World War II Italian Campaign: Northern Italy--the Gothic Line (August 1944-April 1945)


Figure 1.--This young German soldiers was captured during the Massa Offensive near Querceta Italy, April 5, 1945. 196th Signal Photo Company. 5/MM-45-5948.

The Normandy D-Day invasion 2 days after the liberaion of Rome turned the Italian campaign into a secondary theater. Allied troops and resources were focused on France. The Allies did, however, continued to press the Germans in Italy. And German reinforcements and supplies declined as the German position in both the East and West suffered disaderous blows. While poorly supported, the German forces in Italy had the advantage of terraine that provided a natural barrier, something that the German forces in norther Europe did not enjoy. The Allies in Italy attacked the new German defensive line--the Gothic Line (Massa-Rimini fortifications). It was constructed by Kesselring in the Northern Appenines (August 1944). The new German line held. It took several more months to penetrate the German defenses. The German line held during the winter of 1944-45. The Gothic Line was finally broken in an assault headed by the American 10th Mountain Division (February 1945). [Jenkins] This allowed the Allies to enter the Po valley. The break through at the Adriatic end of the line. The Americans breaking through at the western end entered (April 20). The Germans retreated across the Po and abandoned their heavy armor. The goal of German commanders became to get as much as possible of the surviving force back to Germany.

Situation

The Normandy D-Day invasion 2 days after the liberaion of Rome turned the Italian campaign into a secondary theater. Allied troops and resources were focused on France. The Allies did, however, continued to press the Germans in Italy. And German reinforcements and supplies declined as the German position in both the East and West suffered disasterous blows.

Alied Forces

The Allied Forces consisted of the British 8th Army with many foreign components (Canadian, Indian, Polish, and others) and the American 5th Army. The composition of both armies changed because of the success of the D-Day invasions. Important elements were shifted to France. The 8th Army was composed of British (V, X and XIII Corps), Canadian I Corps, and the Polish II Corps. The Canadian forces in December were shifted to the Low Lands to join the Canadians units under Montgomery. The French forces in 5th Army formed the core of Operation Dragoon. (Most of the foreign units were in the British 8th Army, but the Free French units had been assigned to the American 5th Army.) The U.S. IV Corps was activated to replace the French in Fifth Army.

Building the Gothic Line (June-August 1944)

While poorly supported, the German forces in Italy had the advantage of terraine that provided a natural barrier, something that the German forces in northern Europe did not enjoy. The Allies did not cut off the Germans defending the Gutav Line from withdrawing through Rome (June 1944). Thus they were able to dig in again. The Allies were confronted with a new German defensive line--the Gothic Line (Massa-Rimini fortifications). It was constructed by Kesselring in the Northern Appenines Mountains (August 1944). It was the most heavily fortified position the German prepared in Italy, largely because they had more time to prepare it. The German defenses were anchored on the rivers, streams, and other waterways flowing down from the mountains to the sea. An important part of the Goyhic Line was the central Italian city of Bologna. This was an imoprtant rail and road communications hub situated only a few miles north of the German defensive belt. Acres of timber land had been cut over to make unbroken fields of fire. Large numbers of land mines were laid. The land mind was not one of the weapons that the Germans had given much attention when they lauched World War II, but this changed when military defeats forced them to wage defensive warfare. Innovative new types were produced and in large numbers. Italy was perfectly suited for mines because of the narrow front line.

Autumn Fighting (September-November 1944)

The new German line effectively stopped the Allied push north. The Allies driving noth by the end of August reached Pisa and Pesaro on each coast of the Italian boot. Then the weather began to deteriorate the Allied advance slowed and German resistance stiffened behind the Gothic Line. It took several more months to penetrate the German defenses. The Allies reached the Gothic Line (late August/earlySeptember). This began a gruling campaign to cross the Gothic Line and break into the Po Valley. The Canadians began the assault on the Gothic Line (August 25, 1944). What followed was a bloody 28-day clash. [Zuehike] They endured some of the heaviest fightening in Canadian military history.

Winter (1944-45)

The 8th Army moved slowly up the east coast. The Polish II Corps took Ancona, an important port which solved some supply problems because a more direct supply route was opened. The Allied had planned to break into the Po Valley by the end of the year. The German line held during the winter of 1944-45. The 8th Army by December were still south of Lake Commachio and the Germans still held a strong salient to the west. The Fifth Army was still fighting for the high passes of the Appennines. With the new year, little progress was possible because of the winter weather. It was at this time that the Canadian I Corps was shifted to norther Europe, uniting the Canadian forces as the Canadian 1st Army. The Gothic Line was finally broken in an assault headed by the American 10th Mountain Division (February 1945). [Jenkins] This allowed the Allies to finally enter the Po valley. The Allies used the winter to build up their forces. They struck again in April. The Germans had received little support and the Allied armies had crossed the Rhine and entered Germany and he Soviets were preparing the assault on Berlin. This had a major impact on German morale.

Allied Offensive (April 1945)

Allied commanders considered as to whether the 5th or 8th Army should strike the major role. Eighth Army made the major assault. The Allies attempted to convince the Germans that it would be the 5th Army. A major logistical effort was made to move troops and supplies forward. The Allied struck (April 2). Hard fighting insued. Finally the Allies approached Bologn and crossed Lake Comacchio in an amphibious attack (April 20).

The Po

Crossing Lake Comacchio (April 20) was the final stroke of te Italian campaign. This put the Germans in an impossible position with their limited and poorly supplied forces. The Allies broke through the German lines and major positions south pf the Po were surrounded. Other German forces were pinned against the River. Those that escaped had to abando their heavy weapons, The German Army in Italy was finally broken.

German Retreat

The Germans retreated across the Po and abandoned their heavy armor. The goal of German commanders became to get as much as possible of the surviving force back to Germany. The Allied Armies began a series of spectacular advances. The 5th Army liberated Genoa, Polish forces liberated Bologna and British forces cleaned out the Po estuary and reached the Yugoslav and Austrian borders.

Sources

Jenkins, McKay. The Last Ridge: The Epic Story of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division and the assault on Hitler's Europe (Random House, 2003).

Zuehlke, Mark. The Gothic Line : Canada's Month of Hell in World War II Italy .








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Created: 3:57 AM 3/27/2006
Last updated: 8:33 AM 7/28/2011