Gothic Line 1944–45

Gothic Line 1944–45 PDF Author: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472853393
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97

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Book Description
This is the history of how the mighty Gothic Line was defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. By late 1944, the Italian Campaign was secondary to the campaigns in France, and Allied forces were not strong enough to break the Germans' mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, with trains arriving hourly and delivering 600,000 tons of supplies a month, enough to keep the German Army going forever. But in the bitter winter of 1944–45, the mighty Gothic Line would be defeated by American air power in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. It would not be a direct assault; instead Operation Bingo would ruthlessly cut the Germans' supply lines and leave them starved. However, it would not be easy. The rail routes were defended by a formidable array of heavy flak, and every raid was expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in electric flying suits, men suffered both hypoxia and frostbite. By the end of February, the previous eight-hour rail journey took the Germans 3-4 days on the wrecked railroad, and soon supplies were barely enough to keep the army alive. On April 12, the Allied ground attack began, and within ten days the German command in Northern Italy sued for surrender, the first German force in Europe to do so. Packed with first-hand accounts and rare photos from the 57th Bomb Wing Archives, this book is a fascinating history of the most successful US battlefield interdiction campaign in history, immortalized in the writing of bombardier Joseph Heller, in his novel Catch 22.

Gothic Line 1944–45

Gothic Line 1944–45 PDF Author: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472853393
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97

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Book Description
This is the history of how the mighty Gothic Line was defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. By late 1944, the Italian Campaign was secondary to the campaigns in France, and Allied forces were not strong enough to break the Germans' mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, with trains arriving hourly and delivering 600,000 tons of supplies a month, enough to keep the German Army going forever. But in the bitter winter of 1944–45, the mighty Gothic Line would be defeated by American air power in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. It would not be a direct assault; instead Operation Bingo would ruthlessly cut the Germans' supply lines and leave them starved. However, it would not be easy. The rail routes were defended by a formidable array of heavy flak, and every raid was expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in electric flying suits, men suffered both hypoxia and frostbite. By the end of February, the previous eight-hour rail journey took the Germans 3-4 days on the wrecked railroad, and soon supplies were barely enough to keep the army alive. On April 12, the Allied ground attack began, and within ten days the German command in Northern Italy sued for surrender, the first German force in Europe to do so. Packed with first-hand accounts and rare photos from the 57th Bomb Wing Archives, this book is a fascinating history of the most successful US battlefield interdiction campaign in history, immortalized in the writing of bombardier Joseph Heller, in his novel Catch 22.

At War on the Gothic Line

At War on the Gothic Line PDF Author: Christian Jennings
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1250065178
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
As the Allies stormed across Normandy in the late summer of 1944, another strategically vital yet unsung campaign was being fought across the mountainous terrain of northern Italy. A vast international army of 12 different nationalities, spearheaded by 100,000 Americans, had to break through the Gothic Line, a rugged barrier of German defensive positions that stretched from the Adriatic coast to the Mediterranean.In this fast-paced narrative of a year at war, veteran foreign correspondent and historian Christian Jennings provides an unprecedented look inside these crucial, bloody battles, through the eyes of thirteen men and women from seven different countries.A young Japanese-American lieutenant wins the Congressional Medal of Honor storming German machine-gun positions, a racially-segregated African American unit goes head-to-head with dug-in Germans, while an American Major on a secret mission is murdered by his own men for the thousands of dollars in gold he is carrying. A unit lead by a one-armed Waffen-SS Major commits some of the largest war-crimes in Europe, while British, Canadian, Polish and Indian soldiers storm mountain redoubts and defend towns alongside Italian partisans. This is the story of the brutal fighting on the Gothic Line, history and war bought vividly to life in a can't miss book for the enlightened American patriot.

At War on the Gothic Line

At War on the Gothic Line PDF Author: Christian Jennings
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147282167X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
As the Allies stormed across Normandy in late summer 1944, another strategically vital yet unsung campaign was being fought across the mountainous terrain of northern Italy. A vast international army of 12 different nationalities had to break through the Gothic Line, a rugged barrier of German defensive positions that stretched from the Adriatic coast to the Mediterranean. In this fast-paced narrative of a year at war, veteran foreign correspondent and historian Christian Jennings provides an unprecedented look inside these crucial, bloody battles, through the eyes of 13 men and women from seven different countries, bringing history and war to life in this unmissable book.

