World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF ITALY: Pursuit’s End

The Germans were now backing into the Italian mountain defenses where they expected to make a major stand. Temporarily, at least, they had slowed their pursuers to a walk.

The Allies were advancing at a rate of less than ten miles a week (at one time the rate was 15 miles a day). The Germans forced them to fight to the last house; at one point alone the Nazis absorbed 21,477 rounds of artillery fire in 24 hours before pulling out.

As Allied strategists saw it, the Germans would fall back to the Arno River as soon as they lost two seaports—Leghorn on the west coast, Ancona on the east. Once the river was passed in their delaying action, the Germans would drop back another 20 miles to the fortified Gothic Line.

Allied headquarters carefully prepared the public for the coming halt. Communiques and spokesmen said the Gothic Line was the strongest natural-defense line in Italy, more formidable even than the Gustav defenses, which held below Rome all winter.

When the halt comes, General Sir Harold Alexander has several choices. He can assault frontally, which may be a slow and costly operation. He can attack on the Adriatic side, where the Line is narrowest. He can try landings on either side. Or he can sit, keep the Germans engaged in Italy while things happen to them on other fronts.