(2/11) Battlefield II The Battle for Monte Cassino Ep13 World War II

World War II Second World War Videos
The Battle of Monte Cassino consisted of four separate battles fought over the course of five months. Forces from the United Kingdom, United States, Poland, New Zealand, Canada, Free France, India, and others were involved among the Allies.
The key significance of these battles was it led to the eventual linkup between the Anzio pocket in the south and Allied troops trapped farther north. The linkup of forces led to the eventual capture of Rome, the first Axis capital to fall in the war.
The Allies had two main objectives: (1) To draw the Germans away from the Anzio beach-head, and then (2) To drive quickly towards Rome.
The Allies had twenty-one divisions and eleven brigades opposing fourteen German divisions and three brigades.
German casualties, caused by the attack on March 15th and the heavy artillery fire, was severe. A March 23rd diary entry of a high ranking XIV Corps officer states that the post-battle strength of the battalions engaged varied from 40 to 120 men.
The fourth and final assault on Monte Cassino resulted in an Allied victory, but only because the Allies decided to overwhelm the Germans through sheer weight of numbers. Simultaneously, the Germans had weakened their positions prior to the battle by withdrawing some troops to France.
The breakthrough at Cassino meant that the Allies were able (within a week's time) to join up with the Anzio beach head and then to capture Rome. The loss did considerable damage to Axis morale.

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Education

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• World
• War
• II
• Italy
• Monte
• Cassino
• Anzio
• Rome
• United
• Kingdom
• Poland
• New
• Zealand
• Axis
• German
• Allied
• Alexander
• Clark
• Kesselring

[alanheath]

We can see here how Patton's attack on western Sicily was a runaway success against little opposition. The question that must be made therefore is why the US found it necessary to deal with former mafia bosses and reinstate them. I think the price paid was far too high even with the benefit of hindsight.

(I have a film on this on my third channel.)

[HoustonGD]

@alanheath Well You don't take any chances. Who knows, if the Italians where better equipped and lead and violently resisted it would have been a mess. So leave nothing to chance! A don't make the first mistake of being arrogant and think your all bright and clever, even when fighting the Italians, + 14th Panzer Korps. In hindsight the Italians put up token resistance, the navy gunfire was great, operation mincemeat was swolled whole and everythig worked out.

[alanheath]

@Lazarus0357 One of those interviewed, a US intelligence officer at the time, said "What choice did we have?" Continuing (paraphrasing) any help, from any source, was welcome to save American lives and 'further the American cause' (sic).

[Lazarus0357]

@alanheath Thanks for your answer. I lived in Italy from 1992 to 2006, and the subject of the US Government/Mafia links interested me a lot, so I talked to all my Italian friends interested in the subject, and the "freedom fighters" is the accepted version. Of course, it is also possible that the US forces recruited ANY available help, regardless of future consecuences, for Italy and for themselves. Regards

[alanheath]

@Lazarus0357 And since writing the above I now have two films on my channels relating to aid given by the US military to reinstate the mafia. I do not believe that the US thought they were dealing with 'freedom fighters', I am pretty sure they knew what type of people they were dealing with.

[Lazarus0357]

@alanheath Mussolini was the ONLY Italian politician who acted severely against the mafia, until today. Back in Fascist times, whoever was suspected of being a mafioso was sent straight to jail. When the Americans started planning the invasion of Sicily, the American mafiosi convinced the Yanks that those jailed mafiosi were in fact freedom fighters, oposed to the Fascists. And the Yanks believe it! True story, I lived in Italy a number of years, and everybody knows the story. Regards

[madhammudeux]

@IcyScythe

That's all relative. Consider this. He liked to rush through enemy lines with tank formations, bypassing enemy strong points that other allied armies still had to contend with. What's more his tank crew losses were horrendous. Whichever way you look at it, he was out for personal glory. Other's died and suffered for his medals.

[IcyScythe]

@madhammudeux really? I remember reading that his 3rd army in Europe had the lowest casualty rate of any allied army.

[madhammudeux]

@IcyScythe

Well he was an overrated douche bag. He'd throw 200 tanks against ten enemy, and claim the inevitable win as a great tactical achievement on his part. Tanks and men were sent to their deaths to satisfy that man's ego.

[madhammudeux]

Patton was an egotistical maniac. He reveled in his own glory, in campaigns who's outcomes had already been decided by resources and logistics.

[NobleKorhedron]

Is this still Tim Piggot-Smith narrating?

[HamanKarn567]

@IcyScythe WEll a lot of people did not like patton he had a bad tempr and mouth lol no one doubts his combat prowess and tactics he just was a war monger who wanted all the glory that may be why persosanly i think he was the allies best general lol