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Encyclopedia > Italian campaign

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... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ...


Following victory in the North African Campaign, there was disagreement between the Allies on the next step. The British, especially Winston Churchill advocated the invasion of Italy. It was clear that the Italian people were becoming less enthusiastic about their participation in the war, and it was hoped that an invasion would knock them out of the war, providing at least a major propaganda blow. The elimination of Italy as an enemy would also enable the Royal Navy to completely dominate the Mediterranean Sea, massively improving communications with Egypt, the Far East, the Middle East and India. The battle in the North African desert during World War II from 1940-1943. ... 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... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ...


The American staff however believed that a full scale invasion of France as soon as possible was necessary to end the war in Europe, and that no operations should be undertaken which might delay that. The matter was largely resolved when it became clear that an invasion of Northern France could not be undertaken in 1943. Given the presence of large numbers of troops trained for amphibious landings in the Mediterranean, a limited scale invasion was authorised.

Contents

Invasion of Sicily

See Operation Husky Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ...


A combined British-American invasion of Sicily began on July 10, 1943 with both seaborne and airborne landings. The Germans were unable to prevent the Allied capture of the island, but succeeded in evacuating most of their troops to the mainland, the last leaving on August 17, 1943. Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ...


Invasion of continental Italy

See Allied invasion of Italy. This article covers the invasion of mainland Italy by the World War II Allies in September 1943 during the Italian Campaign. ...


British forces landed in the 'toe' of Italy on September 3, 1943 in Operation Baytown. The Italian government surrendered on 8 September, but the German forces prepared to defend without their assistance. On 9 September American forces landed at Salerno in Operation Avalanche and additional British forces at Taranto in Operation Slapstick. While the rough terrain prevented fast movement and proved ideal for defense, the Allies continued to push the Germans northwards throught the rest of the year. September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... This article covers the invasion of mainland Italy by the World War II Allies in September 1943 during the Italian Campaign. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... Map of Italy showing Salerrno southeast of Naples Salerno is a town and a province in Campania, Italy. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Map of Italy showing Taranto in the bottom right Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ... Operation Slapstick was a part of the Allied invasion of Italy during World War II on 9 September 1943. ...


The Winter Line, Anzio and Monte Cassino

See: Winter Line, Operation Shingle, Battle of Monte Cassino The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. ... 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. ... 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. ...


The German prepared defensive line called the Winter Line (parts of which were called the Gustav Line) proved a major obstacle to the Allies at the end of 1943, halting the advance. Landings at Anzio behind the line were intended to break it, but did not have the desired effect. The line was eventually broken by frontal assault at Monte Cassino in the Spring of 1944, and Rome captured in June. 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... Anzio (2003 pop. ... The restored Abbey Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about eighty miles (130 km) south of Rome, Italy, a mile to the west of the town of Cassino (the Roman Cassinum having been on the hill) and about 1700 ft (520 m) altitude. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ...


The Final Stages

See: Gothic Line The Gothic Line also known as Linea Gotica was Field Marshall Albert Kesselrings last line of defence along the top of the Apennines during the retreat of Nazi Germanys forces from Italy in the final stage of World War II, and came into being as a result of...


Following the fall of Rome and the landings in Normandy the Italian campaign became of secondary importance. This last defensive line, north of Rome, was not broken until the Spring of 1945. 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...


External links

  • BBC's flash video of the Italian Campaign (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/launch_ani_italy_campaign.shtml)
  • Online Canadian World War 2 Newspaper Archives - The Sicilian and Italian Campaigns, 1943-1945 (http://warmuseum.ca/cwm/newspapers/operations/sicilianitalian_e.html)
  • Hitler's Decision on the Defense of Italy (http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/70-7_12.htm)



  Results from FactBites:
 
The Italian Campaign. (1322 words)
General Marshall was prepared to say that if Britain kept insisting on an Italian Campaign, the Americans would put all their effort into the Pacific war and just let the European conflict to drift.
On the 3rd of September, Montgomery's 8th Army crossed the straights of Messina to the Italian mainland and on 9th of September, the Allies landed at Salerno.
In secret negotiations with the Allies, the Italians tried to extract from the Allies that British and American troops would invade the mainland of Italy in sufficient force to protect them from their former allies, the Germans.
Juno Beach Centre - The Italian Campaign (3901 words)
In the mind of Allied strategists and military leaders, the campaign of Italy was not the logical continuation of the invasion of Sicily.
It was well understood, however, that the Italian campaign should in no way interfere with the preparation of what was to be the war's major operation, the massive invasion of Northwest Europe planned for the spring of 1944.
Italian garrisons deserted their positions and fled to the hills; the only German unit in the area, part of the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division had retreated in the mountains two days earlier.
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