pub. Commanded by Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, the Germans skillfully used the island’s mountainous terrain to carry out an effective delaying operation.
[13][14]Allied advance to the Volturno river[15][16]Map of the German prepared defensive lines south of RomeWith the Salerno beachhead secure, the Fifth Army began its attack northwest towards Naples on 19 September. The fight for Sicily became the first outright defeat for the Allied war effort. On 15 September 16th Panzer Division and 29th Panzergrenadier Division took up defensive positions. [44], On 16 September, the Schmalz group renewed its efforts on the X Corps front but with no more success.
Finally, although tactical surprise was unlikely, Clark ordered no naval preparatory bombardment or naval gunfire support take place, despite experience in the Pacific Theatre demonstrating it was necessary. However, Italian (and more so German) resistance proved relatively strong, and fighting in Italy continued even after the fall of Berlin.
In addition, it would tie down German forces, keeping them away from the Russian front. [41] Further north the Schmalz group of the Hermann Göring Division achieved surprise attacking 128th Infantry Brigade on the high ground east of Salerno. Under XIV Panzer Corps (XIV Panzerkorps) was Hermann Göring Panzer Division (Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring), 15th Panzergrenadier Division (15. The initial plan to land glider-borne troops in the mountain passes of the Sorrento Peninsula above Salerno was abandoned 12 August. On the night of 11-12 August, the Germans began a well-executed withdrawal that saw 40,000 German and 60,000 Italian troops cross over to the mainland with minimal hindrance from the Allies.
The fight for Sicily became known as "the Mediterranean’s Okinawa." Everything is being done to push follow-up units and material to them. [9][10]Map of the Salerno Beachhead at the end of 11 September 1943On 3 September 1943, British Eighth Army's XIII Corps, which was composed of British and Canadian formations, launched Operation Baytown under General Bernard Montgomery's direction. The first echelon of 1st Airborne arrived on four British cruisers, a US cruiser, and the British fast minelayer HMS Abdiel.
[19] Meanwhile, Hube's XIV Panzer Corps was positioned to face possible landings from the sea with 16th Panzer Division in the Gulf of Salerno, the Hermann Göring Division near Naples and the 15th Panzergrenadier Division to the north in the Gulf of Gaeta.[20].
General Montgomery was strongly opposed to Operation Baytown. Italian units ceased combat and the Navy sailed to Allied ports to surrender.
There were no Germans in Taranto and so disembarkation was unopposed.
…coastal defenses, manned largely by Sicilians unwilling to turn their homeland into a battlefield for the Germans’ sake, collapsed rapidly... …coastal defenses, manned largely by Sicilians unwilling to turn their homeland into a battlefield for the Germans’ sake, collapsed rapidly enough.
The Allies sent the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment to airfields near Rome.
Clark himself blamed the slowness of the Eighth Army for the beachhead crisis, for which there was at least some validity[citation needed]. The approach of Eighth Army was also now posing a threat. [25] 141st RCT lost cohesion and failed to gain any depth during the day which made the landing of supporting arms and stores impossible, leaving them without artillery and anti-tank guns.
Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Seventh Army and the British Eighth Army—and once ashore the Allies pressed forward in an attempt to destroy and capture the Axis units on the island. [39], On 9 September, Montgomery's formations had been strung out along the coastal roads in the 'toe' of Italy.
Italian troops surrendered. On the German side, Albert Kesselring realized he could not stop the Salerno landing. Benito Mussolini was removed as head of the Italian government.
The Dőrnemann group was just east of Salerno (and therefore were opposite 46th Division when it landed), the Stempel battle group was between Pontecagnano and Battipaglia (and so faced the 56th Division), the Holtey battle group was in a reserve role at Persano on the Sele river which formed the corps boundary between X and VI Corps, while the von Doering battle group responsible for the Albanella to Rutino sector was 4 mi (6.4 km) south-east of Ogliastro, somewhat south of the 36th Division's beaches. As the first wave of the U.S. 36th Infantry Division approached the shore at Paestum a loudspeaker from the landing area proclaimed in English: "Come on in and give up. The success of the 10th Army in inflicting heavy casualties, and Kesselring's strategic arguments, led Hitler to agree that the Allies should be kept away from German borders and prevented from gaining the oil resources of the Balkans.
The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign.
Add Image Please replace links to Wikipedia in this article with links to this wiki. The Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, codenamed Operation Husky, was highly successful, although many of the Axis forces managed to avoid capture and escape to the mainland. The only casualties occurred when Abdiel, at anchor, struck a mine and sank in minutes, with 168 killed and 126 injured.
On 7 September, contact was made with the Krüger Battle Group. Losses: Allied, 22,000 casualties of 180,000; German, 10,000 casualties of 50,000; Italian, 132,000 casualties (mostly captured) of 200,000. Corrections? On 8 September (before the main invasion), the surrender of Italy to the Allies was announced, first by Eisenhower, then in the Badoglio Proclamation by the Italian government.
The short distance from Sicily meant landing craft could launch from there directly, rather than be carried by ship. [30] By contrast, the Allied build-up was constrained by the limited transport available for the operation and the pre-determined schedule of the build-up based on how, during the planning phase, it had been anticipated the battle would develop. Plans for the use of airborne forces took several forms, all of which were cancelled.
Operation Slapstick started on 9 September. In view of the enemy reinforcements approaching from the north he also ordered a battalion-sized mixed arms group to reinforce the Rangers the next day. The nature of the countryside in the toe of Italy made it impossible to by-pass obstacles and so the Allies' speed of advance was entirely dependent on the rate at which their engineers could clear obstructions. It was decided to carry the British 1st Airborne Division to Taranto using British warships, seize the port and several nearby airfields and follow up by shipping in British V Corps and a number of fighter squadrons.
He had already therefore ordered General Traugott Herr's LXXVI Panzer Corps to pull back from engagement with 8th Army leaving only 29th Panzer Grenadier Division's 15th Panzergrenadier Regiment in the 'toe' of Italy. The Allies, especially the British, advanced cautiously against the Germans.
Progress was slow as blown up bridges, roadblocks and mines delayed Eighth Army. Among his many publications are, World War II: Sicily and the fall of Mussolini, July–August 1943. [28] On 10 September, Clark visited the battlefield and judged that it was unlikely that X Corps would be able to push quickly east past Battipaglia to link with VI corps. If this failed, Tenth Army must break off the battle to avoid being 'mangled'. C. The Allies captured Mussolini and forced him to surrender. The Allied invasion of Italy was the invasion of mainland Italy by the Allies during World War II. The build-up is slow and they are pinned down to a bridgehead which has not enough depth. However, as amphibious force commander Hewitt had predicted, tactical surprise was not achieved. The armoured column following up was intercepted and driven back leaving the German infantry exposed.
Meanwhile to the south, 29th Panzergrenadier Division from LXXVI Panzer Corps had also been directed to Salerno.
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