Italian campaign (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
Date 9 July 1943 – 2 May 1945 Location Italy 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 Newfoundland India New Zealand United States Free French (until 1944) Canada (until 1945) South Africa (from 1944) Poland Brazil (from 1944) Greece (1944) Nepal (and others) Italy Italian partisans Yugoslavia	September 1943 - May 1945 Germany Salò Republic Chetniks
Commanders and leaders
Winston Churchill Henry Wilson Harold Alexander Oliver Leese Richard McCreery Bernard Montgomery Franklin D. Roosevelt # Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower Mark W. Clark Lucian Truscott George S. Patton Josip Broz Tito	Adolf Hitler  † Albert Kesselring (WIA) Heinrich von Vietinghoff  Eberhard von Mackensen Joachim Lemelsen  Traugott Herr (POW) Hans-Valentin Hube Benito Mussolini   Rodolfo Graziani  Vittorio Ambrosio  Alfredo Guzzoni (POW) Mario Arisio
Units involved
8th Army 5th Army 7th Army (1943) 4th Army (1945)	14th Army 10th Army 6th Army (1943)

History

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) surrendered. The next day, the other axis forces surrendered and the war in Italy ended.