bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Germany > MTO > Italy > Cassino to Rome, updated by RAC 24 Sep 2020.
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Cassino to Rome Overview.
In the second part of May 1944, the Allies finally broke through both the Gustav Line and the Anzio Beachhead in southern Italy.
Before reaching Rome, Allied forcces had to push aside two Germay armies and pass through two additional German defensive lines, the Hitler Line and the Caesar Line, shown on the accompanying map. |
Italian Front Order of Battle Overview - 10 May 1944
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The Operation Diadem Map.
The accompanying map shows the Gustav Line breakout during Operation Diadem, from May 11 to May 23. Note that in the Fifth Army sector, US and French forces have already penetrated the Hitler Line. Operation Diadam is also called the 4th Battle of Mt. Cassino, since a key part of the operation was the struggle between Polish and German troops on Mt. Cassino. Any additional information on the Operation Diadem phase of the Italian Campaign will be in the webpage Mainland Italy > Cassino - At the Gustav Line. |
Advance Past the Gustav Line
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The Anzio Beachhead Breakout.
The accompanying map shows progress during the first three days of the VI Corps breakout from the Anzio Beachhead. Units from left to right are the 45th Infantry Division, 1st Armored Division, 3rd Infantry Division, and the US/Canadian 1st Special Services Force. Note Velletri near the top of the map. North of Velletri is the Velletri Gap, which will provide a route northward to Highway 6 between the Alban Hills to the west and the Lepini Mountains to the east. |
Breakout from Anzio - the First Three Days
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I will add other segments as I find suitable maps for the period May 24-30.
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The Liberation of Rome.
In early June, Germany declared Rome an open city, and German forces withdrew without damaging the city, allowing the US Fifth Army to begin entering Rome on 4 June. In what I believe was one of the most consequential US military blunders of WW II, the Fifth Army commander, General Mark Clark, chose to direct his forces northwest toward Rome rather than north to cut off retreating German forces. |
The Liberation of Rome, 31 May - 4 Jun 1944
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Sources for the Cassino to Rome webpage:
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - Cassino to Rome webpage:
- The webpage header image Rome 5 Jun '44 is courtesy of the World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA. It shows General Mark Clark, who commanded the US 5th Army in Italy, in Rome just after liberation.
- The Order of Battle Overview, 10 May 1944 map is courtesy of the New Zealand website, http://tothosewhoserved.org/nz/army/nzarmy08/chapter01.html. On this date, New Zealand forces were part of the British X/10th Corps northeast of Cassino.
- The Operation Diadem - Advance Past the Gustav Line and Liberation of Rome maps by Gene Thorp are taken from Rick Atkinson's The Day of Battle.
- The Breakout from Anzio - the First Three Days map is courtesy of battlearchives.com.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - Cassino to Rome webpage:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea.
- II Corps is coming from the Gustav Line, VI Corps from the Anzio Beachhead.
- Co. F, 350th Inf. Regt., 88th Inf. Div., II Corps; WIA 28 May 1944 near Roccagorca, SE of Rome, Lazio, Italy, DOW 28 May 1944; Italian Mainland > Cassino to Rome.
- C.O. 1st Bn., 6th Armored Inf. Regt., 1st Armored Div., VI Corps; KIA 28 May 1944 near Artena, Lazio, SE of Rome, Italy; shell hit Bn. command post; Italian Mainland > Cassino to Rome.
- Co. G., 15th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps; KIA 27 May 1944, Valletri Gap, near Valletri, SE of Rome, between Alban Hills & Lepini Mountains, Lazio, Italy; Italian Mainland > Cassino to Rome; BNR.
- unit unknown (Artillery OCS graduate, Ft. Sill, OK); KIA 3 Jun 1944 approaching Rome, Lazio, Italy; Italian Mainland > Cassino to Rome.
- 751th Tank Bn., attached to 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps; KIA 4 Jun 1944 outskirts of Rome, Lazio, Italy; Italian Mainland > Cassino to Rome.