Beyond the Po River
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > Beyond the Po, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 18 Aug 2024.​
Po Valley:   April 1945 Breakthrough   Advance to the Po   Beyond the Po

During this final phase of the Po Valley Campaign, Allied forces penetrated into the northern corners of Italy.
Almost done as of 18 August 2024
In Italy in 1945, British Eighth Army and US Fifth Army goals differed:
  • Eighth Army - occupy the Trieste area at the head of the Adriatic Sea on the Yugoslav border in extreme northeastern Italy to hinder Soviet sphere influence extending into Italy and to provide an avenue for potential access to central Europe.
  • Fifth Army - support ETO operations to the north by sealing off access into the Alps, thus preventing the escape of the remaining Axis forces in Italy.
The Eighth Army had logistic issues which prevented its bringing its full force to bear. Thus the Fifth Army provided flank protection and additional logistic support to the Eighth Army.
For three days beginning on 23 April, most Allied divisions still in combat crossed the Po River and dashed northwards against meager resistance.

Exceptions were:
  • the US 92nd Infantry Division near the Ligurian Coast on the south side of the western Apennines
  • The Brazilian Expeditionary Force blocking Axis retreat through the western Apennines.
  • Elements of the US First Armored Division backing up the Brazilians and blocking western crossings of the Po River.
  • The US 34th Infantry Division, in positions along Highway 9 west of Bologna.
Northern Italy - The Po Valley
The Spring Offensive in Northern Italy, 9 April–2 May 1945
Scalable Version

Beyond the Po Timelines, 25 April–2 May 1945

  • 25 April - Elements of US 10th Mountain, 88th Infantry, and 85th Infantry divisions began their dash northwards from the Po River towards Verona.
  • 25 April - US First Armored Division elements reassigned from blocking responsibilities west of Bologna and crossed the Po with mission to block Axis escape routes into the Alps in northwestern Italy.
  • 26 April - Verona liberated by US units. Remaining Axis forces in Italy's Po Plain were now split in two.
  • 28 April - Benito Mussolini, head of the German-supported Italian Social Republic, captured in northern Italy while attempting to flee to Switzerland.
  • 29 April - Mussolini executed.
  • 29 April - US 1st Armored Division takes up positions near Milan.
  • 29 April - US 34th Infantry Division reassigned from blocking responsibilities on Highway 9 south of the Po and moves to the Brescia area to support the 1st Armored Division.
  • 29 April - German forces in Italy sign capitulation document at Caserta near Naples. Surrendered units included the German 10th and 14th Armies and the First Ligurian Army Group, composed of German troops and Italians loyal to the Italian Social Republic.
  • 30 Apr - Colonel William Darby, first commander of the 1st Ranger Bn., killed near Lake Garda in Northern Italy while serving with 10th Mountain Div.; one of last WWII US combat deaths in Italy.
  • 2 May - Capitulation document takes effect.
  • 4 May - MTO's Fifth Army and ETO's Seventh Army patrols meet at Brenner Pass on the Austrian border.
  • 8 May -  Overall German surrender takes effect - World War II in Europe ends.​

The Liberation of Northern Italian Cities

The ten northern Italy cities listed below are among the 20 largest Italian cities. All were liberated in late April and early May of 1945, often by Italian partisans. Cities are arranged chronologically, by date of liberation.
  • Bologna - liberated by Polish, US and Italian forces 21 April.
  • Modena - liberated by partisans 22 April.
  • Genoa - liberated by partisans 23 April, entered by US 92nd Division 27 April.
  • Milan - liberated by partisans 25 April, entered by US units 29 April.
  • Turin - liberated by partisans 25 April; entered by US 92nd Division 30 April.
  • Parma - liberated by US 34th Division 25 April.
  • Verona - liberated by US 10th, 85th and 88th Divisions 26 April.
  • Padua - liberated by partisans, entered by New Zealand units 28 April.
  • Venice - liberated by partisans 28 April, entered by British V Corps units 29 April.
  • Trieste - liberated by partisans, Yugoslav and New Zealand units 2 May.
Brescia - liberation date unknown
Po Valley:   April 1945 Breakthrough   Advance to the Po   Beyond the Po

             ██  Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > Beyond the Po  ██
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
  • No known US military personnel died during this final stage of the Italian Campaigns.
​​​02-02 - WWII Germany> The MTO > Italy > Beyond the Po: (zero dead, updated 19 Aug 2024)

                             ██   Allied Divisional Order of Battle - Beyond the Po, April & May 1945  ██
  • Clockwise from the west.
  • Early 26 April status along with subsequent order of battle changes and location at end of hostilities
​​​◼ ​US Fifth Army (Truscott)
Under direct US Fifth Army control:
  • US ​92nd Infantry Division - east of Turin in northwest Italy 2 May
later additions to direct US Fifth Army control:
  • US 10th Mountain Division - from US IV Corps 28 April 1945; in Lake Garda area in north Italy 2 May
⏶ US IV Corps (Crittenberger); on Fifth Army left wing
  • Brazilian Expeditionary Force -  at Susa west of Turin in northwest Italy 2 May
  • US 10th Mountain Division - crossed the Po 23 April; to US Fifth Army 28 April
  • US First Armored Division - north and east of Milan 2 May
  • US 85th Infantry Division - crossed the Po 24 April; to US II Corps 30 April
  • US 34th Infantry Division; near Brescia 2 May
​⏶ US ​II Corps (Keyes); on Fifth Army right wing
  • US 85th Infantry Division - crossed the Po 24 April; from US IV Corps 30 April; near the Piave River in northeast Italy 2 May
  • US 88th Infantry Division - crossed the Po 24 April; crossed the Adige at Verona 26 April; in the Dolomite Mountains in northeast Italy 2 May
  • US 91st Infantry Division - crossed the Po 25 April; attached to British Eighth Army 1 May 1945; near Treviso north of Venice 2 May
  • South African 6th Armoured Division - crossed the Po 25 April; to US Fifth Army 30 April; en route to garrison duties in Milan 2 May
​◼ British Eighth Army (McCreery)
​⏶ British XIII Corps - began crossing the Po 24 April
  • British 6th Armoured Division - in Dolomite Mountain foothills 2 May
  • 2nd New Zealand Division - reached Trieste 2 May
​⏶ ​British V Corps - began crossing the Po 24 April​
  • 8th Indian Infantry Division -  near the Adige River 2 May
  • Italian Cremona Battle Group
  • British 56th Infantry Division - in Venice area 2 May

              ██  Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > The Po Valley webpage  ██ General Sources for this webpage (CMH = US Army Center for Military History)
  • Po Valley: 5 April-8 May 1945, by Thomas Popa, 26 pp. [CMH #72-33]
  • Cassino to the Alps, by Ernest F. Fisher Jr., 1989, 584 pp. [CMH #6-4] (RAC: There appear to be several errors in the latter chapters.)
  • The Final Campaign across Northwest Italy, 14 April–2 May 1945, Headquarters, IV Corps U.S. Army Italy, 1945, 119 pp. with following maps, https://mtmestas.com/pdfs/finalcampaign.pdf
  • http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/operation_grapeshot_spring_offensive.html
  • http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/operation_buckland_argenta.html
  • http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/operation_craftsman_bologna.html
Other Sources:​