THE SINKING OF THE ITALIAN HEAVY CRUISER TRIESTE in Maddalena harbor, Sardinia. The cruiser was sunk by twenty-four B-17’s coming from bases in Africa, 10 April 1943. (Top picture: cruiser within its protective antitorpedo net; center: salvo of bombs landing on and near ship; bottom: this photograph was made within the next few days and shows oil rising from the sunken cruiser.)] [Illustration: SARDINIA SEAPLANE BASE. The planes are captured Italian seaplanes at Cagliari on Sardinia. Sardinia was not invaded by U. S. forces, but the Germans evacuated the island in September 1943. Shortly thereafter the Allies started basing aircraft there, chiefly medium bombers. The bases were within range of all central Italy. (Top plane is an Italian Cant. Z-506-B Airone (Heron) three-engined bomber torpedo reconnaissance seaplane. The planes have British RAF markings added after capture.)] [Illustration: CORSICA AIR CORPS PERSONNEL SETTING UP CAMP on the French island of Corsica. On 14 September 1943, French commandos landed to help patriots who were fighting the Germans. On 4 October the island was in Allied hands, and soon thereafter the airfields were being used as bases for fighters and medium bombers.] [Illustration: CORSICA BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON REPAIR TENT in Corsica, riddled by bomb fragments. U. S. medium bombers based here ranged over all northern Italy and southern France. Fields in Corsica were within range of enemy planes based in the Po Valley, and were bombed and strafed periodically.] [Illustration: CORSICA MALARIA CONTROL IN CORSICA. Throughout the Mediterranean campaign, the malaria problem was ever present. Vigorous measures were taken to eliminate the disease-carrying mosquito. Douglas A-20 Havoc light-bomber (top) spreading Paris green dust over swampland near an Allied military installation; (bottom) refilling hopper of plane with dust.] [Illustration] ITALY (9 September 1943–4 June 1944) [Illustration: ITALY] SECTION III Italy (9 September 1943–4 June 1944) The Allied victory in Sicily helped to bring about the surrender of Italy. The terms of the Italian surrender were signed on 3 September 1943 and announced on the night of the 8th. Allied troops received the news on shipboard while under way to invade Italy. Fighting did not cease with the surrender. Instead, the Germans took over the country with troops on the spot and sent reinforcements. The defeat of the Germans in Italy would strengthen Allied control over the Mediterranean shipping lanes and would provide air bases closer to targets in Germany and enemy-occupied territory. The Allied troops in Italy would also engage enemy troops which might otherwise have been employed against the Russians.