Anzio VII.

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Anzio conclusion!

Intelligence!

First this from "The Ultra Secret" by Winterbotham:

"There was no sign of any troop concentration in the direction of Anzio . . . right up to the moment of landing, Mark Clark was assured of complete strategic surprise and the probability that no new opposition could be brought to bear before forty-eight hours."

Winterbotham is of course referring to intelligence appreciations as gleaned from Ultra intelligence. The MOST SECRET source of the Second World War [WW2]. Intercepts of encrypted, supposedly secure German radio traffic, "secured" by the Enigma cipher machine, "read" with impunity by the English throughout the length of the war!

Almost absolutely perfect and reliable intelligence regard the enemy [German]!

Locations [dispositions] and strength of enemy units in totality at a minimum. Operational plans and valuable insights most of the time in addition. Precise and accurate intelligence without guess work for the most part.

Mark Clark had been briefed on Ultra and was privy to the secret for a good portion of the war. It would have been apparent to him AND MUST HAVE BEEN APPARENT TO HIM that Anzio was more or less totally undefended. Proceeding inland as quick as possible was the plan - - with a good chance of success. At Anzio THE GERMAN WAS CAUGHT TOTALLY UNAWARE AND LACKING and the allies would have understood this to be the case from the beginning!

[the German had anticipated a possible amphibious assault to alleviate the impasse at Cassino - - but further up the coast, probably north of Rome!]

NOW this:

"One specific area of Intelligence baffled the Allied Command [at Anzio] under General Lucas."

"The US command was almost completely in the dark about the numbers of enemy troops they were facing or what units they represented. In fact; intelligence reports and prisoners represented almost every unit known to be in that part of Italy; as the Germans only had a hodge podge of newly assigned and attached units."

"Lucas and his staff could only assume they were facing all the elements of each unit represented; which was not the case at all. Instead of an aggressive offensive. Lucas built up a ten mile beach-head; and opted for a defensive posture expecting a German Counter-Attack at any moment."

Lucas was NOT privy to Ultra? Perhaps NOT! But should have been given very accurate intelligence appreciations based upon SANITIZED versions of Ultra!

This whole thing about being "almost completely in the dark" sounds very strange to me. INCOMPREHENSIBLE is a better word. Lucas and his staff thought they had the WHOLE GERMAN ARMY IN FRONT OF THEM WHEN THE ACTUAL FORCES CONFRONTING THE ANZIO LANDING FORCE WAS ALMOST NIL!

NOT acceptable.

In the aftermath of German and Japanese surrender, there were only two Congressional investigations regarding the conduct of the war. One of course dealt with the debacle at Pearl Harbor. The second dealt with the Italian Campaign, the apparent inadequacy or even outright incompetency of command!

Such an investigation was indeed warranted? Obviously so!

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Anzio VI.

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Anzio continues!

The mountains of Lazio!

That terrain over which the Battle of Anzio fought was not suitable for military operations? The area bordering the coast line, most specifically the Pontine marshes, and the mountainous terrain north of where the Anzio beachhead was established - - was recognized by even the ancients [Romans] as "bad ground"? To be avoided at all costs, and crossed in as expeditious a manner as possible if approaching from the south!

"Invading armies from the south refused to cross the marsh or to take the only other road to Rome, the Via Latina, running along the flanks of the Monti Laziali, for fear that they would be trapped"

During Operation Diadem [1944], the breakthrough offensive of the allied forces in Italy, it was necessary for the two U.S. Army units on the far left of the allied offensive, the 88th and 85th Infantry Divisions, to cross that mountainous terrain, north of the Anzio beachhead.

Mountainous terrain - - The mountains of Lazio!




"The marsh [Pontine] is surrounded by impassible mountains . . . Overall they are referenced by the name Monti Laziali, the mountains of Lazio"

Those two units [88th and 85th] - - moving quickly, side-by-side - - succeeded in a way that would have been envied EVEN BY THE LEGIONS OF ANCIENT ROME?

That 88th Division in particular, the subject of previous blog entries, described by Dupuy and also by German military men in opposition - - to be a shock unit, THE BEST UNIT IN THE U.S. ARMY - - World War Two!!

The breakthrough of the Gustav Line, the Hitler Line, the fast movement in marked contrast to the previous impasse at Cassino, crossing THE MOUNTAINS OF LAZIO without incident, further indication that the 88th Division [along with the 85th alongside and not to be forgotten] was a special unit, almost unique, the equal of the BEST German units, and the BEST the U.S. had during the war!!

