• July 10, 1943. The Allied landings in Sicily
  • Sherman tank landing on a Sicilian beach in July 1943
  • The Gustav Line on which the Allied Army broke his attacks for months
  • Gen. Mark W. Clark of Va Army reviews the F.E.B. troops together with the Brazilian General Mascarenhas de Moraes
  • Evolution of the Green Line, commonly known as the Gothic Line, in the winter of 1944-1945
  • Fornovo di Taro (PR) April 29, 1945 the Germans surrender to FEB

From the Gustav Line to Rome and Florence

From the Gustav Line to Rome and Florence

The Germans, threatened by the Allies, started organizing and strengthening their defense lines on the Apennines, the most important being the Gustav Line that followed the course of the rivers, Garigliano, Rapido and Sangro. On 22 January 1944 the attempt to circumvent the Gustav Line with the Anzio landings failed.

Needless Allied bombings destroyed the ancient abbey of Montecassino, but the Germans resisted until May when the Polish and French troops broke through the Gustav Line, surrounded the Hitler Line and overcame the German defenses.

On June 4, 1944, the Allies liberated Rome and installed the Bonomi government, they continued on northwards, reaching and occupying Florence which had already been liberated by partisans on August 11, 1944.