The Allied Invasion

Question 1

allied plans

Answer 1

After attacking Sicily, Allied command originally lacked concrete plans to invade Italy
Invading from south was difficult and would divert forces from main focus of northern France
Churchill felt an attack on Italy would be advantageous and acquire more airfields to attack German forces, opening up a second front in Balkans and helping French invasion by pinning down important parts of German military in Italy
Americans not enthusiastic but eventually convinced after Britain guaranteed main focus would remain France

Question 2

rome

Answer 2

Allied command hoped invasion would be quick with Rome being captured before Christmas. Little evidence that souther Italy would be defended by German forces who were being drawn back north of Rome. These hopes were false s invasion became bogged in slow, difficult war of attrition

Question 3

key problem

Answer 3

Grandi hoped fascists could remain in control of country without Mussolini, but this did not happen. King placed country in control of armed forces under Badoglio.

Question 4

surrender promises

Answer 4

As part of surrender signed 3 Sept 1943, Badoglio promised to secure all of Italy’s airfields and ports and hand over entire Italian navy and air force
Badoglio guaranteed Allies assistance of 60,000 Italian troops based around Rome
When surrender made public on 8 Sept, it was clear neither Badoglio or King did anything to put these promises into place
Italian soldiers confused, some surrendered, 1M taken prisoner, army began to dissolve, some continued fighting alongside Germans

Question 5

greek islands

Answer 5

fighting between German and Italian soldiers; 1,200 Italians killed, 4,800 captured soldiers shot for resisting German army
Month it took for Badoglio and king to negotiate surrender gave Hitler time to plan German invasion of Italy

Question 6

9 September

Answer 6

German forces began pouring into Italy
king, Badoglio, military leaders fled south towards Allied forces; refused to issue orders for Italian army to fight against Germans; this would incite Germans to attack Italian civilians, but lack of direction meant Rome was inadequately defended and taken over by German forces

Question 7

13 September

Answer 7

Italy official declared war with Germany. It was clear the 60,000 promised troops would not materialise
Nine months to capture Rome, Allied invasion hampered by strong German defence, weather, and Italy’s geography

Question 8

Apennine Mountains

Answer 8

Apennine Mountains that ran down middle of Italy ran over 10,000 feet in some places; much of fighting took place across mountains, narrow ridges and valleys. October weather was wet and freezing. Brutal war of attrition, not unlike WW1
After 8 months, Allied forces depleted as troops transferred to France
Invasion of Italy drew in 1M German soldiers, diverting attention from France

Question 9

4 June 1944

Answer 9

Rome fell to allied forces, but battle for the north would drag on until 2 May 1945
Allied fighting in north took place parallel to brutal civil war waged at same time between antifascist and fascist Italians that had been accentuated by return of Mussolini and establishment of new Italian Social Republic under his comman