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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
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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