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Anzio V.

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Anzio continued!

Italian SS.

During the prolonged and bitter fighting at Anzio, allied units encountered, much to their surprise [?], SS ground combat units comprised of Italian volunteers.

A brigade sized unit of Italian volunteers, fascist fanatics, loyal to El Duce and the fascist ideal in general. Italians seeking to redeem Italian valor and honor on the battlefield, as part of the Axis cause.

This was the: "29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian) "

"In April 1944 three Battalions fought against Allied bridgeheads of Anzio and Nettuno with surprisingly good results . . . On 7 September 1944 renamed to Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (italienische Nr. 1)"

The Germans referred to this Italian SS unit as: "1. Sturmbrigade Italienische Freiwilligen-Legion". "Freiwilligen" best translated as VOLUNTEER! Persons joining the fight of their OWN FREE WILL - - no coercion!

"three Battalions fought against Allied bridgeheads of Anzio and Nettuno with surprisingly good results"! Fought WITH SURPRISINGLY GOOD RESULTS!

The general perception among military historians is that the Italian performance during the Second World War [WW2] was poor to very poor?

The public also perceives the same? The Italians did not do well at all in any category of military combat during WW2?

Generally speaking, this is correct? However - - some Italian combat units during WW2 were noted for comporting themselves very WELL! I am thinking of the naval commando units of Decima Flottiglia MAS [in the aftermath of Italian surrender survivors of Decima continued the fight, some on the side of the allies, some on the side of the German!]. The Italians did have some very good motor torpedo boat [MTB] units that enjoyed success both during both WW2 and prior to that the Great War!

See this former blog entry dealing with the entire question of Italian combat proficiency during WW2.

The Italians have the ancient tradition of the Roman legions and the empire as inspiration and should not be sold short? "Lions do not beget rabbits!"

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Anzio IV.

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Anzio continues!

Human shields!

The German at Anzio was not above using American prisoners-of-war [POW] as human shields! Deplorable conduct in violation of the rules of land warfare! American troops having not ever encountered such a dilemma and not prepared to deal with the situation!

This occurring at the Battle of Cisterna.

American Ranger units, two battalions of highly trained, specially selected and elite troops, fighting in the role of conventional light infantry, moving forward into the attack, rather encountering an ambush - - the German Hermann Goering Division employing captured Rangers as HUMAN SHIELDS!!

"The Battle of Cisterna . . . a clear German victory which also had repercussions on the employment of U.S. Army Rangers that went beyond the immediate tactical and strategic results of the battle"

These two ranger battalions [1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions + slight attachment] badly outnumbered and outgunned, walking into an ambush, ALMOST TOTALLY ANNIHILATED - - WIPED OUT!!

"The two battalions, totaling 767 men and supported by a platoon of 43 men of the 3rd Reconnaissance Troop . . . were attacked by strong German forces of the 715th Motorized Infantry Division and Herman Göring Panzer Division"

"German units put Ranger prisoners in front of their tanks and commanded other Rangers to surrender. After the approximately seven-hour battle, only 6 of the 767 Rangers and one member of the 3rd Recon troop returned to Allied lines, resulting in an overall loss of 803 men . . . well over 400 Rangers became POWs."

"the Germans drove a group of US prisoners at bayonet point towards the US position, demanding surrender. Each time a German was shot, a prisoner was bayonetted. Rangers began surrendering individually or in small groups prompting others, acting on their own authority, to shoot them"

THE HERMANN GOERING DIVISION - - BEST UNIT IN THE GERMAN ARMY BUT NOT ABOVE USING HUMAN SHIELDS [American POW]!

Rangers, in the aftermath of Cisterna, not employed in the role as was originally envisioned for them. Only on a limited basis did the ranger units see further combat, so disastrous was the encounter at Cisterna. Also, catastrophic losses of this nature usually see high command relieved of duty, troops being "thrown away" in such a fashion not being tolerated. Much less highly trained, skilled, specially selected soldiers as the Rangers.

This particular entry has me confused: "Rangers began surrendering individually or in small groups prompting others, acting on their own authority, to shoot them". Are we speaking here of Germans doing the shooting, or American Rangers shooting their own men? This is not clear. Someone can clarify?

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Anzio III.

