The Allied invasion Flashcards
What did the Allies believe when they invaded mainland Italy?
They believed and hoped that the invasion would be quick
What did Grandi hope would happen in the Italian Government?
Grandi hoped that the fascists could remain in power, however, the king put Badoglio in charge
What did the King and Badoglio start doing in 1943
Discussing a surrender in September 1943 and guaranteed the allies 60,000 troops. He also promised all of Italy’s navy and air force.
What did the king and Badoglio not do that caused the military to collapse?
No order was issued to the troops, leaving them in confusion; some surrendered, some tried to go home, others continued fighting with the Germans. The only order they recieved was to retalliate if attacked.
What happened in the Greek islands during this?
Fighting between Italians and Germans broke out, causing 1.2k Italian deaths and 4.8 being executed.
When did Italy declare war on Germany?
September 18th 1943
What happened when German troops flooded into Northern Italy?
This pushed the King, Badoglio and others south into the arms of the Allie.
Why did Italy lose Rome so easily?
Because the King and Bad didn’t give orders to troops in fear of Germans killing civilians.
How long did it take the Allies to take Rome, and why?
9 months because of the cold weather and mountainous terrain
Why was it a good thing that taking Rome took longer than expected for the allies (kind of)?
Because it took so long, this meant that the Allied troops had to be transferred to North France for the more important offensive against Germany, diverting German troops from France.