The Gustav Line and the March to Rome
To the Allies attempting to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany, Rome stood strategically and idealistically, as a prime target. Being the capital and the largest city in Italy, it was important to take Rome as soon as possible. Secondly, Rome was idealistically, very important to the Allies campaign. Rome had much symbolic importance, as is over 2000 years old, is called the Eternal City and has the seat of the Catholic Church within its boundaries. Thirdly, once Rome was taken, Northern Italy was relatively easy to reach, as the terrain would for the most part be easier to traverse and assault. Churchill claimed that the Italian Campaign was becoming scandalous considering how long it had been carrying on for, and said that the capture of Rome was vital to success if Italy was ever to be won by the Allies.
By October 1943 the German tactics throughout most theatres of war were defensive. In Italy the Allies had been making progress up the Italian Peninsular after liberating Sicily on the 17 August 1943. The peninsular is narrow, with mountain ranges and rivers running through the land, making it ideal to defend. With orders from Adolf Hitler, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring and his German forces began setting up defences at Italy’s narrowest point behind and alongside the Garligliano, Rapido and Sangro Rivers and the Apennine Mountains. This defensive line that ran between the east and west coasts and was called the Winterstellung (or Winter Line) by the Germans and also known as the Gustav Line, 100 miles south of Rome. For the Germans, the Liri Valley seemed the most important point along the Gustav Line. Italy has three main roads leading up the peninsular, the 5th, 6th and 7th Routes. For the Allies trying to reach Rome, Route 6 was the only viable option. Route 7 was flooded by the Germans as it ran through a marsh, but also ran under the view of German positions in the Auruncian Mountains, Route 5 ran too far to the east in Italy and the Americans and Germans were fighting over it. These implications left Route 6 as the only viable option left, and Route 6 runs through the Liri Valley. In the Liri Valley near the Liri and Rapido Rivers, the Germans took up defensive positions on Monte Cassino as part of the Gustav Line. If the Allies were to break through to Rome, they would need to push through this line, and through the bottleneck that was the Liri Valley. In the Liri Valley, guarding Route 6 is the town of Cassino and the overlooking monastery atop Monte Casino.
The Allies were planning a major attack on the Gustav line, called Operation DIADEM, part of which would be the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino that was to take place in May. To help the operation succeed, the Allies needed to keep the pressure on the Germans throughout the winter, stretching their soldiers across the Gustav Line. So the New Zealand Corps needed to apply the pressure in a war of attrition, while also having the distinct possibility of taking Cassino.
By October 1943 the German tactics throughout most theatres of war were defensive. In Italy the Allies had been making progress up the Italian Peninsular after liberating Sicily on the 17 August 1943. The peninsular is narrow, with mountain ranges and rivers running through the land, making it ideal to defend. With orders from Adolf Hitler, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring and his German forces began setting up defences at Italy’s narrowest point behind and alongside the Garligliano, Rapido and Sangro Rivers and the Apennine Mountains. This defensive line that ran between the east and west coasts and was called the Winterstellung (or Winter Line) by the Germans and also known as the Gustav Line, 100 miles south of Rome. For the Germans, the Liri Valley seemed the most important point along the Gustav Line. Italy has three main roads leading up the peninsular, the 5th, 6th and 7th Routes. For the Allies trying to reach Rome, Route 6 was the only viable option. Route 7 was flooded by the Germans as it ran through a marsh, but also ran under the view of German positions in the Auruncian Mountains, Route 5 ran too far to the east in Italy and the Americans and Germans were fighting over it. These implications left Route 6 as the only viable option left, and Route 6 runs through the Liri Valley. In the Liri Valley near the Liri and Rapido Rivers, the Germans took up defensive positions on Monte Cassino as part of the Gustav Line. If the Allies were to break through to Rome, they would need to push through this line, and through the bottleneck that was the Liri Valley. In the Liri Valley, guarding Route 6 is the town of Cassino and the overlooking monastery atop Monte Casino.
The Allies were planning a major attack on the Gustav line, called Operation DIADEM, part of which would be the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino that was to take place in May. To help the operation succeed, the Allies needed to keep the pressure on the Germans throughout the winter, stretching their soldiers across the Gustav Line. So the New Zealand Corps needed to apply the pressure in a war of attrition, while also having the distinct possibility of taking Cassino.