OPERATION TORCH AND THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

GLOBAL STRATEGY (contd.)U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S. MILITARY LEADERS)WHY?PEARL HARBORJAPANESE SUCCESS IN PACIFICREVENGE FOR P.H. & PHILIPPINESPROBLEM:F.D.R. NEEDS TO SUPPORT BRITSBRITS. ARE HISTORICALLY THE U.S.s CLOSEST ALLYSTALIN & SOVIETS ARE PARANOD ABOUT ANGLO-AMERICANSSTALIN THINKS ANGLO-AMERICANS WANT TO SEE RUSSIA DEVESTATED BY GERMANSGLOBAL STRATEGY (contd.)F.D.R. FINALLY CONVINCES MILITARY LEADERS (ex. DOUGLAS MacARTHUR) THAT U.S. MUST DEFEAT GERMANY BEFORE JAPANGERMANY FIRST POLICY IS ADAPTEDPROBLEMS?HOW WILL THE U.S. BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE EUROPEAN WAR?EX.: MORE NAVAL INVOLVEMENT?MORE AERIAL INVOLVEMENT?LAND-WARFARE?WHERE WILL THE U.S. ATTACK THE GERMANS?U.S. MILITARY LEADERS WANT TO ATTACK ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNELBRITS. OPPOSE IDEA THINK ALLIES ARENT READY YETBRITS. WANT U.S. TO ATTACK SOMEWHERE IN MEDITERRANEANWHY?GERMAN FORCES ARE LESS NUMEROUS THEREBRITS ARE FIGHTING IN NORTH AFRICA & CAN USE U.S. HELPFINAL DECISION:U.S. FORCES WILL INVADE AXIS-HELD TERRITORY IN NORTH AFRICAVICHY FRENCH FORCES ARE VIEWED AS RELATIVELY WEAKU.S. WILL BE ABLE TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THERE BEFORE INVADING NORTHERN EUROPE OPERATION TORCH NOVEMBER, 1942ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIES LAND FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA (MOROCCO, ALGERIA)

OPERATION TORCH: TASK FORCE LOCATIONS

OPERATION TORCH, NOV., 1942WHERE?NORTH AFRICAAREAS CONTROLLED BY VICHY FRANCEMOROCCO, ALGERIAWHY NOT FURTHER EAST? BRITS ARE ALREADY FIGHTING IN EGYPT, LIBYABRITS HAVE PUSHED AXIS FORCES WESTWARD TOWARD TUNISIAFORCES? U.S. ARMYU.S. NAVYWHO? GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER IS C/OHOW? INVASION FORCE DIVIDED INTO 3 TASK FORCES:WESTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET MOROCCO COASTCENTRAL TASK FORCE: TARGET ORAN, ALGERIAEASTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET ALGIERS, ALGERISGOAL / OBJECTIVE:SEIZE MAJOR COASTAL PORTS FROM VICHY FRENCHDENY AXIS POWERS CRITICAL NAVAL PORTS SEIZE CONTROL OF W. MEDITERANNEANPUSH AXIS ARMIES EAST TOWARDS TUNISIAFORCE AXIS ARMIES TO FIGHT U.S. & BRITISH FORCES ON TWO SIDES FORCE AXIS TO ABANDON NORTH AFRICA

U.S. INFANTRY RAPPEL INTO LANDING CRAFT, OPERATION TORCH, NOVEMBER, 1942

U.S. ARMY INFANTRY IN LANDING CRAFT, OPERATION TORCH, NOVEMBER, 1942

U.S. INFANTRY LANDING ON MOROCCAN COAST, NOVEMBER, 1942

GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, U.S. ARMY, SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, NORTH AFRICA

GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON (L) & GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, NORTH AFRICA, 1942

GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, U.S. ARMY,COMMANDER, U.S. ARMY II CORPS, NORTH AFRICA

GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON, U.S. ARMY, NORTH AFRICA, 1943

FIELD MARSHALL ERWIN ROMMEL, COMMANDING OFFICER, THE AFRIKA CORPS

FIELD MARSHALL ERWIN ROMMEL, COMMANDING OFFICER, GERMAN PANZER ARMY AFRIKA (THE AFRIKA CORPS)

