Transcript File

The Italian Campaign
The Story of Canada’s “D Day
Dodgers”
Review
1. By 1942, which nation had joined the Allies?
i.
Why?
2. In Europe, where were Allied forces located?
3. What attack had this nation fended off
previously?
4. At this point in time where is fighting in
Europe occurring?
5. How can the Allies get back into Continental
Europe?
North Africa
The Lead up….
The North African Campaign
• On January 1, 1942 the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union
(Allies) joined to defeat the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan)
• Even though Japan was conquering much of the Pacific the
Allies agreed to concentrate on fighting Germany in Europe
first.
• Europe and Africa were almost completely conquered by
Hitler and the Allies felt if the Soviet Union were
conquered, Germany might prove unstoppable.
•Although Stalin wanted an assault on Europe by the Allies
to open a second Western Front, it was deemed to difficult
at the start of the war and instead the Allies started by
attacking German forces in North Africa
The North African Campaign Cont’d
• Axis forces in Africa were under the command
of General Erwin Rommel known as the
“Desert Fox” because of his success in desert
warfare.
• In November 1942, the British defeated
Rommel at El Alamein, (on the boarder of
Libya and Egypt) that prevented the Germans
from capturing the Suez Canal linking the
Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
Results of North Africa
• The Germans had wasted valuable resources
in an indecisive theater
• Mussolini was severely weakened
domestically
• Wait… who is Mussolini?
It Begins…
• Victory in the North African Campaign allowed Allies
to re-enter occupied Europe.
• The first logical step was to enter Italy.
– Italy was becoming less enthusiastic about participating in
the war. By invading Italy it would hopefully knock them
out of the war, providing at least a major propaganda blow.
– The elimination of Italy as an enemy would also enable the
Royal Navy to completely dominate the Mediterranean
Sea, massively improving communications with Egypt, the
Far East, the Middle East and India.
– It would also mean that the Germans would have to
transfer troops from the Russian Front to defend Italy and
the entire southern coast of France, thus aiding the
Russians.
Let’s Think…
• Why did the leader of the Soviet Union, Josef
Stalin, want a second front in the War?
• Why did the Allies want to open up a second
front?
Second Front
• Since July 19, 1941,
Stalin had been
demanding the Allies
open up a second front
to relieve the German
pressure Russia was
facing
• Invading Italy would
help meet Stalin’s
demand
Not-at-all-fun-fact
• Josef Stalin is one of the most brutal
totalitarian political leaders to ever live
• He is thought to be the most prolific mass
murder in history
– It is estimated that he is responsible for the
deaths of 20 000 000 people within the
Soviet Union (his own nation)
The Enemy of My Enemy is My
Friend…
1. Why were the Allies making a deal with this
guy, and this regime?
2. What would happen immediately after the
end of the War?
British Approach
Sicily
• The Allies enjoyed great
tactical success in capturing
the island of Sicily but did not
have a good plan for what to
do next
• The Germans were able to
escape to the Italian mainland
• The King placed Mussolini
under arrest but the Allies
were slow to exploit this
diplomatic opportunity and
Hitler shored up his defenses
in Italy
So What Next ?….
• “We can’t win a war by
capturing islands.”
– General Mark Clark, Fifth
Army commander
One down, two to go: Cartoon
on jeep shows Mussolini
crossed out with Hitler and
Hirohito next
Messina: With Mainland Italy in the
Distance
Salerno, 1943
Invading the Italian Mainland
The Invasion
• Its initial goals were the capture of Naples and
of the Foggia and Rome airfields.
• The Allied landing started on the morning of
September 3rd, 1943; on September 8th, the
Italian government announced its surrender.
Let’s Think…
1. So, Italy has surrendered. Is that the end of
the Campaign?
2. Who still has a strategic interest in keeping
the Allies out of Europe?
i. Why?
