| July – August 1943 Anglo-American Campaign in Sicily |
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| The elimination of the Axis presence in North Africa
cleared the way for an Allied campaign against Italy, which was considered the “soft underbelly” of
the Axis. The initial landings of British and American troops took place on 10 July, and met with
considerable success. While there were two veteran German divisions in Sicily, the Italian Army
had by this time lost much of its enthusiasm for the war, and put up relatively little resistance.
During this campaign General Patton distinguished himself by making a lightning thrust that captured
Palermo, the most important harbor on the island, less than two weeks after the invasion. The British,
meanwhile, advanced more slowly along the eastern coast. Sensing that their position was hopeless,
the Axis forces began evacuating the island in early August, and by the middle of the month Sicily
was entirely under Allied control.
The Anglo-American successes in Sicily had a profound impact in Rome. The Italian government ordered the removal and arrest of Benito Mussolini, who had ruled the country since 1921 and had engineered Italy’s alliance with Germany. A new government was formed, which quickly opened peace negotiations with the Allies.
Histories: Campaign Maps: Personal Accounts: Photographs: |
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