Download or read book The Day of Battle written by Rick Atkinson and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2008-09-16 with total page 852 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and Italy.
Download or read book The Battle of Sicily written by Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2007-06-18 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The campaign for Sicily from the Axis point of view. Reassesses the German Army's performance. Details about German commanders who have been neglected by historians.
Download or read book Bitter Victory written by Carlo D'Este and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-06-02 with total page 535 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bitter Victory illuminates a chapter of World War II that has lacked a balanced, full-scale treatment until now. In recounting the second-largest amphibious operation in military history, Carlo D'Este for the first time reveals the conflicts in planning and the behind-the-scenes quarrels between top Allied commanders. The book explodes the myth of the Patton-Montgomery rivalry and exposes how Alexander's inept generalship nearly wrecked the campaign. D'Este documents in chilling detail the series of savage battles fought against an overmatched but brilliant foe and how the Germans—against overwhelming odds—carried out one of the greatest strategic withdrawals in history. His controversial narrative depicts for the first time how the Allies bungled their attempt to cut off the Axis retreat from Sicily, turning what ought to have been a great triumph into a bitter victory that later came to haunt the Allies in Italy. Using a wealth of original sources, D'Este paints an unforgettable portrait of men at war. From the front lines to the councils of the Axis and Allied high commands, Bitter Victory offers penetrating reassessments of the men who masterminded the campaign. Thrilling and authoritative, this is military history on an epic scale.
Download or read book Assault on Sicily written by Ken Ford and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2007-04-19 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the night of 9/10 July 1943, an Allied armada of 2,590 vessels launched one of the largest combined operations of the Second World War - the invasion of Sicily, Operation 'Husky'. Over the next thirty-eight days, half a million British, Canadian, American and French soldiers, sailors, and airmen grappled with their German and Italian counterparts for control of this rocky outcrop of Hitler's 'Fortress Europe'. The Allied assault on Sicily featured airborne and amphibious landings; mountain warfare; international rivalry; poorly performing troops; tenacious German resistance; and, improvements in tactical air support and the ultimate Allied victory on the island. Almost the whole of the progress of the Second World War is illustrated by this one campaign. It was the only action where the whole Allied war effort was brought to bear on a single objective, with one army commanded by Patton and one army commanded by Montgomery. Both men were insufferable egoists and insubordinate commanders; they always chose to do their own thing, regardless of others' sensibilities and always with one eye on how history would see them.The seeds of rivalry between these two key Allied commanders that were sown in the Sicily campaign eventually grew to fruition in the battles for Normandy and the Ardennes.
Download or read book Operation Husky written by Mark Zuehlke and published by D & M Publishers. This book was released on 2009-07-01 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On July 10, 1943, two great Allied armadas of over 2,000 ships readied to invade Sicily. This was Operation Husky, the first step toward winning a toehold in fascist-occupied Europe. Among the invaders were 20,000 Canadian troops serving in the First Canadian Infantry Division and First Canadian Tank Brigade — in their first combat experience. Over the next 28 days, the Allied troops carved a path through the rugged land, despite fierce German opposition. Drawing on firsthand accounts of veterans and official military records, Operation Husky offers a gripping, meticulous account of this seminal operation and the young men who fought, died, and survived it.