TUNISIA, 1942 - 43

OPERATION TORCH (contd.)INITIAL U.S. LANDINGS SUCCEEDWHY? VICHY FRENCH RESISTANCE IS LIGHTGERMANS ARE OCCUPIED IN LIBYA/EGYPT BY BRITISHU.S. FORCES BEGIN EASTWARD ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIAPROBLEMS? U.S. TROOPS HAVENT BEEN TESTED AGAINST GERMANS YETU.S. BATTLEFIELD TACTICS ARENT TESTEDU.S. LEADERSHIP IS STILL UNTESTEDU.S. & BRITISH LEADERS DONT ALWAYS AGREEEXAMPLE: EISENHOWER & MONTGOMERY DONT ALWAYS AGREE ON STRATEGYTHE CASABLANCA CONFERENCEWHEN? JAN., 1943WHERE? CASABLANCA, MOROCCOWHO? ALLIED POLITICAL & MILITARY LEADERS:EXAMPLES?FDRCHURCHILLCHARLES De GAULLE (FREE FRENCH forces)WHY? ALLIED STRATEGY TO WIN EUROPEAN WAR NEEDED DISCUSSIONRESULT?ALLIES WILL ONLY ACCEPT THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (define) OF GERMANYWESTERN ALLIES WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUPPLIES/AID TO SOVIET UNIONWESTERN ALLIES WOULD JOIN FORCES TO INVADE SICILYINVASION OF ITALY WOULD FOLLOW SICILY INVASIONNORTH AFRICAN ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR GOALS

1943 ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY & ITALY

FDR & CHURCHILL AT CASABLANCA, JANUARY, 1943

KASSERINE PASSJAN./FEB., 1943: U.S. TROOPS CONTINUE ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIAN BORDERBORDER IS MOUNTAINOUSMOUNTAIN PASSES HAVE TO BE SECUREDKASSERINE PASS IS VITAL ROUTE CONTROLLING EAST-WEST MOVEMENT ON ALGERIAN/TUNISIAN BORDERALLIED TROOPS HAVE MOVED INTO PASS & ESTABLISHED POISITIONS THEREFEB., 1943: GERMANS ATTACK ALLIED POSITIONS AT KASSERINERESULT? COMPLETE GERMAN VICTORYALLIED (esp. U.S.) TROOPS ARE ROUTEDWHY? POOR LEADERSHIP (esp. U.S.)LACK OF ALLIED AIR COVER (fault of BRITS.)SUPERIOR GERMAN ARMOR & AIR COVERBETTER GERMAN BATTLE TACTICSU.S. TROOPS ARE INEXPERIENCEDEFFECT?EISENHOWER PUTS GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON IN COMMAND OF U.S. ARMOR IN TUNISIAWHY PATTON?

GERMAN 88 mm FLAK GUN

ALLIED VICTORY IN AFRICANOV., 1942: BATTLE OF EL ALAMEINBRITISH 8th ARMY DEFEATS ROMMEL & GERMAN AFRIKA KORPSRESULT? GERMAN THREAT TO EGYPT & SUEZ CANAL IS OVERGERMAN RETREAT TO TUNISIA BEGINSGEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY BECOMES ALLIED HEROAFTER KASSERINE PASS:EISENHOWER REPLACES LLOYD FREDENDALL w/GEN. GEORGE PATTONPATTON IS C/O OF U.S. 2nd ARMORED CORPS (tanks)PATTON IMMEDIATELY BEGINS OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS

ALLIED VICTORY IN AFRICAMARCH-APRIL, 1943: ALLIES BEGIN TW0-SIDED OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS IN TUNISIABRIT. 8TH ARMY AGAINST S.E. TUNISIAU.S. AGAINST W. TUNISIAMARCH, 43: BATTLE OF EL GUETTARPATTON U.S. 2nd ARMORED CORPS ATTACKS U.S. USES BETTER TACTICS (artillery, armor, communication)U.S. LEADERSHIP BETTERRESULT? U.S. VICTORYU.S. TROOPS GAIN CONFIDENCEGERMAN RETREAT TOWARDS TUNIS BEGINSMAY, 1943: GERMANS TRAPPED IN TUNISGERMANS BEGIN EVACUATING TO SICILYAXIS SURRENDER 275,000 TROOPSALLIES CONTROL NORTH AFRICAALLIES BEGIN PLANS FOR SICILY INVASION

