164 TURNING THE TIDE 1943–1944
THE FALL OF SICILY
The Allies captured Sicily within a month,
but made no serious, coordinated effort
to stop retreating Axis forces crossing
the Strait of Messina to the mainland.
In 1943, Axis forces on Sicily were under the command of General
Alfredo Guzzoni. However, the only reliable troops in his 6th Army
were two German divisions in Hans Hube’s 14th Panzer Corps;
Italy’s own soldiers were poorly motivated.
The Allied forces for the invasion were Patton’s US 7th Army and
Montgomery’s British and Commonwealth 8th Army, both under the
overall command of Britain’s General Harold Alexander. The initial
plan was for the British to attack up the east coast, taking Catania
and then Messina, with their flank and rear protected by the
Americans. On August 5, the British took Catania, and by August 17
the Allies controlled Sicily. In late July, Mussolini was deposed and
replaced as prime minister by Marshal Pietro Badoglio. When news
broke on September 8 that Badoglio had agreed an armistice, the
Germans seized Rome and effectively occupied Italy.
SICILY AND ITALY INVADED
After the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia, Axis-controlled southern Europe appeared vulnerable.
Germany was led to believe that Allied interests lay in Sardinia or Corsica, but in January 1943 the
Allies decided to invade Sicily. Six months later the invasion (Operation Husky) began.
1
British and
Commonwealth advance
US advance
THE SAN STEFANO LINE JULY 15–23, 1943
After the Allied landings, the Axis forces were effectively
controlled by the German general Hans Hube, veteran
of Stalingrad. He set up the defensive San Stefano Line
in the north-east as a prelude to an orderly withdrawal
to the mainland. The terrain and German resistance
conspired to stall the 8th Army’s advance in the east;
in the west, US forces made a rapid armored thrust
along the coast and inland.
2
Allied territory
by Jul 22–23
Axis line of retreat by
Jul 23 (San Stefano Line)
A RACE TO MESSINA JULY 23–AUGUST 16/17, 1943
The Allies pushed on toward Messina, with US forces breaching the
San Stefano Line. They were delayed by fighting at successive Axis
lines of retreat. By the time the first US units entered Messina on
August 16/17, the last Axis units were completing their evacuation
of around 100,000 men to mainland Italy.
3
Aug 11–17 Around 40,000
German and 60,000 Italian
troops, along with vehicles
and supplies, withdraw
from Sicily.
British and
Commonwealth
advance
US advance
Axis retreat
route
Allied attempts
to outflank
Axis positions
Major battle
Allied territory
by Aug 16/17
Aug 8
Aug 11
Aug 13
Aug 14
Aug 15
AXIS LINES OF RETREAT
US 7th
Army
Italian
6th Army
German 14th
Panzer Corps
British and
Commonwealth
8th Army
Reggio
di Calabria
Palermo
Corleone
Syracuse
Cassibile
Augusta
Messina
Milazzo
Santo Stefano
Sant’Agata
San
Fratello
Cefal
Troina
Adrano
Nicosia
Agira
Termini
Marsala
Castelvetrano
Agrigento
Palma
Licata
Gela
Scoglitti
Trapani
Catania
Randazzo
Ragusa
Noto
Pachino
Avola
Gulf of
Catania
Gulf of
Augusta
Gulf of
Gela
Aug 2–4, 1943
Jul 31–Aug 6, 1943
Ionian
Sea
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Catania
Plain
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Sa
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British and
Commonwealth
advance
US advance
Allied airborne
landings
Major battle
Italian counterattack
German
counterattack
Allied territory,
Jul 11, 1943
Allied territory,
Jul 15, 1943
BEACHHEADS AND BREAKOUTS
JULY 9–15, 1943
Airborne and amphibious landings brought 160,000
Allied troops to Sicily. They established beachheads in
the south-west and the east of the island. Axis counter-
attacks were driven back by naval gunfire, and by July 15
the Allies had secured southern Sicily from just below
Agrigento in the west to beyond Augusta in the east.
Sep 3 Marshal Badoglio’s
government secretly agrees
an armistice with the
Allies, which is announced
on September 8.
Jul 13–14 The
British advance near
Catania is delayed,
partly by a protracted
fight for control of
Primasole Bridge on
the Simeto River.
US_164-165_Invasions_of_sicily_and_mainland_italy.indd 164 20/03/19 12:45 PM