Battle of Rapido River
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png){kind=small}
The Battle of the Rapido River was fought from 20 to 22 January 1944 in the course of the Italian campaign during the Second World War. Despite its name, the battle occurred on the Gari river.[3]
Gen. Mark W. Clark, in an attempt to break through the German defences of the Gustav Line, tried to cross the Gari River, south of Cassino, with two regiments of the 36th Infantry Division (United States), after crossing the river on boats, his forces were target of enemy fire from elements of a Panzergrenadier Division stationed on the west bank of the river. The Americans suffered very high losses and were counterattacked. After two days of fighting the survivors went through the river; two regiments were destroyed and the attack had to be interrupted.
Controversy followed the American defeat, with Clark criticizing his subordinates, which in turn polemicize with the commander of the 5th Army for his tactics. The battle of the Rapido River was one of the heaviest tragedies suffered by US Army during World War II and was also the subject of an investigation in 1946 by the US Congress to establish responsibility for the disaster.[4]
Background
At the end of the year 1943, the Italian campaign had reached a turning point; after the decisions made on the Tehran Conference, the supreme political and military leaders of the Anglo-American Forces finally decided to give top priority to the opening of the second front in Europe and thus reduce the importance of operations in the Italian peninsula. General Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Operation Overlord, left the Mediterranean theatre in December 1943 and returned to Britain. Shortly after General Bernard Montgomery gave command of the 8th Army to General Oliver Leese and returned to Great Britain also; seven veteran Anglo-American divisions were withdrawn from the front waiting to be transferred to take part in the Normandy landings.
Winston Churchill continued to assign great importance to the Italian campaign on the other hand and despite having shared in general plans for a second front, he considered it essential (strategically and politically), to get a great victory in Italy. He hoped that by destroying the German armies there and build on the success in the direction of Southeast Europe to anticipate the arrival of the Red Army. He also commanded the Anglo-Americans Armies in Italy to commit, despite the weakening of their strength, pressure on the enemy and achieve important strategic objectives and propaganda blows; this included General Mark W. Clark , commander of the 5th Army US who was absolutely determined to achieve victory securing Rome first.
See also
References
- citations
- ↑ http://www.historynet.com/rage-over-the-rapido.htm
- ↑ http://www.historynet.com/rage-over-the-rapido.htm
- ↑ 1944: la battaglia di S.Angelo in Theodice e la confusione tra i fiumi Rapido e Gari, 1944: the Battle of St. Angelo in Theodice and the Confusion between Rapido and Gari rivers.
- ↑ http://www.historynet.com/rage-over-the-rapido.htm
- Sources
- Schultz, Duane (2012). "Rage Over the Rapido".
Coordinates: 42°21′00″N 14°24′00″E / 42.3500°N 14.4000°E