Fighting in Cassino caused the 4th Indian Division to lose 3,000 men and the New Zealand Division had 1,600 men killed, missing and wounded. Recognizing the defensive value of the terrain, the Germans built the Gustav Line section of the Winter Line through the area. In brutal, close-in fighting, his men were turned back by the enemy. [15], Allied officers started to think the Germans were using the abbey of Monte Cassino as an artillery observation point. General Alexander's plan in Italy was to force the enemy to use the maximum number of divisions in Italy. [14] They lost 80% in the Infantry battalions, about 2,200 casualties. These efforts were supported by the French Expeditionary Corps to the north which captured Monte Belvedere and assaulted Monte Cifalco. Later that morning, Polish forces cleared the abbey ruins and hoisted Polish flag over the site. Spent, II Corps was withdrawn on February 11. The Battle of Monte Cassino (also called the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino) was a battle during the Italian Campaign of World War II. This page was last changed on 13 August 2018, at 04:00. It was a series of four attacks by the Allies against the Winter Line in Italy held by the Germans and Italians. Reaching the Gustav Line near Cassino on January 15, 1944, the US Fifth Army immediately began preparations to assault the German positions. Before the attack, there was bombing by heavy bombers. With U.S. VI Corps under threat at Anzio, Freyberg asked to help at Cassini. The Germans had around 20,000 killed and wounded by the end of the struggle. On March 23, with his men exhausted, Freyberg halted the offensive. This turned it into rubble. The 36th (Texas) U.S. Infantry Division would cross a river five miles from Cassino. On the right, the Moroccan-French troops made good initial progress against the Germans. This made it a good place for German artillery observers. It was believed that German observers and artillery spotters were using the abbey for protection. The main thrust for Monte Cassino started on February 2nd 1944 when the US 135th and 168th Infantry Regiments started their attacks. Hampering Allied efforts was the fact Clark's forces were tired and battered after fighting their way north from Naples. General Facts Allies and Germans Battle 1 It was fought towards the end of WWII If the Battle of Monte Pushed into planning a new assault to relieve pressure on the Anzio beachhead, Freyberg intended to continue the attack through mountains north of Cassino as well as advance up the railroad from the southeast. Mounting his main effort on February 17, Freyberg sent forward the 4th Indian Division against German positions in the hills. 5 Nov 1943 : In Italy, Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery's British X Corps reached Monte Camino, a 3,000-foot pinnacle overlooking the River Garigliano and the entrance to the Liri valley. Fourth Battle (Operation Diadem): Allied Plan of Attack. To the north, XIII Corps would attempt to force the Liri Valley, while the Poles circled behind Cassino and with orders to isolate the abbey ruins. While II Corps met heavy resistance and made little headway, the French advanced quickly and soon penetrated the Aurunci Mountains before daylight. Monte Cassino effectively blocked the Allies route north to Rome and had to be taken despite the difficulties of doing so from a military point of view. Dates: January 17 to May 18, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). It was an important part of Gustav Line, the strongest defensive positions in the Winter Line. By the end of March 17 the Gurkhas held a point near the Abbey. On May 15, the British 78th Division passed through the bridgehead and began a turning movement to cut off the town from the Liri Valley. The south entrance to this valley was Cassino. For the third battle, it was decided to launch two attacks from the north. This would support the main attack by U.S. II Corps on their right. They dropped 1,150 tons of bombs on the abbey. On the western side, U.S. Fifth Army moved from Naples. Read More. The Battle of Monte Cassino (also called the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino) was a battle during the Italian Campaign of World War II. By attacking, it was hoped that German forces could be drawn south to allow Major General John Lucas' US VI Corps to land and quickly occupy the Alban Hills in the enemy rear. Attacking for three days in early February, they were unable to secure the abbey or the neighboring high ground. From a religious/cultural viewpoint, there was also the famous monastery at Monte Cassino that would almost certainly be damaged by any attack or … …Line, which was hinged on Monte Cassino. His assault plans were quickly spoiled when the Germans mounted heavy counterattacks on Castle Hill drawing in the Allied infantry. This action may have been the result of Clark's concern that the British would enter the city first despite it being assigned to Fifth Army. [6], German paratroopers went into the abbey's ruins. From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, The Germans concluded an agreement with the, Allied landings in Italy in September 1943, United States Army Center of Military History, https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Monte_Cassino&oldid=6220688, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2013, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

battle of monte cassino summary

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