OPERATION HUSKY, 1943OPERATION HUSKY: DEFINE: THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILYWHEN? JULY-AUAGUST, 1943WHO? U.S, BRITS., CANADIANS, etc.WHY? AXIS FORCES HAD RETREATED TO SICILY FROM TUNISIASICILYS LOCATION EXPLAINNEED FOR STAGING AREA FRO ITALIAN INVASIONMAJOR AMPHIBIOUS / AIRBORNE OPERATIONSO WHAT?PROVIDES VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR LATER OPERATIONS (ex. ITALY, NORMANDY)FORCES ALLIES TO IMPROVE TACTICS/COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALLIED ARMIESPROBLEMS:MAJOR LOSSES IN AIRBORNE DROPS SO WHAT? PATTON-MONTGOMERY RIVALRY DEVELOPS

OPERATION HUSKY (contd.)MAJOR PLAYERS:COMMANDER: GEN. DWIGHT EISENHOWERBRITISH 8th ARMY: GEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERYU.S. 7th ARMY: GEN. GEORGE PATTONAXIS: GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING (GERMANY)PLAN:2 SIMULTANEOUS AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS:MONTGOMERY: SYRACUSEPATTON: GELAOBJECTIVE: MESSINA WHY?TO CUT OFF RETREAT OF AXIS FORCESUSE CITY AS BASE FOR ASSAULT ON ITALYAUGUST, 1943: MESSINA TAKENAXIS RETREAT TO ITALIAN MAINLANDWSTERN MED. SEA NOW OPEN TO ALLIES NAVAL FORCESSO WHAT?

PATTON & MONTGOMERY

GEN. GEORGE PATTON, C/O,U.S. 7TH ARMY,SICILY, 1943

OPERATION AVALANCHE, SEPTEMBER, 1943OPERATION AVALANCHEDEFINE: ALLIED INVASION OF ITALYWHEN? SEPT., 1943WHO? WESTERN ALLIESWHY?AXIS FORCES COULD STILL THREATEN U.S. FORCES IN MED. SEAITALYs LOCATIONOCCUPY LARGE #s OF GERMAN FORCESWHY? THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE SUCCESS OF 1944 NORMANDY INVASIONBECAUSELARGE # OF GERMAN TROOPS WILL BE STRIPPED AWAY FROM FRANCEOVERTHROW MUSSOLINIs GOVERNMENTKNOCK ITLAY OUT OF WAR SO WHAT?PLAN:U.S. LAUNCHES AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON WEST COAST @ SALERNOBRITS. LAUNCH ASSAULT ON S.E. PART OF ITALYU.S. WILL ADVANCE TOWARDS ROME ON W/ COASTBRITS. WILL ADVANCE UP EAST COASTARMIES WILL FORCE AXIS TROOPS NORTH AND EVENTUALLY OUT OF ITALYPROBLEMS? YESITALY IS MOUNTAINOUSSOITALY IS MORE EASILY DEFENDED BY AXIS

ALLIED INVASION PLAN, ITALY SEPTEMBER, 1943

ALLIED ADVANCES IN ITALY, SEPT.-OCT., 1943

THE ALLIED CONQUEST OF ITALY, 1943-45

OPERATION AVALANCHE (contd.)THE INVASION:GERMANS HAVE MOVED NEW TROOPS INTO ITALYGEN. ALBERT KESSELRING IS AXIS C/OKESSELRING USES ITALIAN GEOGRAPHY TO SLOW ALLIED ADVANCECHANGE IN ALLIED LEADERSHIP:U.S. GENERAL MARK CLARK REPLACES PATTONWHY? THE SLAPPING INCIDENT IN SICILYPATTON TRANSFERRED TO ENGLANDCLARK COMMANDS U.S. 5th ARMYHOW?GERMANS ESTABLISH DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALYFORTIFIED POSITIONS ARE BUILT TO DISRUPT ALLIED / HALT ALLIES ADVANCESO WHAT?ALLIES HAVE TO ASSAULT/SEIZE NUMEROUS AXIS MOUNTAINTOP POSITIONSPOSTIONS ARE EASILY DEFENDEDALLIED CASUALTIES ARE HIGHDETERIORATING WINTER WEATHER MAKES MOVEMENT MORE DIFFICULT

