What is the Gustav Line?
The Gustav Line was a staunch defensive line built by the Germans that spanned from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. The Gustav Line ran along the Garigiliano and Rapido rivers on the west and on the Sangro river on the east side of the Italian peninsula.
Why did the Germans build the Gustav Line in Italy?
The Germans rooted the Gustav Line in the high ground of Sant' Ambrogio, Monte Cassino, and other peaks that gave them perfect observation over the valleys of the Rapido and Garigliano rivers. Veteran troops had concrete bunkers, machine-gun emplacements, barbed wire, mines, mortars, and artillery to employ against attackers.
What was the main German defensive line?
The Gustav Line: the main German defensive line. The Gustav Line: the main German defensive line. The Gustav Line was the main German defensive line that spanned from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. The Gustav Line ran along the Garigiliano and Rapido rivers on the west and on the Sangro river on the east side of the Italian peninsula.
When did the 15th Army attack the Gustav Line?
Fifth Army attacked the Gustav Line in mid-January 1944. British units crossed the Garigliano but were unable to break the defenses, while American attempts to cross the Rapido and to surmount Monte Cassino failed. After air bombardments destroyed the abbey on Monte Cassino, attacks by New Zealand troops on 15 February and 15 March also failed.
When did the Gustav Line break?
Trying to enter the Liri Valley and advance to Anzio, the U.S. Fifth Army attacked the Gustav Line in mid-January 1944. British units crossed the Garigliano but were unable to break the defenses, while American attempts to cross the Rapido and to surmount Monte Cassino failed.
What happened at the Gustav Line?
history of World War II … was still blocked by Kesselring's Gustav Line, which was hinged on Monte Cassino. To bypass that line, the Allies landed some 50,000 seaborne troops, with 5,000 vehicles, at Anzio, only 33 miles south of Rome, on January 22, 1944. The landing surprised the Germans and met, at first, with very…
Where is the Gothic Line in Italy?
Running from east to west along the summits of the Apennine Mountains in Northern Italy, the Gothic Line was the final stronghold for the German troops in Italy. The only part of the fortification that is essentially intact today is centered around the village of Borgo a Mozzano in Tuscany.
What was the Winter Line ww2?
Allied Decisions THE WINTER LINE operations, lasting from 15 November 1943 to 15 January 1944, continued the Allied campaign to drive the Germans out of southern Italy. The underlying plan was to keep pressure on the enemy and, if possible, to break through toward Rome.
Why was the Gustav Line important?
In order to reach Rome, the Allies had to break this line. The lynchpin of the Gustav Line was Monte Cassino." identified by the Germans and Allies as key terrain because of the outstanding observation it provided over the entrance to the Liri Valley.
Who liberated Rome in 1944?
The country was divided between German forces holding the northern and central regions (including Rome) and Allied forces in the south. After nine months of bitter combat, Allied forces—specifically the US Fifth Army—liberated Rome in June 1944.
Who broke the Gothic Line?
The main job of breaking the Line fell to the I Canadian Corps, which accomplished the task after a month of difficult combat, at a cost of more than 4,500 casualties. Although overshadowed by the Allied invasion of France, cracking the Gothic Line was among Canada's greatest feats of arms of the war.
When did the Gothic Line fall?
Allied attacks concentrated on the eastern end of the line, where the natural defences of the Apennines gave way to hilly terrain crossed by a series of rivers. On 25 August 1944, the 8th Army advanced; by 2 September the eastern end of the Gothic Line was breached.
When was the Gothic Line Broken?
This continued to be the case up to March 1945, with the Gothic Line being breached but with no decisive breakthrough; this would not take place until April 1945 during the final Allied offensive of the Italian Campaign....Gothic Line.Date25 August 1944 – Early March 1945ResultInconclusive1 more row
Where can we see winter line in the world?
It is very prominent and visible from Mussoorie in India between October and February, and the local Mussoorie Winterline Carnival is named after the phenomenon. Apart from India, winterline occurs in the Swiss Alps.
What was the significance of the Gothic Line?
The Gothic Line (Gotenstellung in German) was the fortified defensive line established by the Field Marshal Albert Kesselring in 1944 as to halt the advance of the allied army towards Northern Italy.
What happened East Prussia?
