COUNTDOWN TO ROAD TO BERLIN: THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN EXHIBITS

THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN EXHIBITS

In our last blog post of the Road to Berlin countdown, we covered The Italian Campaign gallery. Now, let’s take a deep dive into the gallery’s exhibits!

INVASION OF THE ITALIAN PENINSULA

The Invasion of the Italian Peninsula will follow the Allies’ successful campaign in Sicily and will cover the Allies daring attack at the Gulf of Salerno, a costly amphibious invasion and our first toehold in mainland Italy. The exhibit will also examine the struggle to maintain a beachhead in the face of determined German counterattacks.

FIGHTING UP THE PENINSULA

This exhibit will examine how the advance of the Allied forces up the Italian boot became a long, bloody slog. While the Liberation of Naples in October 1943 gave the Allies a port to infuse troops and supplies into the campaign, the seasoned German troops used the geographic terrain to their advantage, defending against the Allied advance from ridge to ridge across the mountainous terrain until they made a stand along the Gustav line. Bogged down in mud and rain, the Axis and the Allies remained at a stalemate there until May 1944. The bloody fighting for Monte Cassino culminated in the aerial bombardment of the famous monastery and framed a debate over military necessity vs. cultural preservation.

ANZIO

The Anzio exhibit will provide an overview of the Allied landings at Anzio, a strategic attempt to end-run the mountainous terrain and military stand-off by landing Allied troops north of the Gustav line. From the beachhead, the Allies planned to breakout from their coastal positions and cut off the German escape route in their advance upon Rome and up the peninsula.

Up next, the Liberation of Rome and Fighting for The Gothic Line exhibits within The Italian Campaign gallery.

Post by Lauren Bevis, Donor Relations Manager, and Ashley Nash, Prospect Coordinator.