The war against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and adjacent areasHunter, Kenneth E.
History
The war against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and adjacent areas
Hunter, Kenneth E.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Italy; World War, 1939-1945 -- Middle East; World War, 1939-1945 -- Pictorial works
THE GARIGLIANO RIVER AREA on the Golfo di Gaeta. The area shown
was the western anchor of the enemy Gustav Line as well as his
Winter Line. By 15 November 1943 the Fifth Army was halted in
front of the Winter Line, which consisted of well-prepared
positions across the waist of Italy from the mouth of the
Garigliano River on the west, through the mountains in the
center, to the mouth of the Sangro on the east coast. The more
formidable Gustav Line was located farther north except along
the lower Garigliano where the two defense lines generally
coincided. Little fighting took place in the area shown until
the British 10 Corps crossed the river on 17 January 1944 to
support the main Fifth Army effort to drive up the Liri Valley.
Garigliano River is located at right in top picture and at lower
left in bottom picture.]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: ITALY
THE CAMINO HILL MASS. Top picture is taken looking toward the
northwest from road fork of Highways 6 and 85. Bottom picture
shows the hill mass with the Rapido River Valley in distance.
The Winter Line continued along the south and east slopes of
these mountains. The Camino Hill area fell to British and
American troops on 9 December 1943, after several days of severe
fighting.]
[Illustration: ITALY
THE MIGNANO GAP. Looking west through the gap toward Monte
Cairo, the snow-covered mountain in distance. Cassino is located
at the foot of this mountain (top). Looking north from the gap;
the village of Mignano, Highway 6, and the railroad are in lower
left hand corner (bottom). San Pietro Infine, the village on the
slope of Monte Sammucro, was the scene of one of the costliest
battles of the Winter Line campaign. Mignano Gap was one of the
few breaks in the mountains of the Winter Line and the main
effort to breach that line was made at this gap.]
[Illustration: ITALY
VOLTURNO RIVER VALLEY NORTH OF VENAFRO. River is in foreground.
The valley had been cleared of enemy troops by the middle of
November 1943. While German rear guards carried out delaying
actions, the main enemy forces strengthened the Winter Line
defenses in these mountains, which separate the Volturno River
from the Rapido River. Hard fighting took place for control of
the road leading from Pozzilli through the mountains to San Elia
in the Rapido Valley. Initial attempts made by U. S. forces to
cross the mountains failed because of the exhaustion of the
troops, the difficulty of supply, the unfavorable weather, and
the determined resistance of the enemy. The U. S. units were
replaced by fresh French mountain troops, who in January 1944
fought their way across the mountains.]
[Illustration: ITALY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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