Following Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II in 1945, East Prussia was partitioned between Poland and the Soviet Union according to the Potsdam Conference, pending a final peace conference with Germany. Since a peace conference never took place, the region was effectively ceded by Germany.
What was the focus of the main assault on the Gustav line in early 1944?
The battles of the Winter Line or Gustav Line (12 January-18 May 1944) were the most important battles of the Italian campaign, and saw the Germans under Kesselring keep the Allies pinned down south of Rome from the autumn of 1943 until the summer of 1944. The battle of Salerno led to changes in plans on both sides.
What happened at Monte Cassino?
The capture of Monte Cassino resulted in 55,000 Allied casualties, with German losses estimated at around 20,000 killed and wounded. The battle has been described as a Pyrrhic victory....Battle of Monte Cassino.Date17 January – 18 May 1944 (4 Months and 1 Day)LocationMonte Cassino, Kingdom of Italy 41°29′N 13°49′EResultAllied victory
What was Operation Overlord in WWII?
The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944 brought together the land, air and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest invasion force in human history. The operation, given the codename OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France.
When did Americans liberate Rome?
June 4, 1944The breakthrough and the breakout both succeeded, and the Allies drove north to liberate Rome on June 4, 1944. Allied troops marched through Rome as liberators, wildly applauded by cheering crowds.
Where did the Germans rooted the Gustav line?
The Germans rooted the Gustav Line in the high ground of Sant' Ambrogio, Monte Cassino, and other peaks that gave them perfect observation over the valleys of the Rapido and Garigliano rivers. Veteran troops had concrete bunkers, machine-gun emplacements, barbed wire, mines, mortars, and artillery to employ against attackers.
What happened to the Gustav line in 1944?
Trying to enter the Liri Valley and advance to Anzio, the U.S. Fifth Army attacked the Gustav Line in mid-January 1944. British units crossed the Garigliano but were unable to break the defenses, while American attempts to cross the Rapido and to surmount Monte Cassino failed. After air bombardments destroyed the abbey on Monte Cassino, attacks by New Zealand troops on 15 February and 15 March also failed.
Who broke the Gustav line?
On 11 May, General Alphonse Juin's French Expeditionary Corps broke the Gustav Line, enabling Polish troops to take Monte Cassino, British and Canadian forces to move up the Liri Valley, and American units to advance up the coast to Anzio. Having fought magnificent defensive battles in the Gustav Line, Kesselring withdrew, abandoned Rome, and moved into new defensive positions along the Gothic Line in the northern Apennines.
What was the German line in Italy?
GUSTAV LINE, a belt of German fortifications in southern Italy during World War II. Hoping to halt the Allied invasion of Italy south of Rome, in November 1943 Field Marshal Albert Kesselring ordered the formation of three defensive belts forty miles deep. The Barbara Line and the Bernhard Line were forward positions designed to gain time to build the final and strongest Gustav Line. Allied troops called all three the Winter Line. Running from Minturno, through Cassino, across the Apennines, and behind the Sangro River to the Adriatic, it blocked the approaches to Rome through Avezzano in the east and through the Liri Valley in the west.
What was the Gustav line?
The Gustav Line was a staunch defensive line built by the Germans that spanned from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. The Gustav Line ran along the Garigiliano and Rapido rivers on the west and on the Sangro river on the east side of the Italian peninsula. The line was defended by 15 German divisions fortified with small arms, artillery, pill boxes, machine gun emplacements, minefields and barbed wire. The German divisions had retreated to and fortified this line after the Allied invasion of Italy. In order to reach Rome, the "center of gravity" of the Italian resistance, the Allies had to push through this line to cut the communication lines of the German Army and open the way to Rome.
What river formed part of the Gustav Line?
The Rapido River formed part of the Gustav Line, acting as a natural moat, protecting Monte Cassino. Because Great Britain looked upon the Mediterranean differently than the United States - it was after all a life-line of empire - its influence gradually predominated.
Why was Monte Cassino important to the Germans?
Anchoring the Gustav Line, Monte Cassino was identified by the Germans and Allies as key terrain because of the outstanding observation it provided over the entrance to the Liri Valley. From Monte Cassino, one can see every road and river crossing at the mouth of the Liri Valley. Increasing the complexity of the Monte Cassino terrain was ...
