The Winter Campaign in Italy 1943

Orsogna, San Pietro and Ortona

Pier Paolo Battistelli, Johnny Shumate

$34.99

Paperback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English

Osprey
03 April 2024

History; Second World War; Land forces & warfare; Battles & campaigns

Series: Campaign

A gripping tale of three crucial battles fought at the end of 1943 as Allied forces approached the Gustav Line in Italy.

After repulsing the German counter-attack at Salerno in September 1943, the US Fifth Army and British Eighth Army advanced up the Italian Peninsula. By October, the Allied armies had reached the Volturno Line, forcing a critical decision in German strategy: a prolonged defence would be conducted in southern Italy, contesting the Allied advance using the complex terrain features. By mid-November, the two Allied armies were approaching the German defensive lines along the Garigliano and the Sangro rivers. Here, US 5th Army would attack through the Mignano gap towards San Pietro Infine, while British Eighth Army would seize Ortona on the Adriatic coast and Orsogna. A brutal struggle ensued, with the German defenders attempting to hold their positions. The fighting at Ortona in particular (labelled a 'mini Stalingrad') would be particularly grueling for the Canadian forces involved.

This fascinating work focuses on several little-known battles fought in Italy following the German withdrawal from the Salerno bridgehead and from Taranto. Maps and diagrams present an easy to follow overview of the multiple operations of this complex campaign. The forces of the opposing sides (including American, German, Canadian, New Zealand and British troops), and the three decisive battles fought in late 1943, are brought vividly to life in period photos and superb battlescene artworks.

By: Pier Paolo Battistelli
Illustrated by: Johnny Shumate
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Volume: 395
Dimensions: Height: 248mm, Width: 184mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781472855695
ISBN 10: 1472855698
Series: Campaign
Pages: 96
Publication Date: 03 April 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Pier Paolo Battistelli was awarded his PhD in Military History by the University of Padua. A scholar of German and Italian politics and strategy throughout World War II, he has written a wide range of works and essays on military history subjects. Pier Paolo has also authored several entries for the Oxford Bibliographies in Military History, edited by Dennis Showalter.