3/6/2017. The Italian Campaign, the Abbey of Monte Cassino & Mussolini. September 1943 May After Mussolini is Removed

Transcription

1 The Italian Campaign, the Abbey of Monte Cassino & Mussolini September 1943 May After Mussolini is Removed German military floods into Italy takes up key positions south of Rome Germans disarm Italian army American 5 th Army and British 8 th Army prepares to face fresh German forces 2 Monte Cassino Benedictine Motherhouse 529 A.D. Allied Forces land in Italy September 1943, push up the boot of Italy Halted by Germans at the Gustav Line Monte Cassino Abbey in the Center Elevation at 1,700 above Liri valley floor Excellent observation to South Germans establish the Gustav Line 3 1

2 4 Monte Cassino Benedictine Motherhouse 529 A.D. 5 Interior of Monte Cassino Abbey Tombs of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica 6 2

3 Allies believe that the Monastery of Monte Cassino is central to the German defenses on the Gustav Line German Artillery fire devastates Allies moving up the Liri Valley Are the Germans in the Monastery? Violation of International Law? 7 8 Allies Plan Breakthrough at Monte Cassino after failed Anzio Landings Germans assist in the evacuation of priceless religious materials to the Vatican for safe keeping 9 3

4 Allies Decide to Bomb the Monastery at Monte Cassino Pushed by British under Field Marshall Alexander Fifth US Army under General Mark Clark Agrees Abbots Response after the Bombing Allied Warning Leaflet Dropped Prior to Bombing February ,400 tons of bombs dropped 220 B-17 s, B-25 s, B-26 s Abbey of Monte Cassino Cloister Before After Today Spring

5 Before Main Altar After Church of the Monastery of Monte Cassino Today 13 Main Altar of the Church in the Monastery Before After Front View Rear View 14 Results of the Bombing Italian refugees killed Abbot (79 years old!) and six monks survive bombing in crypt of Abbey along with 40 other refugees (all were deaf for several days!) NO Germans killed or wounded! Germans immediately occupy rubble of Monastery Fighting continues February through May 1944 Fighting is Brutal Hand-to-Hand Combat 15 5

6 German forces withdraw from Monte Cassino due to the Allied breakout at Anzio in mid-may The Polish forces walked into the ruins of the Abbey without opposition January 1944 May

7 19 1,000+ War Dead Note Jewish Star of David 20 Monte Cassino and Southern Italian Campaign Casualties Allied (American, British, Commonwealth and Polish) 43,000 killed and wounded German (including Fallschirmjägers) 38,000 killed, wounded or captured Sicily Rome American Cemetery 7,900 American Graves Pomezia German Cemetery 22,000 German Graves 21 7

8 Pomezia German Cemetery Outside Rome 22 Remains as one of the Most Controversial Battles of World War II Was it necessary to destroy the Monastery? Did the Allied aerial destruction actually help the Germans? Germans and Catholic Church demonstrated that the Germans never occupied the Abbey until after the bombing. Rebuilt after the war with the help of the Italian government and Catholic church donations. The United States never fully admitted until the 1980 s the bombing was unnecessary. British and Commonwealth historians still argue today that the bombing was correct in order to break the German Gustav Line. 23 Allies Take Rome, Italy - 4 June 1944 Largely Overlooked D-Day 6 June 1944 Rome First Axis Capital Captured! Mussolini? 24 8

9 Mussolini is Removed July 1943 After the Allied invasion of Sicily Grand Council of Fascism voted to depose Mussolini King Victor Emmanuel III had Mussolini arrested September 1943 Rescued by the Germans in the Gran Sasso mountains Mussolini flown out to Bavaria 25 Germans install Mussolini and the Italian Social Republic known as the Salo Republic from an Northern Italian town on Lake Garda. Mussolini spends time in Milan Largely symbolic Fascist Italian army battles against the Italian partisans until the end of the war 26 Last Days of Mussolini Late April Allies control nearly all of Italy 27 April 1945 Mussolini and his mistress and staff flee Milan toward Switzerland 27 9

10 Last Days of Mussolini Late April Allies control nearly all of Italy 27 April 1945 Mussolini and his mistress and staff flee Milan toward Switzerland 28 April Mussolini captured by Italian partisans shot at Mezzegra (21 miles from Swiss border!) 28 Mezzegra July Last Days of Mussolini Mussolini and mistress Clara Petacci hung from hooks next to a market square / Esso gas station in Milan 30 10

11 Mussolini s body buried in a secret grave in Milan by the government In 1946 Mussolini s body dug up and moved around northern Italy and kept for a period at the Carthusian monastery of Pavia In 1947 Mussolini s body was recovered by the Police in Milan. Mussolini s body remained secretly buried until 1957 Released to the family at the request of his wife and was buried in the family crypt 31 Mussolini Today Eastern side of Apennine Mountains West of Ravenna 32 Mussolini s Family Crypt Today City cemetery outside of the town Neo-Fascist Shrine! 33 11

12 Buried among family members 34 Noticeable Catholic presence with chapel 35 Wall of commemoration for those who served in the Fascist army / militia from

13 Italian Campaign will continue until the end of the War Allies push up to the border of Austria and onward into the Tyrol and the Alps. Largely forgotten with the main focus on France and the campaign into Germany