GENERAL MARK CLARK, COMMANDING OFFICER, U.S. 5th ARMY

U.S. LANDING CRAFT APPROACHES SALERNO, ITALY, 1943

THE ADVANCE TOWARDS ROMEALLIED ADVANCE NORTH MAKES PROGRESS UNTIL LATE FALL/EARLY WINTER, 1943WINTER WEATHER BRINGS ALLIED ADVANCE TO A STANDSTILLWHY?MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS & BAD WEATHER MAKE ATTACKS DIFFICULT TO CONDUCTGERMANS TAKE UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ACROSS ITALY NORTH OF NAPLESTHIS IS CALLED THE GUSTAV LINEALLIES BELIEVE ANOTHER AMPHIBIOUS LANDING IS NEEDEDWHERE?NORTH OF THE GUSTAV LINE AT ANZIOWHY?GERMANS WILL HAVE TO RETREAT FROM GUSTAV LINE OR BE CUT OFFRESULT? JAN.,44 ANZIO ASSAULT BEGINS

ANZIO ASSAULT STRATEGY

U.S. TROOPS WITH BANGALORE TORPEDO

ANZIO & MONTE CASSINO JAN.-FEB., 1944:ALLIES ATTEMPT TO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT FROM THE GUSTAV LINEHOW? SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKSWHERE? ANZIO NORTH OF GUSTAV LINE AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGMONTE CASSINO CENTER OF GUSTAV LINEPLAN:ANZIO FORCE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL OF FORCES NORTH TOWARDS ROMEMONTE CASSINO: SEIZE VITAL GERMAN MOUNTAIN POSITIONALLOW PASSAGE OF ALLIED TROOPS THROUGH GUSTAV LINECAPTURE ROME KNOCK ITALY OUT OF THE WAR

ANZIO & MONTE CASSINOANZIO: INITIAL ASSAULT IS SUCCESSFULU.S. 5TH ARMY ESTABLISHES BEACHHEAD5TH ARMY DOES NOT MOVE INLAND FAST ENOUGHSO WHAT? GERMANS HAVE CHANCE TO REGROUPMOVE REINFORCEMENTS INTO AREAU.S. 5TH ARMY TRAPPED IN BEACHHEAD5TH ARMY TAKE HEAVY CASUALTIESBREKAOUT DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL SPRING (APRIL-MAY, 1944)MONTE CASSINOPOSITION IS HEAVILY DEFENDEDPOSITION IS DIFFICULT TO REACHALLIES BOMB MONASTERYBOMBING ACTUALLY HELPS GERMANS DEFEND POSTIONALLIES LAUNCH REPEATED ATTACK HEAVY LOSSESPOSITION FINALLY CAPTURED BY POLISH TROOPSANZIO LANDINGS, JANUARY, 1944

THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD

THE ANZIO BREAKOUT, MAY, 1944

GERMAN PARATROOPERS AT MONTE CASSINO

POLISH TEROOPS ON MONTE CASSINO

POLISH CORPS BUGLER AFTER CAPTURE OF MONTE CASSINO

ALLIED VICTORY IN ITALYCAPTURE OF MONTE CASSINO & BREAKOUT FROM ANZIO FORCE GERMAN RETREATJUNE 4, 1944: ROME CAPTUREDALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY BEGINSGERMANS CONTINUE TO CREATE DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALYPROBLEM?NORMANDY INVASION (JUNE, 44) FORCES GERMANS TO WITHDRAW TROOPSALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY CANT BE STOPPEDAPRIL, 1943: MUSSOLINI OVERTHROWNIS RESCUED BY GERMAN KEPT UNDER GERMAN PROTECTION IN N. ITALYAPRIL, 1945MUSSOLINI ATTEMPTS ESCAPE INTO SWTIZERLAND IS CAPTURED BY REBELSMUSSOLINI SHOT BY REBELSMAY 2, 1945: GERMANS SURRENDER ITALY IS CONQUEREDITALIAN CAMPAIGN KIAs:ALLIES: 60,000AXIS: 50,000

BODIES OF MUSSOLINI, MISTRESS, & FASCIST LOYALIST, APRIL, 1945