Italian Campaign: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war.

Following victory in the North African Campaign, there was disagreement beween the Allies on the next step. The British, especially Winston Churchill advocated the invasion of Italy. It was clear that the Italian people were becoming less enthusiastic about their participation in the war, and it was hoped that an invasion would knock them out of the war, providing at least a major propaganda blow. The elimination of Italy as an enemy would also enable the Royal Navy to completely dominate the Mediterranean Sea, massively improving communications with Egypt, the Far East, the Middle East and India.

The American staff however believed that a full scale invasion of France as soon as possible was necessary to end the war in Europe, and that no operations should be undertaken which might delay that. The matter was largely resolved when it became clear that an invasion of Northern France could not be undertaken in 1943. Given the presence of large numbers of troops trained for amphibious landings in the Mediterranean, a limited scale invasion was authorised.

Invasion of Sicily

See Operation Husky

See Allied invasion of Italy.

See: Winter Line, Operation Shingle, Battle of Monte Cassino

See: Gothic Line