The first battle fought on the Gustav Line lasted a month, from 12 January to 12 February, 1944.
The Allied plan for that operation was quite ambitious: the final objective was the occupation of Rome.
With a series of attacks the Allied commands aimed to overcome the Gustav Line in the Liri valley sector. That flat area was the only one that allowed the mass deployment of the armored units available to the Allies.
From a strategic point of view, the operation was divided into three main phases. The first blow was to be launched with a series of attacks in the Liri Valley and the surrounding hills with the aim of attracting the German strategic reserves. Subsequently, an amphibious force would land at Anzio to create havoc behind the main front and threaten the German supply routes. At this point, according to the intentions of the Allies, the Germans would have been forced to abandon la Linea Gustav and undertake a strategic retreat. Finally, the Adriatic front would have moved to follow the retreating enemy units.
General Alfonse Juin 's French Expeditionary Force was the first to start the fight on the morning of January 12, 1944. The French axis of advance was located about twenty kilometers north of Cassino and was pointing in the direction of Atina, the task was however a diversion: the assault only aimed at keeping the German local reserves busy.
Juin's troops achieved some results, despite suffering considerable losses, but no further reinforcement units were sent to them and the offensive stalled between 22 and 23 January.
Meanwhile, the attack of the British X Corps had begun on 17 January along the lower course of the Garigliano river.
The British attacked with three divisions. The 5th and 56th divisions established bridgeheads near Minturno and Castelforte, but were harshly counterattacked and stopped by the strategic reserves that the Germans had brought in. The plan devised by the Allies seemed to be working, but unexpected events were just around the corner.
The third British attack was to be launched by the 46th Division in the direction of Sant'Ambrogio and had the very important task of protecting the left flank of the American II Corps which was to force a passage into the Liri Valley. But General Mc Creery, commander of X Corps, distrusted the general plan and in order to not to waste his forces committed just one brigade to the task. This brigade failed to overcome the Garigliano and was withdrawn.
Despite this latest failure, General Clark, the commander of the 5th American Army, decided to respect the original plan and ordered the assault of the II Corps to the Liri Valley. The Americans attacked on the night of January 20 with one division, the 36th, on both sides of Sant'Angelo in Theodice, approximately 5 kilometers from Cassino. Only a few companies of two regiments were able to cross the Gari River (mistakenly know as the Rapido River) under a hail of fire unleashed by the defenders of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division . The following night the Americans repeated the attack without success, the few survivors had to re-cross the Gari to retreat. The price paid by the 36th Division was very high: 1681 dead, wounded and missing.
Since all the attacks planned by the Allies had failed, General Clark was forced to plan an alternative action to break through the Gustav Line, so he ordered a short-range flanking maneuver around Cassino.
On January 24, the American II Corps attacked a few kilometers north of the town with the 34th Division, later reinforced by the remnants of the 36th. After days of very hard fighting in the midst of a very harsh winter, the American infantrymen had managed to occupy a series of hills near the Abbey of Montecassino. The German units of the 44th Division defending the area were decimated, but received reinforcements from the 90th Panzer Grenadier Division and the 1st Parachute Division. The losses suffered by the attackers did not allow them to make the decisive leap towards the Liri valley and the American offensive ended on 12 January, after repelling a strong German counterattack.
Meanwhile, further north, the French Expeditionary Force had been ordered to protect the American right flank. So on 25 January the 3rd Algerian Division began a diversionary attack towards Colle Belvedere Colle Abate: what followed was a fight with impetuosity and determination on both sides that bordered on the incredible. Several heights were conquered, lost and reconquered several times. The French colonial troops had once again fulfilled their task by engaging the Germans. The latter had also fulfilled their task, losing only a few positions.
While there was heavy fighting around Cassino, the American VI Corps landed in Anzio on the morning of 22 January 1944.
The coastal area was poorly manned by the Germans and the Allied units landed quickly and without being opposed. Due to uncertainties at the highest levels of command, the troops on the ground did not head towards the Alban Hills, but after a few kilometers from the beaches they stood in defense of the landing site, also because the German defense had consolidated in the meantime. In fact the German commands had the opportunity to use the forces of the XIV Army around Anzio.
In the following days the strategic situation reversed. At Cassino the main front had only been dented, while at Anzio the Germans threatened a vigorous counter-offensive that could have thrown the VI Corps back into the sea.
Thus, the forces landed at Anzio, which were supposed to facilitate the offensive on the main front, now needed help; while the forces on the main front, which should have benefited from the amphibious operation, had to resume the failed offensive and rush to the aid of the troops at Anzio.
The Allies, who could not afford to waste time, organized themselves as best they could to resume attacks towards Cassino and between 15 and 18 February the second battle for the Gustav Line was fought.
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Livio Cavallaro
Author of the following books: Cassino 1944 – Le battaglie per la Linea Gustav, Mursia Editore, 2004. Assalto a Massria Albaneta – Cassino 19 marzo 1944, Mattioli 1885 Editore, 2018. Assalto a Cassino – La stazione, il castello, la collina, Mursia Editore 2024.