Download or read book Sicily 43 written by James Holland and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 598 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Codenamed Operation HUSKY, the Allied assault on Sicily on 10 July 1943 remains the largest amphibious invasion ever mounted in world history. Based on battlefield studies in Sicily and on new research the author offers a perspective on this major turning point in World War II
Download or read book The Allied Invasion of Sicily written by Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-02-23 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting written by soldiers and generals *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents The rugged island of Sicily, dominated in the east by the snow-crowned eminence of the active volcano Mount Etna (which rises to a height of 11,000 feet), lies in the ocean just off the "toe" of the "boot" of Italy. This spectacular setting witnessed one of 1943's pivotal battles as the theater of Allied operations shifted from North Africa to Europe - Operation Husky, a mixed victory wresting control of Sicily from the Axis. The action also caused Benito Mussolini's downfall, his imprisonment, and subsequent dramatic rescue by the scar-faced Otto Skorzeny - removing significant portions of Italy from the fascist camp but nevertheless failing to prevent a long and costly Italian campaign. Germany's North African defeat opened up the possibility of taking the war in the west to the European continent for the first time since France's lightning conquest by the Wehrmacht in 1940. The British and Americans debated the merits of landing in France directly in 1943, but they ultimately opted against it. The Soviets railed at the Westerners as "bastards of allies" - conveniently forgetting that they aided and abetted Hitler's violent expansionism in eastern Europe for over a year, starting in 1939 - but a 1943 "D-Day" style landing in France might have proven a strategic and logistical impossibility. As it turned out, the lackluster Allied showing on Sicily and the escape of most of the island's garrison would encourage Hitler to alter his plans and defend Italy vigorously. With its rugged mountain ridges, deep valleys, and numerous rivers, Italy contained tens of thousands of natural defensive positions. The Wehrmacht exploited these to the full during the ensuing campaign, bogging down the Anglo-American armies in an endless series of costly, time-consuming engagements. Even the rank and file German soldiers showed a clear awareness of the Italy's strategic significance: "'The Tommies will have to chew their way through us inch by inch, ' a German paratrooper wrote in an unfinished letter found on his corpse at Salerno, 'and we will surely make hard chewing for them.'" (Hastings, 2011, 408). On paper, Sicily's garrison appeared as a formidable obstacle to the Allies' plans, but in actuality, most of the resistance came from the small number of German troops on the island. The vast numbers of Italian soldiers accomplished little other than to flee or surrender en masse, but even this delayed the Anglo-American forces long enough for Hitler to greatly reinforce the Wehrmacht in Italy. In the memorable words of a war correspondent, the campaign resembled "a thirty-eight day race with the Italians in the lead" (Porch, 2004, 445). The Allied Invasion of Sicily: The History of the Largest Amphibious Campaign of World War II chronicles the crucial 1943 campaign. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the invasion of Sicily like never before, in no time at all.
Download or read book Sicily 1943 written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Not only did the Sicily operation represent a watershed in tactical development of combined arms tactics, it was also an important test for future Allied joint operations. Senior British commanders left the North African theater with a jaundiced and dismissive view of the combat capabilities of the inexperienced US Army after the debacle at Kasserine Pass in Tunisia in February 1943. Sicily was a demonstration that the US Army had rapidly learned its lessons and was now capable of fighting as a co-equal of the British Army. The Sicily campaign contained a measure of high drama as Patton took the reins of the Seventh US Army and bent the rules of the theater commander in a bold race to take Palermo on the northern Sicilian coast. When stiff German resistance halted Montgomery's main assault to Messina through the mountains, Patton was posed to be the first to reach the key Sicilian port and end the campaign. The Sicily campaign contains a fair amount of controversy as well including the disastrous problems with early airborne assaults and the Allied failure to seal the straits of Messina, allowing the Germans to withdraw many of their best forces.
Download or read book Battle for Sicily written by Ian Blackwell and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2008-09-19 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the night of 9-10 July 1943, an Allied armada launched the invasion of Sicily, a larger operation than the Normandy landings the following year. Over the next thirty-eight days, half a million Allied servicemen fought the Germans and Italians for control of this rocky island, which was to become the first part of Axis homeland to fall during World War II.Despite their success in capturing the island, inter-Allied and inter-service divisions and rivalries robbed them of the opportunity to inflict a crushing defeat on the Germans and Italians, who were able to conduct a fighting withdrawal to the Italian mainland and save sizable forces to continue the war. Regarded by some as a "blind alley" and by others as the way into Europe via the "soft underbelly", the decision to invade Sicily was and remains controversial. Notwithstanding the campaigns failure to achieve its potential, invaluable lessons were learned which contributed to success in France later. Many of the leading generals who were to take prominent roles in northwest Europe amongst them Eisenhower, Montgomery, Bradley and Patton brought with them the experience of Sicily.
