Italian campaign (World War II)

1943–1945 military campaign of World War II

The Italian campaign of World War II, also called the Liberation of Italy, was a military campaign in the Kingdom of Italy from 1943-1945. After victory in the North African Campaign the British and American governments agreed to invade Italy before invading France. In September 1943, Italy surrendered to the allies but the German forces in the country occupied the north of the country and set up a fascist government.

Italian Campaign
Part of The Mediterranean and Middle East and European theatre of World War II

Map of the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Date9 July 1943 – 2 May 1945
Location
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Allies
July 1943 - September 1944
 United Kingdom
 United States
 Canada
Axis
July 1943 - September 1945
 Germany
 Italy

September 1943 - May 1945
 United Kingdom

 United States
Free FranceProvisional Government of the French Republic Free French (until 1944)
 Canada (until 1945)
 South Africa (from 1944)
 Poland
 Brazil (from 1944)
 Greece (1944)
Nepal [1]
(and others)
 Italy  Yugoslavia

September 1943 - May 1945
 Germany


 Chetniks[2]
Commanders and leaders
Units involved
  • United Kingdom 8th Army
  • United States 5th Army
  • United States 7th Army (1943)

  • Democratic Federal Yugoslavia 4th Army
(1945)
  • Nazi Germany 14th Army
  • Nazi Germany 10th Army
  • Fascist Italy 6th Army (1943)

History

change

In July 1943, allied forces landed in Sicily, With the declining popularity with Benito Mussolini, he was forced to leave as prime minister. Allied forces landed in mainland Italy in September, and the government surrendered. The German forces occupied Italy and the Italian Social Republic was formed, starting a civil war.

In January 1944, the battle of Monte Cassino started and it lasted a few months. The allies won, they liberated Rome and pushed up the Italian mainland.

In April 1945, allied forces made the last offensive into Italy, Mussolini was executed by an Italian partisan on the 28th of April. On the 1st the New Zealanders met the Yugoslavs near Monfalcone.that same day the national republican army (the army of the RSI) surrender. The next day, the other axis forces surrendered and the civil war ended.

References

change
  1. Nepalese Gurkhas served within the British Indian Army.
  2. World War Two (4 May 2024), Week 297 - Allied Victory in Berlin, Italy, and Burma! - WW2 - May 4, 1945, retrieved 24 September 2024