Campaigns in Italy Conquest of Sicily: June-August 1943 Invasion of the Italian Mainland: September – October 1943 Strategic Considerations Operations on the Italian Mainland: October 1943-August 1944 Allied Landings in Southern France: Augus – September 1944 Campaign in Italy: August 1944-May 1945
Italy Campaigns
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Jan 252012
Conquest of Sicily
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Jan 252012
Conquest of Sicily: June-August 1943 Some weeks before the end of hostilities in North Africa detailed planning had begun for the capture of Sicily, to be followed by the invasion of the Italian mainland. On June 11, 1943, the island of Pantelleria, with its Italian garrison of 15,000 men, surrendered to the Allies, and the [...]
Italian Mainland
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Jan 252012
Invasion of the Italian Mainland: September – October 1943 Immediately after the fighting in Sicily ended, planning began for the invasion of the Italian mainland. The general plan called for the British Eighth Army under General Montgomery to cross the Strait of Messina from Sicily onto the toe of Italy and advance northward as quickly [...]
Strategy Considerations
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Jan 252012
Strategy Considerations The over-all policy, agreed to by the Allies for conducting the war, was that the main effort should be directed first to the defeat of Germany, after which all available forces would be concentrated against Japan. There was, however, some difference of opinion between the American and British governments and their military advisers [...]
Italian Mainland October 1943
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Jan 252012
Operations on the Italian Mainland: October 1943-August 1944 On Oct. 13, 1943, Italy declared war on Germany, and thereafter Italian partisan forces played an increasing role in the war against their former Axis partner. By early November, the Allied land forces in Italy consisted of the American 3d, 34th, and 45th Infantry, 82d Airborne, and [...]
Allied Landings in Southern France
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Jan 252012
Allied Landings in Southern France: August – September 1944 At the Teheran Conference (Nov. 28-Dec. 1, 1943) it had been agreed that the landings in northwestern Europe would be followed by further landings in the south of France. After the fall of Rome preparations began to implement this decision at the expense of General Alexander’s [...]
August 1944-May 1945
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Jan 252012
Campaign in Italy: August 1944-May 1945 Despite the weakening of his forces, General Alexander made early plans for an assault on the Gothic Line. This involved the transfer of troops from the western or left flank to the right flank in preparation for an attack on the enemy’s left. The offensive was opened by the [...]