Commemoration of the 77th Anniversary of the Allied Landing in Anzio

US Embassy in Italy ^ | January 21, 2021 | Thomas Smitham

[L.A.Justice]

Statement by Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Smitham on the 77th Anniversary of the Allied Landing in Anzio, Italy

Today, on January 22, 2021, we commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Allied landings at Anzio and Nettuno, where brave Americans joined allies and partners to liberate Italy. Over 7,800 U.S. service members remain at Nettuno’s Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, their final resting place. Today, we draw inspiration from these heroes and their sacrifice. We shall always remember what they did, and aim to live each day by their example.

Today, on January 22, 2021, U.S. service men and women still stand watch around the world. They serve in dangerous places, side by side with Italy and our friends and allies, to defeat forces as dark as those we faced in World War II. Our continuing commitment to democracy, liberty, international cooperation and peace is the most fitting way to ensure the sacrifice offered by the heroes of Anzio and Nettuno was not in vain.

[17th Miss Regt]

Were the Poles in the lodgement area? I thought they were on the main front. Memory grows dim, you know...

[Scott from the Left Coast]

They fought fascism.

Only to have their children (and their children) institute fascism in their own country.

[Reily]

There was a plan to land initially at Ostia-Anzio, seize Rome and airfields & the Italian Fascist government with a airborne drop. King and Italian army would defect and help the Allies. Viewed as too risky so they landed at Salerno & the British at Taranto.

[L.A.Justice]

Rome was liberated on June 5, 1944, I think something happened the next day that overshadowed it.

I don't think General Mark Clark knew the exact date of the Normandy operation...

Some historian tried to defend Clark's decision to take Rome instead of chasing retreating German troops...The historian wrote that Clark had to take Rome to remind Allied high command not to forget about Italy...Clark knew that Normandy operation will be the priority...

[L.A.Justice]

Were the Poles in the lodgement area? I thought they were on the main front. Memory grows dim, you know...

I don't think Poles were at Anzio...I think they were at Monte Cassino...

[L.A.Justice]

Between Gallipoli and Anzio, Churchill didn’t exactly have a stellar war record. But that doesn’t make him any less of a great leader.

Speaking of Gallipoli...I did watch the movie...I think Mel Gibson was fine in the film...

THE WAY BACK is another movie directed by Peter Weir...It is good...It is about people escaping from Soviet prison camp to India...

[17th Miss Regt]

I seem to remember that too. Two infantry divisions and one armored brigade.

[married21]

Thank you for this post. I don’t know much about WWII in Italy, but my godfather lost a leg there. His life was saved by a big Hawaiian guy who carried him. They became lifelong friends.

[Larry Lucido]

[L.A.Justice]

Clark was not good enough to take on Kesselring, who with limited support held him off all the way up the spine of Italy

Kesselring was convicted of war crimes after war...For ordering troops to kill Italian civilians...

His death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment...Even Churchill thought that death sentence was too excessive...

[Larry Lucido]

I spent a month in Rome in 1995 studying law. My Uncle Mimmo mentioned being a priosoner of war of the Allies. He said they treated him quite well and he didn’t mind sitting out the remainder of the war. He never did care for old Benito. My grandmother hated the dude.

[Larry Lucido]

prisoner, not priosoner.

[Fiji Hill]

Rome was liberated on June 5, 1944, I think something happened the next day that overshadowed it.

Well at least Mark Clark got the glory of being the conqueror of Rome, even though diverting his army to Rome from his original objective of Valmontone allowed a German army to escape.

[L.A.Justice]

GD that Churchill. That man wanted to control the allied forces to become his own personal force to save the empire. How efn stupid can they have been? Invade that country from the bottom? Hell, even Patton didnt want anything to do with that debacle as they almost sent him down there.

I think FDR and Churchill liked working with each other...However, I don't think FDR wanted to help Churchill to save the British Empire...

Italy campaign did tie up German troops...They could have been used in some other location...

[Fiji Hill]

Don’t forget the Polish regiments THAT HAD AN ABIDING HATE FOR THE GERMANS. An old polish folk song has a line that goes something like, “ Why are the poppies of Monte Cassino red, because they are watered with the blood of Polish Soldiers. “

It was the Poles who finally took the mountain. However, they were betrayed after the war when the Allies handed their country to Stalin.

[Fiji Hill]

The Battle of the Bulge was an interesting movie. It showed the Germans using American tanks manufactured after the war.

[L.A.Justice]

He never did care for old Benito. My grandmother hated the dude.

Yes, by 1945, Mussolini was not very popular in Italy...Just remember what happened to his body after he was shot by partisans...

There actually was a NBC mini-series about Mussolini...George C. Scott played Mussolini...

[L.A.Justice]

The Battle of the Bulge was an interesting movie. It showed the Germans using American tanks manufactured after the war.

Yes, indeed...I think it was impossible for producers to find Tiger tanks in those days...

The movie had some famous actors...Robert Shaw, Telly Savalas, and Henry Fonda...

[xkaydet65]

There were no flattops in the Med with decent aircraft that could engage the Luftwaffe, and Anzio was as far north as Allied air could cover the front, and the Krauts were very good. Seven years later against a decidedly inferior foe MacArthur made an Anzio like landing which succeeded at Inchon.

[ealgeone]

That’s why some have suggested it would have been better to have invaded Corsica rather than Sicily. Air cover would have been closer to the battlefield.