Breaking the Line

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The Italian campaign to exploit the ?soft underbelly of Europe? proved to be more difficult that first thought.  The initial landings at Salerno and Taranto went better than expected, but soon the Allied troops ran into resistance from well led German forces, as well as the unforgiving harsh Italian terrain. 

When  the Allies landed, Italy quickly surrendered.   The Germans originally planned to withdraw  to northern Italy, but Adolph Hitler ordered his forces to hold a defensive position south of Rome. This position, known as the ?Gustav Line?, ran from coast to coast and included the heights and monastery of Monte Cassino.  Built along the Garigliano and Rapido rivers, the ?Gustav Line? was fortified with gun pits, concrete bunkers, turreted machine-gun emplacements, barbed wire and minefields. Along the line, were 15 divisions of the German Army under the command of General Kesselring.  

After gaining air superiority Allied air forces began attacking supply lines, bridges, rail lines, and communications in order to break the stalemate in Italy along the ?Gustav Line?.  For much of the time the Allied Air Force achieved a daily average of over 1200 sorties, and on one occasion it recorded 1933 sorties in a single day.  Close air support came of age in the Italian campaign.  The front that was stagnant along he ?Gustav Line? began moving north towards Rome once Army and Air Force assets began co-ordinated attacks.  Much of today?s air support doctrine started in the skies over Italy.

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COUNTRY PERCENTAGES

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Victory Conditions

- Value of objectives will be communicated in the Frame CO
- Fighter kill = 10  points
- Bomber kill = 15 points
- Ju-87 kill =10 points

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