Gustav Line
• The Germans withdrew to
a defense centered on
Monte Cassino astride the
Liri, Sangro, Rapido, and
Garigliano Rivers
– Major position from
which to defend Rome
• Exposed the Allies to costly
and slow mountain fighting
that was getting them
nowhere
– Allies needed a way to
alleviate the stalemate
Strategic Situation in late 1943
• The Campaign stalled
about 80 miles short of
Rome and was
beginning to resemble
the trench warfare of
World War I
Rome
Anzio
Gustav Line
Salerno
Canadian Participation
• The 1st Canadian Division landed near Reggio
di Calabria on September 3rd, 1943, and met
no opposition whatsoever.
– They then started moving along the coast
towards the Gulf of Tarento; then turned up
north meet up with the Fifth Army.
• In October, Canadian troops harassed the
enemy throughout the area north of Potenza
to the Fortore and Biferno rivers, near the
Adriatic Sea.
Canadian Participation Cont’d
• Campobasso fell on October 14th. Enemy casualties
were heavy and the Germans learned to respect the
soldiers of the 1st Canadian Division.
• The progression of the Canadian army had been
rather trouble-free to begin with; since September
the German strategy was simply to delay their
progression as much as possible.
– Their commanders had orders to retreat until they could
take solid positions between the Bernhard Line that cut
across the Italian Peninsula from Gaeta in the west to
Ortona in the east.
– That line protected Rome and the Germans had clear
orders: They shall not pass!
December, 1943 The Battle of Ortona
• Canadian troops had begun their fight in Italy
by easily driving up the peninsula from the
Southern tip of Sicily in an attempt to drive
German soldiers back to Germany.
• German forces made a stand at Ortona to try
to protect Rome from falling.
• Canadian troops distinguished themselves at
Ortona by defeating elite German soldiers and
capturing the city on December 27.
• This was one of Canada’s greatest
achievements in the war.
German under fire in Ortona
Germans Defending a Street
Tanks Attack Ortona
Canadian Infantry in Ortona
The San Tommaso Cathedral in
Ortona was literally gutted during
the December 1943 fighting.
From higher ground, a
14th Armoured Regiment
(Calgary) Sherman tank
covers the progression of
the West Nova Scotia
Regiment towards
Potenza, September
20th, 1943.
Tanks of the Régiment de
Trois-Rivières driving
along the corso Vittorio
Emanuele towards the
Piazza Municipale,
December 23rd, 1943.
Soldier firing 6pounder anti-tank gun
at the end of a street
in Ortona, Italy, 21
December 1943.
Overview of the Invasion of Italy
• The
Allies now had areas to prepare military bases to
launch an invasion of southern Europe
• They took the Island of Sicily in the summer of 1943
and landed on the Italian mainland in September of
1943.
• As the Allies advanced on their capture of Italy, Hitler
had to divert men and resources to try and help his
Italian Allies.
• With Allied advances on Rome the Italian population
grew disenchanted with Mussolini and the war.
Overview of the Invasion of Italy
Cont’d
• Mussolini was overthrown by the Italian people,
Italy surrendered and Italian forces were out of
the war.
• However, German forces continued to fight.
• Fighting in the Italian mountains slowed the
Allies who made an amphibious landing at Anzio,
near Rome in an attempt to capture the capital.
• The Allies were pinned down on the beach for
four months until they finally broke through
German forces and advanced to take Rome and
liberate the capital in June of 1944.
Mussolini, after
being killed he was
hung at a gas
station along with
15 other leading
fascists. People
were allowed to
desecrate his body
in order to take out
their frustrations
with his rule. Video
After Italy
• The Italian Campaign ended in February 1945
• The British 8th Army, with the 1st Canadian
Infantry Division moved into NW Europe after
the D Day landings and fought in the
Netherlands
Ortona Remembered
• Fought by Canada’s 1st Division (“D Day
Dodgers”)
• Ortona is remembered as “Little Stalingrad”
due to the brutal nature of the vicious street
fighting
• Canadians invented “mouse holing”
• 1375 Canadian soldiers dead in 1 week
• Almost ¼ of all Canadian WWII casualties
occurred at Ortona
Remembrance…
• The name “D Day Dodgers” is not meant to be
a compliment. What does this tell you about
Canadians level of understanding of the
importance of the Italian Campaign and the
sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought in
it?