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"mi·as·ma : n : a vaporous exhalation (as of a marshy region or of putrescent matter) formerly believed to cause disease (as malaria) - - an unwholesome or oppressive atmosphere"

Anzio continuing!

Bio-warfare!

The German at Anzio, waging war of a biblical scale - - the German creating in a quite pre-meditated and very sinister nature conditions of an apocalyptic nature!!

"a·poc·a·lyp·tic 3. predicting or presaging imminent disaster and total or universal destruction"

Areas actually within the beachhead [Anzio landing] or adjacent to the Pontine marshes, ONLY drained and made suitable for agriculture during the 1930's - - flooded by the German, the intent - - the desire - - to create conditions favorable for the spreading of malaria! Disease hopefully to strike and debilitate the allied troops - - a nightmare scenario making an already bad situation worse!

"The Germans stopped the pumps and opened the dikes, refilling the marsh [Pontine] with brackish water . . . the return of the salt water would encourage the return of Anopheles labranchiae [malaria-carrying mosquito] . . . The flooding was an act of biological warfare"

Malaria is ORDINARILY THOUGHT to be an illness associated with the tropics. But this is not so! Malaria was endemic to large portions of Europe until just very recently!

Conditions at the time, in addition to the flooding of what was previously marsh land, being extremely favorable for the disease [malaria] to "enjoy" a comeback.

"medicines were in short supply, the diet was bad . . . veterans returning from the Balkans brought back resistant strains of the disease."

As has been mentioned in previous blog entries, historically, feet and water have been by far the biggest killers of soldiers, NOT actual combat.

Soldiers having bad feet, not able to keep up with the march, falling out and separated from their unit, set upon by marauders/irregulars/partisans, killed.

Water - - not having enough to drink or drinking bad water. And this too - - water - - swamps or marshlands, breeding grounds for mosquitoes or other biting insects, carrying disease and transmitting same to humans, whether it be malaria, yellow fever, etc.

IN A RECENT ISSUE OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, IT WAS STATED THAT AT LEAST ONE-HALF OF THE HUMAN POPULATION THAT HAS EVER LIVED HAS DIED FROM MALARIA OR COMPLICATIONS FROM THE DISEASE THEREOF!

That malaria spread by biting insects - - also posed a grave danger to the Germans themselves? The mosquito is an equal-opportunity offender, striking indiscriminately friend and foe alike! Environmental degradation of this sort is NOT normally worth the effort? Tactics of this sort often backfire with bad consequences!

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Anzio II.

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Anzio continuing.

Bad lands!!

Dig this amazing stuff! From even from the times of ancient antiquity, that area where the allied amphibious landing occurred - - Anzio, was considered to be BAD LAND - - not suitable for military operations - - to be avoided at all costs.

That area southeast of Rome, bordering the Pontine marshes, military units were wise to avoid, the ancient Romans even realizing that units imperiled themselves by EVEN CROSSING the area, much less engaging in combat operations!!

"the location had been a strategic nightmare in war. Roman armies marched as quickly as possible across it on the military road, the Via Appia. The marsh [Pontine] is surrounded by impassible mountains . . . Invading armies from the south refused to cross the marsh or to take the only other road to Rome, the Via Latina, running along the flanks of the Monti Laziali, for fear that they would be trapped, as had been a Roman army at the Battle of the Caudine Forks.

"Battle of the Caudine Forks"! Roman army - - 321 B.C. - - entrapped by the Samnites, no manner of egress, NO water - - movement forward or backward impossible - - the Romans surrendering and retiring from the field without casualties OR any combat of any sort being fought!!

"the Battle of Caudine Forks, 321 BC, was a decisive event of the Second Samnite War. Its designation as a battle is a mere historical formality: there was no fighting and there were no casualties. The Romans were trapped in a waterless place by the Samnites before they knew what was happening and nothing remained but to negotiate an unfavorable surrender."

[Caudine Forks is NOT located in the same vicinity as modern Anzio. But the situation as existed over 2200 years earlier was similiar. NO movement forward or backward, bad terrain, waterless or devoid of drinkable water, etc.]

The "bad land" - - vicinity Anzio, unsuitable for military operations, necessitated an expeditious movement off the beachhead - - as quickly as possible. Lucas was aware of this? I doubt it! Such an appreciation of the situation based upon HISTORICAL PRECEDENT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO LUCAS? I doubt that too!

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Anzio I.

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"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?

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