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Rome Liberated 5 Jun '44
North Africa Cemetery
 bigpigeon.us webpage  WWII Germany > The MTO, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 2 Jul 2025

Ground combat in World War II's Mediterranean Theater of Operations - the MTO - involved North Africa and Italy. MTO ground combat began with Allied landings in northwest Africa on 8 Nov 1942 and ended with the surrender of Axis forces in northern Italy effective 2 May 1945.

=============== Mediterranean Theater Executive Summary ==============
(See The MTO - Overview for a fuller treatment.)

North Africa:
  • MTO ground combat began with Operation Torch, the Allied amphibious invasion of Morocco and Algeria on 8 November 1942.
  • After subduing Vichy French opposition, Allied forces headed for northern Tunisia.
  • Meanwhile, Germany rushed Axis troops into northern Tunisia.
  • A six month land campaign in Tunisia ensued, which included the arrival by land of Rommel's German and Italian forces followed by Montgomery's British Eighth Army from western Egypt via Libya.
The US in the Mediterranean
The US Landings in the Mediterranean (Operation Torch was in November).
Italy:
  • Sicily, 1943 - Operation Husky landings 9 July, campaign ended 17 August.
  • Salerno, 1943 - Operation Avalanche landings 9 September by US Fifth Army. (British Eighth Army landed at Messina and Taranto and then joined up with the Fifth Army.)
  • Late September 1943 - Allied armies advanced rapidly through southern Italy.
  • Winter 1943–44 - The Italian campaign bogged down near the Gustav Line between Naples and Rome.
  • Anzio, 1944 - Operation Shingle landings 22 January south of Rome soon bogged down. Beachhead breakout in late May.
  • Summer 1944 - Allied advanced through central Italy to Gothic Line.
  • Winter 1944–45 - The Italian campaign bogged down in and near the Gothic Line.
  • April–May 1945 - Allies advanced through the Po Valley in northern Italy.
The Mediterranean Theater - Italy
The Mediterranean Theater - Italy

=============== Mediterranean Theater Order of Battle ==============
(See The MTO - Order of Battle for a fuller treatment.)

The Allied Armies in the Mediterranean Theater, 1942–45
For North Africa: (18th Army Group as of 20 Feb 1943 (Harold Alexander, British)
  • British First Army, Algeria & Tunisia, November 1942–May 1943 (Kenneth Anderson, British)
  • British Eighth Army, Egypt, Libya & Tunisia, August 1942–May 1943 (Bernard Montgomery, British)
For Sicily, July-August 1943, 15th Army Group (Harold Alexander, British):
  • US Seventh Army (George Patton)
  • British Eighth Army (Bernard Montgomery)
For the Italian mainland, September 1943–May 1945, 15th Army Group (Harold Alexander until December 1944, then Mark Clark):
  • US Fifth Army (Mark Clark until December 1944, then Lucian Truscott)
  • British Eighth Army (Bernard Montgomery until December 1943, then Oliver Leese, British until October 1944, then Richard McCreery, British)
  ================== Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The MTO webpage ====================​​