WWII 1943 Invasion of Italy Operations Map Naples Salerno Heavily Combat Marked

Description: Comes with C.O.A.This incredible World War II invasion of Italy map is a ‘First Edition’ dated 1943. This map shows heavily soldier marked combat annotations regarding the Allied breakout from the D-Day landing beachheads northwest of the Salerno landings. It is believed this map was used by an American tank or other transport battalion as it shows the most operational markings regarding the location of refueling stations along the Italian coast near Terracina, Gaeta, Pozzuoli, and Naples. This map (lower right) also shows the amphibious landing beach of Salerno where the Fifth Army map its D-Day landings in 1943. During this time the Fifth Army would execute Operation AVALANCHE, an amphibious landing near Naples. Although Marshall had suggested Naples as the assault site because of its port facilities, AVALANCHE planners had to look elsewhere. A primary consideration was the range of Allied fighter aircraft, which could not operate effectively over Naples because of the distance from their Sicilian bases. Additionally, the beaches near Naples were unsuitable for landing operations. The adjacent terrain, particularly the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, dominated the shore, and heavily fortified positions blocked routes inland. As an alternative, planners selected the Salerno area. Some fifty miles south of Naples, Salerno had a twenty-mile stretch of beach, favorable landing gradients, and numerous exits to the main coastal highway linking Salerno to Naples and Rome.The Salerno site also had some drawbacks. The mountains surrounding the Salerno plain would limit the depth of the initial beachhead and expose the invading troops to enemy observation, fire, and attack from higher ground. The steep vertical banks of the Sele River, which divides the plain into two sectors, would require assault forces to bring ashore bridging equipment to link the forces on either side of the river. Nevertheless, Salerno was within range of Allied fighter aircraft based in Sicily, and Salerno's Montecorvino airfield, when captured, could sustain four fighter squadrons. Additionally, compared to the Naples area, Salerno was lightly defended.While the Allies were planning AVALANCHE, Hitler gave Field Marshal Albert Kesselring responsibility for defending southern Italy. Kesselring, an Italophile, believed that Italy would refuse demands for an unconditional surrender, and he expected to fight a delaying action with his Italian allies until he could establish a permanent defensive line in the Apennines north of Rome. Hitler also developed plans in case Italy deserted the Axis coalition. In such a situation, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, responsible for the defense of northern Italy, was to occupy all important mountain passes, roads, and railroads and disarm the Italians. Kesselring was to disarm the Italians in the south and continue withdrawing north. Kesselring and Rommel would remain coequal commanders, each responsible for his own sector, under the German High Command, until Kesselring moved into Rommel's area.German strength on the Italian peninsula increased in mid-August when Rommel moved five infantry and two panzer divisions from Germany into northern Italy. A few days later, some 102,000 Axis forces fighting in Sicily withdrew to Italy, crossing the Strait of Messina

Price: 450 USD

Location: Bloomington, Illinois

End Time: 2024-12-12T21:15:26.000Z

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