Eighty years ago this week the Allies move to break the stalemate in Italy and pin German forces there

 

 

Under the command of General Alexander, four army corps - one British, one Canaadian, one French and one US - launched Operation Diadem to breach the Gustav line, the main German  defensive position in Italy along the Liri river. The French corps included North African goumiers, who enjoyed a reputation as fearsome fighters but also for their remorseless treatment of the local population. The German strong point and keystone of the Gustav Line at Monte Cassino had held off repeated allied attacks since January of that year. The attack would also break the deadlock that had ruled since the landing at Anzio had failed to turn the German flank and left the landing force pinned down on the coast. Breaking the Gustav Line was to open the way to Rome but it had been timed to tie down German forces in Italy so that they would be unavailable to transfer to France to counter the cross-channel invasion due in a few weeks time.

The US Eighth Air Force launched a campaign against the German oil industry with two raids involving 749 bombers on targets deep in the Reich: Leipzig and Brux  in Czechoslovakia. They were escorted by almost the same number of fighters, mainly long-range P-51s. The attackers suffered casualties of almost 7% but severe attrition was inflicted on irreplaceable German fighters. This was almost exclusively an  American effort as RAF Bomber Command under Air Marshal Harris was committed to the "transportation plan" designed to sever communications for German forces which would oppose the landings in France. Harris also abhorred targetting specific industries - which he denigrated as one of "panacea targets" - and preferred to destroy German cities.