Pantelleria

Pantelleria , volcanic island, 32 sq mi (83 sq km), S Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia. Sweet wine, capers, raisins, and dried figs are exported. A colony of the Phoenicians and then of the Carthaginians, it passed to the Romans in 217 BC The island was later taken by the Arabs (8th cent. AD) and by the Normans (12th cent.). Because of its strategic location, it was strongly fortified by Italy in the 20th cent. During World War II, Pantelleria was bombed into surrender by the Allies in 1943. On the island are extinct cones (the highest rising to 2,743 ft/836 m), numerous fumaroles, and hot mineral springs.

Pantelleria, small Italian island which lies between Sicily and Tunisia. Its air base posed a threat to the Sicilian campaign landings, which took place in July 1943, and was needed by the Allies for them. But the island was heavily defended, and a surprise attack was impossible, so Eisenhower ordered its reduction by air attacks. A British scientist, Solly Zuckerman, produced a scientific bombing plan to subdue the island's defences so that troops could land virtually unopposed, and 14,203 bombs weighing 4,119 tons were dropped on 16 batteries over 6 days. Out of 80 guns, 53 were damaged, and another was destroyed by naval gunfire. Before the first landing craft of the British assault force reached the beaches on 11 June 1943 a white flag had been raised. The Allies captured 11,000 Italians and the only British casualty, Churchill recorded, was one man bitten by a mule.