Download or read book Focke Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily written by Morten Jessen and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-19 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A fascinating and thoroughly researched account of Focke-Wulf 190 units, personnel and operations in the Sicilian campaign of the summer of 1943. Based on a variety of primary sources, this book describes many of the very eventful missions flown by a handful of Luftwaffe Fw 190s against a multitude of British and American land and naval targets. The book features numerous firsthand accounts from German, British, American and Commonwealth personnel, along with a wide selection of photographs and maps, and color aircraft profiles by well-known aviation artist Claes Sundin. The reader is also given a good idea of daily life for the Fw 190 pilots and mechanics during what was a long, hot Mediterranean summer, as they battled Allied bombing raids, lack of supplies, malaria, and many other complications. This is the first time that the full story of the Fw 190 in the battle for Sicily has been told, and this book will serve as the definitive account of this aspect of aviation history." REVIEWS "There are plenty of books on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190; many volumes have been published on WWII s second-most famous German fighter in service in north-west Europe and the Eastern Front, but the battle for Sicily? To my memory, nothing in any depth has been issued on this particular campaign and that s what makes Danish and Australian authors Morten Jessen and Andrew Arthy s new title so fascinating and unique. The book is a follow-up to their 2004 volume Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in North Africa and is an imposing production; it s a large format, 224 page hardback and the highly photogenic (if fighter aircraft can be considered photogenic) full-bleed image on the cover is almost irresistible if you are addicted to WWII aviation. The book is clearly produced with an eye for visual impact; as I often seem to state in this section each month, the photographic reproduction is excellent and many of the images are printed large on the page, all grist-to-the-mill for the modeler, hungry for Luftwaffe eye-candy. There are no less than 137 b/w and three color photographs in the book, plus eleven color profiles (by distinguished artist Claes Sundin) as well as maps that clearly define the specific zones of Fw 190 operation. For the modeller, there is a great deal of interest in this book. Naturally, lashings of punchy wartime photos of Fw 190s are scattered throughout and they give tantalizing clues to camouflage schemes, markings and the inevitable weathering; great stuff. But what really impresses is the sheer attention to detail; those six years of research were well spent and the result is an exhaustive account of the infamous Butcher Bird and its exploits in the vicious battle for the island of Sicily. Very highly recommended." - Tamiya Model Magazine, Marcus Nicholls "In this book the eventful history of the Fw 190 units in the Mediterranean is described from 14 May to 2 September 1943, with special attention to the battle for Sicily. It is extremely well-researched and excellently illustrated, with the story focusing on, amongst other things, why the Fw 190 was so important there. Like everywhere in this book, facts and figures complement each other perfectly, with many eyewitness accounts from both sides. Although the presentation follows a chronological thread, it remains a varied and well told story and an easy read. This exemplary book provides an overall picture of what happened, and tops it off with no less than ten meticulously compiled appendices, i.e. detailed casualty lists, camouflage and markings etc., not to mention the eleven exceptional color profiles by Claes Sundin. Conclusion: one of the best new releases for a long time!" - Flugzeig Classic, Wolfgang Muhlbauer"
Download or read book The Invasion of Sicily 1943 written by Jon Diamond and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2017-08-30 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With victory in North Africa complete, the Allies had a choice. The Americans wanted an early cross channel attack from Britain on North West Europe. Churchill favored invading the soft underbelly of Italy to weaken the Axis forces and gain Italian surrender. With Eisenhowers army and battle-hardened Eighth Army in North Africa, Churchill prevailed.The ambitious Operation HUSKY required meticulous planning. Montgomery's Eighth Army and Patton's Seventh landed successfully although the air landing proved costly. While the outcome was not in doubt the mountainous terrain acted in the defenders favor. The German presence was higher than expected and the vast bulk of the enemy were Italian. In little over a month, the first Americans reached Messina.The strategic plan was successful: the Italian capitulated, Hitler had to reinforce his Southern flank relieving pressure on the Soviets and valuable lessons were learned by Allied for D-Day.
