackensen (14th Armee) and Gen. von Vietinghoff (10th Armee - Gustav Line) to send him additional reinforcements. The Hermann Göring Division (Division Hermann Göring in German; sometimes spelled Goering in English publications, or abbreviated to HG) was a Luftwaffe combat formation. ... The Alban Hills (It. ... The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command) was part of the command structure of the Nazi armed forces during World War II. In theory, it served as the military general staff for Adolf Hitlers Third Reich, coordinating the efforts of the German Army... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ...

The German units in the immediate vicinity had in fact been dispatched to reinforce the Gustav Line only a few days earlier. All available reserves from the southern front or on their way to it were rushed toward Anzio; these included the 3rd Panzer Grenadier and 71st Infantry Divisions, and the bulk of the Hermann Goering Panzer Division. Kesselring initially considered that a successful defense could not be made if the Allies launched a major attack on the 23rd or 24th. However by the end of the 22nd the lack of aggressive action convinced him that a defense could be made.

Fourteenth Army, commanded by Gen. von Mackensen, assumed control of the defense on 25 January. Elements of eight German divisions were employed in the defense line around the beachhead, and five more divisions were on their way to the Anzio area. Kesselring ordered an attack on the beachhead for 28 January, though it was postponed to 1 February. January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Lucas initiated a 2-pronged attack on 30 January. While one force cut Highway 7 at Cisterna before moving east into the Alban Hills, a second was to advance northeast up the Albano Road. January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article relates to cell biology. ...

Battles of Operation Shingle

The Battle of Cisterna took place during World War II, on January 29, 1944, near Cisterna , Italy, as part of Operation Shingle. ...