Italian campaign (World War II)

The Italian campaign of World War II was a major series of battles fought in and around Italy from 1943 to 1945. It began after the Allied Forces Headquarters led the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, which led to the fall of the fascist leader Mussolini and an armistice with the Allies in September. However, German occupation forces quickly moved into Italy, starting a long and difficult fight for the Allies to push northwards through Italy.

The campaign saw many important battles, including those at Cassino and the Anzio beachhead. It ended in May 1945 when the remaining German forces in Italy surrendered. The Italian campaign was one of the hardest fought in World War II, with many soldiers and civilians losing their lives. It also saw the rise of the Italian resistance movement as people fought against the German occupation and the puppet government led by Mussolini.

Strategic background

The British, especially the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, preferred a strategy focused on naval power and smaller operations to weaken the enemy. They believed in fighting as part of a coalition and using blockades. In contrast, the United States, with the larger U.S. Army, wanted to directly fight the main force of the German Army in northwestern Europe. This plan depended on winning the Battle of the Atlantic first.

There was a strong debate between the U.S. and Britain about where to focus their efforts. The U.S. wanted to invade France as soon as possible, while the British suggested starting with operations in the Mediterranean. Eventually, they agreed to a compromise: most forces would prepare to invade France in early 1944, but they would also launch a smaller campaign in Italy. This was partly because Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to keep U.S. troops active in Europe in 1943 and hoped to remove Italy from the war. The goal was to pressure Italy, draw German troops away from other fronts, and secure sea routes to Asia.

Campaign

Main article: Allied invasion of Sicily

The Allied invasion of Sicily, called Operation Husky, began on July 9, 1943. Forces included the U.S. Seventh Army, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, and the British Eighth Army. The invasion led to the fall of the Fascist Italian regime and the arrest of Mussolini.

Main articles: Allied invasion of Italy, Armistice of Cassibile, Operation Achse, and Four days of Naples

In September 1943, British and American forces landed in Italy. The British Eighth Army landed in the southeast, while the U.S. Fifth Army landed at Salerno. Despite heavy resistance, the Allies made progress, capturing important ports and airfields. The terrain in Italy, especially the Apennine Mountains, made the advance difficult.

Main articles: Bernhardt Line, Moro River Campaign, Battle of Monte Cassino, and Battle of Anzio

The Allies faced strong German defenses, known as the Winter Line, which slowed their advance toward Rome. After several battles, Rome was captured by American forces on June 4, 1944.

Main articles: Gothic Line and Spring 1945 offensive in Italy

After capturing Rome, the Allies continued north. They faced the Gothic Line, another strong German defense. In the spring of 1945, a major Allied offensive led to the surrender of German forces in Italy by May 1945.

Progress of the campaign

• Progress of the war in Italy and the other European fronts

1 July 1943

1 November 1943

1 July 1944

1 September 1944

1 December 1944

1 May 1945

War crimes

Research in 2016 found that during World War II, about 22,000 victims of Nazi war crimes in Italy were primarily Italian civilians and Italian Jews. Many of these terrible acts happened in response to attacks by resistance fighters known as partisans.

Allied forces also made mistakes during the war, such as the killing of civilians and the execution of prisoners. These events were part of the difficult and serious times during the war.

See also: Axis war crimes in Italy and List of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS divisions involved in war crimes in Italy

See also: Allied war crimes during World War II