Anzio I.

This is coolbert:

"ad hoc - - Contrived purely for the purpose in hand rather than planned carefully in advance"

"Flying columns"!

Here begins a series of blog entries concerning the Battle of Anzio. Second World War [WW2], part of the Italian Campaign.

An attempt by the allied forces to bypass the German defenses of the Gustav Line, the Hitler Line, and the Monte Cassino dominant terrain of the Liri Valley.

An effort to find an impasse to the situation as existed in January, 1944.

An amphibious operation the intent of which was to cut German lines of communications [LOC's], precipitate a general German withdrawal from the Italian peninsula.

An amphibious operation that held great promise. This was Shingle. An amphibious operation that to the amazement of the allied forces, achieved strategic, operational, and tactical surprise - - totally! The beach landing either totally unopposed or only hindered in a very marginal and minor way!

The sad story of Anzio, however, well known. Lucas, the overall American commander, not taking advantage of the situation, not maintaining the initiative, seeming to dither, hesitant, merely CONSOLIDATING HIS POSITION, not moving forward with alacrity. And when finally moving forward, finding the situation untenable. The German defender, quick to react, able to nearly annihilate the Anzio beachhead, the allied troops finding the going "tough" in the extreme.

I have often thought that at least as a minimum, Lucas, even when ever-so-cautious, could have organized and employed ad hoc "forward detachments" units as a means to maintain the initiative.

Ad hoc reconnaissance, mobile artillery, mobile anti-tank and armor units, with embedded infantry. Task tailored detachments that could have done "reconnaissance in force", moving forward, bypassing enemy [German] troops, creating uncertainty among German commanders, AND cutting German LOC wherever possible.

Ad hoc units perhaps best described as "flying columns". Consisting in part of Sherman tanks and the American M3 half-track, the latter in all varieties,, personnel carrier, self-propelled gun, anti-aircraft, etc. M3 vehicles crammed with embedded infantry for ground support. Those ad hoc units moving forward as fast as possible, THEIR MERE PRESENCE IN THE GERMAN REAR A SOURCE OF "BIG HURT" CHAOS!

Keep the German off balance.

This Lucas could have done at a minimum! YES!

But - - as I have sad - - we all know the sad story of Anzio. A good plan and idea gone awry. Caution - - yes, gumption - - NO!

I would be remiss in not noting that the allies had very good to nearly perfect Ultra intelligence regarding the German ground force dispositions, their strength, their INTENTIONS! An inability to utilize the Ultra intelligence at hand to best advantage was a crucial failure of Shingle?

coolbert.