The Gothic Line

The Gothic Line PDF Author: Douglas Orgill
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 284

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Book Description


Gothic Line 1944–45

Gothic Line 1944–45 PDF Author: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472853385
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
This is the history of how the mighty Gothic Line was defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. By late 1944, the Italian Campaign was secondary to the campaigns in France, and Allied forces were not strong enough to break the Germans' mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, with trains arriving hourly and delivering 600,000 tons of supplies a month, enough to keep the German Army going forever. But in the bitter winter of 1944–45, the mighty Gothic Line would be defeated by American air power in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. It would not be a direct assault; instead Operation Bingo would ruthlessly cut the Germans' supply lines and leave them starved. However, it would not be easy. The rail routes were defended by a formidable array of heavy flak, and every raid was expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in electric flying suits, men suffered both hypoxia and frostbite. By the end of February, the previous eight-hour rail journey took the Germans 3-4 days on the wrecked railroad, and soon supplies were barely enough to keep the army alive. On April 12, the Allied ground attack began, and within ten days the German command in Northern Italy sued for surrender, the first German force in Europe to do so. Packed with first-hand accounts and rare photos from the 57th Bomb Wing Archives, this book is a fascinating history of the most successful US battlefield interdiction campaign in history, immortalized in the writing of bombardier Joseph Heller, in his novel Catch 22.

Assault on the Gothic Line 1944

Assault on the Gothic Line 1944 PDF Author: Pier Paolo Battistelli
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472850122
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97

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Book Description
Enjoy a detailed examination of Operation Olive as US, British, Commonwealth and Allied forces seek to smash through the last German defensive line in Italy. The Italian theatre of operations post-summer 1944 was often (and incorrectly) surmised at the time as a quiet sector of World War II, populated with troops who were relieved not to find themselves fighting in North-West Europe. Yet the true nature of the hard fighting that took place here was soon revealed when the Allies began their assault on the Axis Gothic Line defences, known as Operation Olive. In this book, Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli documents the dual Allied offensive spearheaded by American and British units to smash through what was supposed to be the final Axis defensive line in Italy before the Alps. The overall strategic aims of both the Axis and Allied leaders are explored, together with the organization of the forces committed. The expertly researched maps and 3D diagrams guide the reader through the progress of the phased battles in challenging terrain. Photographs and specially commissioned artworks show the soldiers that fought on both sides, including American, Canadian, Indian, Brazilian, Polish, New Zealander, British, German and Italian troops, as well as the materiel they employed. The result is an essential illustrated guide to a fascinating and complex late-war campaign.

The Gothic Line

The Gothic Line PDF Author: Mark Zuehlke
Publisher: D & M Publishers
ISBN: 1926685814
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 594

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Book Description
Like an armor-toothed belt across Italy’s upper thigh, the Gothic Line was the most fortified and fiercely defended position the German army had yet thrown in the path of the Allied forces. On August 25, 1944, it fell to I Canadian Corps to spearhead the famed Eighth Army’s major offensive, intended to rip through it. The 1st Infantry and 5th Armored Divisions advanced into a killing ground covered by thousands of machine-gun, antitank gun positions, and pillboxes expertly sited behind minefields and dense thickets of barbed wire. Never had the Germans in Italy brought so much artillery to bear or deployed such a great number of tanks. For 28 days, the battle raged as the Allied troops slugged an ever deeper hole into the German defences. The Metauro River, the Foglia River, Point 204, Tomba Di Pesaro, Coriano Ridge, San Martino, and San Fortunato became place names seared into the memories of those who fought there. They fought in a dust-choked land under a searing sun which by battle's end was reduced to a guagmire by rain. But they prevailed and on September 22 won the ground overlooking the Po River Valley, opening the way for the next phase of the Allied advance.

Italy's Sorrow

Italy's Sorrow PDF Author: James Holland
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
ISBN: 0007176457
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 133

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Book Description
James Holland's ground-breaking account expertly documents the German advance to the stalemate of the Gothic line and a segment of Italian history that has been largely neglected. The war in Italy was the most destructive campaign in the west as the Allies and Germans fought a long, bitter and highly attritional conflict up the mountainous leg of Italy during the last twelve months of the Second World War. While the Allies and Germans were slogging it out through the mountains, the Italians were fighting their own battles, one where Partisans and Fascists were pitted against each other in a bloody civil war. Around them, civilians tried to live through the carnage, terror and anarchy while, in the wake of the Allied advance, beleaguered and impoverished Italians were forced to pick their way through the ruins of their homes and country and often forced into making terrible and heart-rending decisions in order to survive.

The Gothic Line

The Gothic Line PDF Author: Polar Bear Association of World War II.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : World War, 1939-1945
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Book Description


The War Against Germany and Italy

The War Against Germany and Italy PDF Author: Kenneth E. Hunter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : World War, 1939-1945
Languages : en
Pages : 440

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Book Description