Italian Campaign

Italian Campaign (World War II) (1943–5) After victory in North Africa Montgomery and Patton prepared to invade Italy. Forces to land on Sicily set out from Malta in July 1943, and by the end of the month both the island's principal cities, Palermo and Catania, were captured. On the mainland, German forces moved down through northern Italy and took over Rome's airfields. Kesselring withdrew his troops from Sicily and British and US forces crossed to Reggio on the mainland. As a result of the Allied advances, the Fascist Grand Council deposed Mussolini on 25 July 1943, who was imprisoned the following day. Despite assurances by Badoglio's new government to Germany that it would continue to fight on the German side, Italy agreed an armistice with the Allies on 3 September 1943. The Germans responded by disarming all Italian troops in the area which they occupied, while the King and his government escaped into Allied protection. On 12 September the Germans liberated Mussolini to place him at the head of the newly created Italian Social Republic (of Salò). Meanwhile, the 5th US Army landed at Salerno and advanced towards Naples, and a third landing established further bridgeheads in the southern ports of Taranto and Brindisi. On 13 October 1943 the Italian government officially declared war on Germany. By December 1943, the Allies had advanced to a line just south of Monte Cassino, where the German troops had taken a stand on the mountain which was the site of the ancient monastry of St Benedict. The Allies bypassed it by landing 50,000 men at Anzio, south of Rome, on 22 January 1944. Fierce fighting again took place around the bridgehead, and lasted until May. Monte Cassino was heavily bombed and was finally captured by Polish troops on 18 May. The main advance was now resumed. Rome fell on 4 June, followed by Florence, after bitter fighting, in August. The Germans consolidated in the Po Valley, along the so-called Gothic line, and fought a hard battle through the autumn and winter months. In April 1945 the Allies launched their final attacks. Milan fell to them on 29 April, and on 2 May General Alexander accepted the surrender of the whole German army group serving in northern Italy and southern Austria.