The Consequences of the Third Battle Of Monte Cassino
The Third Battle of Monte Cassino had consequences for the people involved, but had relatively minor consequences on the rest of the Italian Campaign, mostly due to the fact that the Allies lost the battle.
Although the New Zealanders and their allies did not win and hold most of their objectives, such as the town of Cassino, one of specific importance was taken, the railway station. The Cassino railway station, that was occupied but lost in the Second Battle, was taken and held in the Third Battle. The holding of the railway station contributed to the success of the future attack, by allowing protection of the flanks of advancing Allied soldiers (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957).
The Third Battle of Monte Cassino also taught the Allies lessons on town attacking strategies. Due to the use of bombers, tanks, engineers, aerial supplies and infantry in tight places, the Allies gained some experience in attacking towns and cities (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957). The New Zealand soldiers in the rest of the Italian Campaign may not have been as effective as they were before the Third Battle of Monte Cassino due to the stress the battle placed on them. Morale would have been low after a defeat, but added to this was the lack of rest for the individual within the ranks of the New Zealand battalions. Many of the soldiers were exhausted from the recent battle, and others were weary of the war and longing to return home to their families after (for some) four years abroad.
The lessons learnt were possibly the most important consequence of the Third Battle of Monte Cassino was possibly. The Third Battle of Monte Cassino was the last attack by the Allies in winter before a Spring Offensive in May. The Allied general in Italy, General Alexander used the lessons learnt from the Third Battle to put a lot of time and effort into planning for the Fourth and last Battle of Monte Cassino. It is a shame however that it took so long for the Allies to realise how hard a nut to crack that Cassino was. Monte Cassino turned out to be one of the best defendable areas in Europe. Alexander was also to rearrange the Allied soldiers in Italy due to the Third Battle of Monte Cassino, the (British) Eighth Army was moved from the Adriatic Coast to the Liri Valley, near Cassino, and was to attack and win over the Germans there in May later that year, while the American Fifth Army was given the responsibility of guarding the west coast of Italy.
The Germans did suffer significant losses at Cassino that, as with any lives lost by both sides, could have benefitted them later in the Italian Campaign. It is thought that around 20,000 German lives were taken at Cassino throughout the whole campaign. The German morale after the battle ended was also affected. It is still unknown how many Germans were killed, wounded or captured in the Third Battle of Monte Cassino. The Germans who fought at Cassino under such stressful and horrific conditions showed incredible fighting ability and resilience. It is part of why today the I Parachute Division is looked back on with such respect as an elite force of the German Army during the Second World War. At Anzio, the Allied soldiers there did find some relief as German soldiers were withdrawn from Anzio and moved to Cassino to reinforce and aid the I Parachute Division.
After its bombing and the War’s end, Cassino was rebuilt and repopulated and still stands today under the shadow of the rebuilt Monte Casino Monastery.
In terms of reflection of the Battle, it must be asked if all the casualties were worth the results. A good number of the consequences of the Battle benefitted the Allies, with the Germans getting distracted from Anzio and France through March and suffering many casualties. The New Zealanders and their allies who fought at Cassino also softened up the defence for the next attack later that year in May, but New Zealand and her allies lost much as well. The Gustav Line was not breached, Rome was not taken, many lives were lost and most of all, Monte Cassino was still in German hands.
Although the New Zealanders and their allies did not win and hold most of their objectives, such as the town of Cassino, one of specific importance was taken, the railway station. The Cassino railway station, that was occupied but lost in the Second Battle, was taken and held in the Third Battle. The holding of the railway station contributed to the success of the future attack, by allowing protection of the flanks of advancing Allied soldiers (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957).
The Third Battle of Monte Cassino also taught the Allies lessons on town attacking strategies. Due to the use of bombers, tanks, engineers, aerial supplies and infantry in tight places, the Allies gained some experience in attacking towns and cities (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957). The New Zealand soldiers in the rest of the Italian Campaign may not have been as effective as they were before the Third Battle of Monte Cassino due to the stress the battle placed on them. Morale would have been low after a defeat, but added to this was the lack of rest for the individual within the ranks of the New Zealand battalions. Many of the soldiers were exhausted from the recent battle, and others were weary of the war and longing to return home to their families after (for some) four years abroad.
The lessons learnt were possibly the most important consequence of the Third Battle of Monte Cassino was possibly. The Third Battle of Monte Cassino was the last attack by the Allies in winter before a Spring Offensive in May. The Allied general in Italy, General Alexander used the lessons learnt from the Third Battle to put a lot of time and effort into planning for the Fourth and last Battle of Monte Cassino. It is a shame however that it took so long for the Allies to realise how hard a nut to crack that Cassino was. Monte Cassino turned out to be one of the best defendable areas in Europe. Alexander was also to rearrange the Allied soldiers in Italy due to the Third Battle of Monte Cassino, the (British) Eighth Army was moved from the Adriatic Coast to the Liri Valley, near Cassino, and was to attack and win over the Germans there in May later that year, while the American Fifth Army was given the responsibility of guarding the west coast of Italy.
The Germans did suffer significant losses at Cassino that, as with any lives lost by both sides, could have benefitted them later in the Italian Campaign. It is thought that around 20,000 German lives were taken at Cassino throughout the whole campaign. The German morale after the battle ended was also affected. It is still unknown how many Germans were killed, wounded or captured in the Third Battle of Monte Cassino. The Germans who fought at Cassino under such stressful and horrific conditions showed incredible fighting ability and resilience. It is part of why today the I Parachute Division is looked back on with such respect as an elite force of the German Army during the Second World War. At Anzio, the Allied soldiers there did find some relief as German soldiers were withdrawn from Anzio and moved to Cassino to reinforce and aid the I Parachute Division.
After its bombing and the War’s end, Cassino was rebuilt and repopulated and still stands today under the shadow of the rebuilt Monte Casino Monastery.
In terms of reflection of the Battle, it must be asked if all the casualties were worth the results. A good number of the consequences of the Battle benefitted the Allies, with the Germans getting distracted from Anzio and France through March and suffering many casualties. The New Zealanders and their allies who fought at Cassino also softened up the defence for the next attack later that year in May, but New Zealand and her allies lost much as well. The Gustav Line was not breached, Rome was not taken, many lives were lost and most of all, Monte Cassino was still in German hands.