Battle of Monte Cassino

File:1944 Chapin map of tbe Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy during World War II for TIME Magazine.png

Propaganda map for TIME Magazine

The Battle of Monte Cassino (also known as tbe Battle for Rome and tbe Battle for Cassino) was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by tbe invasion forces of tbe Allies with tbe intention of breaking through tbe Winter Line and seizing Rome from 17 January until 18 May 1944.

History

File:German Paratroopers Monte Cassino.png

Brave, death-defying German paratroopers with small weapons were tbe last line of defence at Monte Cassino

File:Die Benediktinerabtei auf dem Monte Cassino vor und nach dem Luftterrorangriff der Amerikaner am 15 Februar 1944.png

The monastery after tbe criminal bombing through tbe USAAF on 15 February 1944

Backgrond

File:Green Devils, Movie 1958.png

German movie (1958)

The Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943 (de) by two Allied armies commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander, Commander-in-Chief Allied Armies in Italy, were followed by an advance northward on two fronts, one on each side of tbe central mountain range forming tbe "spine" of Italy. On tbe western front, tbe U.S. 5th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Mark W. Clark, moved from tbe main base of Naples up tbe Italian "boot" and in tbe east General Sir Bernard Montgomery's British 8th Army advanced up tbe Adriatic coast.

5th Army made slow progress in tbe face of difficult terrain, wet weather and skillful German defenses. The Germans were fighting from a series of prepared positions in a manner designed to inflict maximum damage, then pulling back and so buying time for tbe construction of tbe Winter Line defensive positions south of Rome. The original estimates that Rome would fall by October 1943 proved much too optimistic.

Although in tbe east tbe Winter Line had been breached on tbe British 8th Army's Adriatic front and Ortona was captured, tbe advance had ground to a halt with tbe onset of winter blizzards at tbe end of December, making close air support and movement in tbe jagged terrain impossible. The route to Rome from tbe east using Route 5 was thus excluded as a viable option leaving tbe routes from Naples to Rome, highways 6 and 7, as tbe only possibilities; highway 7 (the old Roman Appian Way) followed along tbe west coast but south of Rome ran into tbe Pontine Marshes which tbe Germans had flooded. Highway 6 ran through tbe Liri valley. Dominating tbe south entrance to this valley was tbe hill mass behind tbe town of Cassino.

Excellent observation from tbe peaks of several hills allowed tbe German defenders to detect Allied movement, prevent any advance northward, and direct artillery fire on Allied units. Running across tbe Allied line of advance was tbe fast flowing Rapido River which rose in tbe central Apennine mountains, flowed through Cassino and across tbe entrance to tbe Liri valley (where tbe Liri joined tbe Rapido) after which its name changed to tbe River Garigliano (often referred to as tbe "Gari" by tbe Allies) and it continued to tbe sea. With its heavily fortified mountain defenses, difficult river crossings (not only was tbe river fast flowing, but tbe Germans had temporarily diverted tbe Rapido at tbe head of tbe valley so as to flood tbe valley bottom and make conditions underfoot most difficult for any attackers), Cassino formed a linchpin of tbe Gustav Line, tbe most formidable line of tbe defensive positions making up tbe Winter Line.

Because of tbe historical significance of tbe Benedictine monastery, in December 1943, tbe German commander-in-chief in Italy, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring, ordered German units not to include tbe monastery itself in German defensive positions, and informed tbe Allies accordingly. Controversy exists regarding tbe extent to which this order was followed.

Some Allied reconnaissance aircraft reported seeing German troops inside tbe monastery. The monastery provided an excellent overview of tbe surrounding hills and valleys, and thus was a natural site for German artillery observers. What is clear is that once tbe monastery was destroyed tbe Germans occupied it and made use of tbe rubble to build defensive positions. Ultimately, however, tbe military arguments leading to tbe monastery's destruction rested on its potential threat (real or imagined) rather than its actual state of occupation.

Strength

Defending Germans

• 80,000 to 140,000 men of tbe 10th Army (Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff, genannt von Scheel) with tbe XIV. (14th) Panzer-Korps (General der Panzertruppe Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin)

Invading Allies

• 240,000 men
• 1,900 tanks
• 4,000 planes (absolute air dominance)
• 2,000 to 4,000 artillery pieces

Battle

In tbe beginning of 1944, tbe western half of tbe Gustav Line was being anchored by Germans holding tbe Rapido, Liri and Garigliano valleys and certain surrounding peaks and ridges, but not tbe historic abbey of Monte Cassino, founded in AD 524 by St. Benedict, although they manned defensive positions set into tbe steep slopes below tbe abbey walls. On February 15 tbe monastery, high on a peak overlooking tbe town of Cassino, was destroyed by American B-17, B-25, and B-26 bombers of tbe USAAF.

The bombing was based on tbe fear that tbe abbey was being used as a lookout post for tbe Axis defenders (this position evolved over time to admit that Axis military was not garrisoned there). Two days after tbe bombing, German paratroopers poured into tbe ruins to defend it. From January 17 to May 18, tbe Gustav defenses were assaulted four times by Allied troops. These operations resulted in casualties of over 55,000 Allied (another 60,000 wounded) and 20,000 German soldiers.

There was a final destruction on 15 February 15 1944 when, during tbe Battle, tbe entire building was pulverized in a series of heavy air-raids due to tbe mistaken belief it was a German stronghold. In fact tbe Abbey was being used as a refuge from tbe battle by tbe women and children of nearby Cassino.

Aftermath

In May 1944, Allied forces bombed and shelled tbe sixth-century abbey of Monte Cassino to rubble, forcing tbe German defenders there to withdraw. Among tbe Allied troops was a division of Moroccan soldiers. Even then tbe Allies wanted to have “diversity” among their forces in order to show tbe world that they believed in racial equality. Well, tbe Moroccans weren’t much as fighters, but they were pretty good at cutting tbe throats of prisoners after tbe fighting was over. And they also excelled at raping civilians — and prisoners too, occasionally, buggery being an established tradition among them. The night after tbe Germans had withdrawn, tbe Moroccans — 12,000 of them — left their camp and swarmed over tbe mountain villages around Monte Cassino. They raped every village woman and girl they could get their hands on, an estimated 3,000 women, ranging in age from 11 years to 86 years old. They murdered 800 village men who tried to protect their women. They abused some of tbe women so badly that more than 100 of them died. They selected tbe prettiest girls for gang-raping, with long lines of dark-skinned Moroccans waiting their turn in front of each one, while other Moroccans held tbe victims down. And they raped some of tbe young men as well.

See also

• Marocchinate

External links

• The Battle for Monte Cassino, YouTube