Why did the Allies push through the Gustav line?
In order to reach Rome, the "center of gravity" of the Italian resistance, the Allies had to push through this line to cut the communication lines of the German Army and open the way to Rome. The Germans called the Gustav Line a "string ...
Where did the Allies attempt to cross the Rapido River?
A plan was hatched in early December 1943 at Marrakech to make an amphibious landing (code named Shingle) at the port of Anzio-Nettuno, 80 miles north of the Gustav Line and 35 miles south of Rome.
Did the Allies break the Gustav Line?
Thus, they did not withdraw. The Allies had failed to break the Gustav Line three times: in January with the ill-fated assaults on the Rapido River; in February with the attempt to outflank Cassino; and in March with the attempt to drive between the monastery on Monte Cassino and the town below.
DESCRIPTION OF TOUR
Between October 1943 and May 1944, wartime events raged along the Gustav Line, the main German defense line set up by Hitler to prevent the advancing of the Allies after the Italian surrender on 8 September 1943.
DAY 1 Montecassino abbey and Battlefields
Monte Cassino abbey is one of the best places in Italy to learn about WWII as four different battles took place in this area with the intention to gain a breakthrough to Rome. The abbey itself was destroyed during the bombing ordered by general Mark Clark when he thought that the German was holding positions inside the abbey.
What was the purpose of the Gustav line?
The Gustav Line stretched across the Italian peninsula and barred the way to Rome for the two Allied armies in Italy: the U.S. 5th Army in the west and the British 8th Army in the east. The Allies' grand strategy in the autumn of 1943 was for the 8th Army to advance through the Sangro River defences, then hook south at Avezzano and enter Rome from the rear while the 5th Army approached from the south.
How many casualties did the Gustav line cause?
Major battles in the assault on the Winter Line at Monte Cassino and Anzio alone resulted in 98,000 Allied casualties and 60,000 Axis casualties.
What were the two main lines of the Apennines?
On the western side of the Apennines were two subsidiary lines, the Bernhardt Line in front of the main Gustav positions, and the Hitler Line some 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the rear. The Winter Line was fortified with gun pits, concrete bunkers, turreted machine-gun emplacements, barbed wire and minefields. It was the strongest of the German defensive lines south of Rome. About 15 German divisions were employed in the defence. It took the Allies from mid-November 1943 to June 1944 to fight through all the various elements of the Winter Line, including the well-known battles at Monte Cassino and Anzio .
What was the name of the battle that captured the monastery of Monte Cassino?
A bloody and protracted battle was waged over the monastery, known as the Battle of Monte Cassino . The eastern end of the line was held by the coastal town of Ortona, captured by Canadian forces in the fierce Battle of Ortona in December 1943 which became known as "the little Stalingrad.".
What is the Bernhardt line?
Some authorities define the Bernhardt Line as crossing Italy from coast to coast following not just the western defensive positions described above but incorporating also the eastern defences of the Gustav Line. Other authorities use the Winter Line name interchangeably with the Gustav Line as defined above.
What was the Winter Line?
German-prepared defensive lines south of Rome. The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section of Italy, focused around the town of Monte Cassino, ...
When did the Allies attack the Bernhardt line?
It took the Allies from mid-November 1943 to June 1944 to fight through all the various elements of the Winter Line, including the well-known battles at Monte Cassino and Anzio . The offensive on the Bernhardt line was launched on December 1, 1943, as part of Operation Raincoat.
Approaching the Gustav Line
The defences along the Volturno river were breached on 12 October. The next defensive line, the Barbara Line, was crossed with relative ease on 2 November, and a month later the US Fifth Army reached the formidable Winter Line that stretched across Italy from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic coast.
Liberation of Monte Cassino
To approach the Winter Line, fierce battles were fought in December 1943 for possession of San Pietro Infine and Monte Lungo. Crossing the Rapido river proved impossible, and the Allied advance was stalled beneath the formidable abbey of Monte Cassino, standing a lofty 520m above sea level.
Monte Cassino and the Gustav Line sites
The abbey of Monte Cassino was founded by Saint Benedict around the year 529, from where its monks spread the word as far away as Britain and Scandinavia. At the start of 1944 the monastery was one of the great medieval buildings of Italy, exquisitely decorated and filled with religious treasures.
