Why the Invasion of Italy
Michael Emrys
fanm...@aol.com wrote on 5/20/02 3:31 AM:
> So why did we chose to make the first invasion of Europe through Italy?
For a number of reasons. Firstly, to knock a member of the Axis out of the
war. Secondly, the Western Allies needed to engage the Germans *somewhere*
in order to convince Stalin that we were seriously prosecuting the war, and
in 1943 the bulk of our forces that could be brought to bear were in the
Mediterranean and could not be shifted in the necessary strength to the ETO
before good weather was ended.
Finally, it should be noted that the entire peninsula could have been had
almost at once had things gone just a little bit differently. There was a
plan to drop the 82nd. Airborne into Rome which, combined with local Italian
forces (had they been known to be reliable) would have made a German
presence south of the city untenable. Indeed, Hitler was prepared to
evacuate the entire peninsula in any case. It was Kesselring who convinced
him that an extended defense south of Rome was possible.
Michael
--
Phillip McGregor
>Italy is some of the most defensible ground in Europe. It was
>preordained that
Really?
Look closer at that map.
You've missed something blindingly obvious.
The blue stuff around the edges of the Italian boot.
Water, it's called. The Mediterranean Sea, in fact.
The Allies effectively controlled it, or could if, when, and where
they chose to.
Which makes all those "defensible" spots vulnerable to having their
flanks turned.
The only reason it didn't happen more than three times (Sicily, Anzio
and Salerno) was because the allies only had enough 'phibs for *one*
major operation in *either* the Pacific *or* the European theater and
the 'phibs were, therefore, elsewhere.
If they had wanted to the German and Italian positions would have been
toast.
Phil
Author, Space Opera (FGU), Rigger Black Book (FASA), Armageddon (PGD).
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Email: asp...@pacific.net.au
--
Christopher Wilson
news:3ce9d041...@news.pacific.net.au...
> Italy is some of the most defensible ground in Europe. It was
> preordained that
> retreat. ...
Four main reasons spring to mind (in no particular order).
Firstly Stalin never regarded the desert war as anything other than a
sideshow and constantly harangued the western allies on the subject of
a
second front. Whilst France and Northern Europe were to strongly
defended to
permit the establishment of a second front, Italy wasn't. By invading
Italy
the western allies get to show Stalin that they are doing "their bit"
in the
war and not leaving the fighting to the Soviets alone.
Secondly US troops, they were now available and as such it was
desirable to
get them into action. Using them in Italy achieved two things, firstly
it
gave US commanders and staff experience in fighting a modern war
against a
western army something that paid dividends later in the war in NW
Europe.
Secondly it maintained the tempo of the war on the home front back in
the
US. Politically it had been decided that Germany would be defeated
before
the all out attack on Japan. If US troops weren't employed in fighting
Germans then popular opinion at home (within the US) might have put
pressure
on the political leadership to change the emphasis of the war to the
Pacific. Additionally after a bit of a knock back in Tunisia it would
be
good in terms of army (and civilian back home) morale for the army to
be
seen to be on the offensive.
Thirdly invading Italy (and clearing the central/southern part of the
country) would have made the Mediterranean considerably safer for
merchant
shipping and air transport. In turn this would significantly decrease
the
time taken to transfer man and material between the UK and India (and
the
Persian lend-lease route into Russia). This in turn has a significance
strategic effect on the war in the Far East and of course helps to
stop
Stalin nagging.
Fourthly, Italy was seen as the Axis's weak link, applying direct
pressure
to Italy would could have a catastrophic effect on the internal
politics of
Italy.
I can think of one or two other subjects that may have been considered
but I
believe the above to be the most significant.
--
All the best,
Chris Wilson
Cub Driver
The Allies invaded Italy for the same reason they invaded North Africa
in Operation Torch: because they could.
An invasion of France in 1942 or even 1943 was doomed to failure,
whereas western North Africa was feasible in 1942 and Sicily and Italy
were feasible in 1943. The same terrain features that made it
difficult for the Allied armies to advance in Italy also made the
country difficult for the Germans to defend in a force sufficient to
throw the Allies back into the sea.
all the best -- Dan Ford (email: webm...@danford.net)
see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net
Vietnam | Flying Tigers | Pacific War | Brewster Buffalo | Piper Cub
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