Download or read book Allied Armies in Sicily and Italy 1943 1945 written by Simon Forty and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2020-03-30 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A pictorial history of Allied forces making their way through Italy in the final years of World War II, featuring rare photos from wartime archives. The Italian campaign was one of the most debated of World War II, splitting the American and British allies, and causing great disharmony. After the fall of Rome and the surrender of Italy, the invasion of Normandy led to the Italian campaign becoming a sideshow as the “D-Day Dodgers” fought their way through Italy to the Alps against a grinding defense and extreme weather. In a sequence of 200 wartime photographs Simon Forty sums up the major events of the conflict—from the landings on Sicily to the crossing of the Po. Commanded first by Sir Harold Alexander and then Mark Clark, the Allied armies (U.S. Fifth and British Eighth) drew men not only from Britain, the United States, France, and Poland, but also from all over the Commonwealth—from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa—as well as such other countries as Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Palestine. The devastation caused by the war in the cities, towns, and countryside is part of the story, but perhaps the most powerful impression is made by the faces of the soldiers themselves as they look out from the Italian front of so long ago. “Another addition to the very popular Images of War series, with a mass of outstanding and rare images. The author covers campaigns in Sicily and Italy as the Allies slogged their way north, using amphibious and airborne assault to bypass the German lines—Very Highly Recommended.” —Firetrench
Download or read book Sicily and the Surrender of Italy written by Lieutenant Albert Garland and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-07-16 with total page 644 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (Includes maps) This volume, the second to be published in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations subseries, takes up where George F. Howe's Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West left off. It integrates the Sicilian Campaign with the complicated negotiations involved in the surrender of Italy. The Sicilian Campaign was as complex as the negotiations, and is equally instructive. On the Allied side it included American, British, and Canadian soldiers as well as some Tabors of Goums; major segments of the U.S. Army Air Forces and of the Royal Air Force; and substantial contingents of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy. Opposing the Allies were ground troops and air forces of Italy and Germany, and the Italian Navy. The fighting included a wide variety of operations: the largest amphibious assault of World War II; parachute jumps and air landings; extended overland marches; tank battles; precise and remarkably successful naval gunfire support of troops on shore; agonizing struggles for ridge tops; and extensive and skillful artillery support. Sicily was a testing ground for the U.S. soldier, fighting beside the more experienced troops of the British Eighth Army, and there the American soldier showed what he could do. The negotiations involved in Italy's surrender were rivaled in complexity and delicacy only by those leading up to the Korean armistice. The relationship of tactical to diplomatic activity is one of the most instructive and interesting features of this volume. Military men were required to double as diplomats and to play both roles with skill.
Download or read book Spitfires Over Sicily written by Brian Cull and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here's a day-by-day historical account of Malta Spitfore operations, leading up to and during the invasion, with peraonal accounts.
Download or read book Sicily 43 written by James Holland and published by Corgi. This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Codenamed Operation HUSKY, the Allied assault on Sicily on 10 July 1943 remains the largest amphibious invasion ever mounted in world history, landing more men in a single day than at any other time. That day, over 160,000 British, American and Canadian troops were dropped from the sky or came ashore, more than on D-Day just under a year later. It was also preceded by an air campaign that marked a new direction and dominance of the skies by Allies. The subsequent thirty-eight-day Battle for Sicily was one of the most dramatic of the entire Second World War, involving daring raids by special forces, deals with the Mafia, attacks across mosquito-infested plains and perilous assaults up almost sheer faces of rock and scree. It was a brutal campaign - the violence was extreme, the heat unbearable, the stench of rotting corpses intense and all-pervasive, the problems of malaria, dysentery and other diseases a constant plague. And all while trying to fight a way across an island of limited infrastructure and unforgiving landscape, and against a German foe who would not give up. It also signalled the beginning of the end of the War in the West. From here on, Italy ceased to participate in the war, the noose began to close around the neck of Nazi Germany, and the coalition between the United States and Britain came of age. Most crucially, it would be a critical learning exercise before Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of Normandy, in June 1944 -- Amazon.com.
Download or read book The Liberator written by Alex Kershaw and published by Crown. This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The untold story of the bloodiest and most dramatic march to victory of the Second World War—now a Netflix original series starring Jose Miguel Vasquez, Bryan Hibbard, and Bradley James “Exceptional . . . worthy addition to vibrant classics of small-unit history like Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers.”—Wall Street Journal Written with Alex Kershaw's trademark narrative drive and vivid immediacy, The Liberator traces the remarkable battlefield journey of maverick U.S. Army officer Felix Sparks through the Allied liberation of Europe—from the first landing in Italy to the final death throes of the Third Reich. Over five hundred bloody days, Sparks and his infantry unit battled from the beaches of Sicily through the mountains of Italy and France, ultimately enduring bitter and desperate winter combat against the die-hard SS on the Fatherland's borders. Having miraculously survived the long, bloody march across Europe, Sparks was selected to lead a final charge to Bavaria, where he and his men experienced some of the most intense street fighting suffered by Americans in World War II. And when he finally arrived at the gates of Dachau, Sparks confronted scenes that robbed the mind of reason—and put his humanity to the ultimate test.
Download or read book The War Against Germany and Italy written by Kenneth E. Hunter and published by . This book was released on 1951 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
