History of Warfare Summary 11 - WWII 12 Allied Invasion of Italy

Victorious in North Africa, the Allies began their assault on Italy via the Mediterranean. In July 1943, Allied forces landed on the island of Sicily and, overcoming Italian resistance, secured the island. As public discontent with the war grew, Mussolini was ousted, and the new Italian government secretly negotiated an armistice with the Allies. When the Italian government announced the armistice with the Allies in September 1943, German forces immediately occupied northern and central Italy and established defensive lines. The Germans exploited the rugged terrain of the Italian peninsula to slow the Allied advance. The Allies engaged in fierce battles, notably at Monte Cassino, as they pushed northward. Italy was divided into German-occupied and Allied-occupied zones, and Mussolini, with German support, established a puppet regime in the north. The Italian front continued until the end of the war, becoming a crucial theater that forced Germany to commit additional troops and resources.