"Battle Analysis on the Rapido River Crossing" Topic

" The crossing of the Rapido River in southern Italy and the assault on the German Gustav Line by General Mark Clark's 5th US Army was undertaken to prevent German forces from opposing VI Corp's amphibious landing at Anzio. Both operations, the river crossing and attack and the amphibious landing at Anzio, were part of an Allied campaign to push the Germans out of the Italian peninsula and to seize Rome. To assist the amphibious operations at Anzio, General Clark sent Major General Fred L. Walker's 36th Texas Division across the Rapido. The 36th Division attacked across the river with two regiments abreast. They struck head-on into the strongly defended German Gustav Line overlooking the Rapido River from the north. After two assaults, the 36th Division was repulsed with extremely high casualties. The attempted crossing was one of the most bitter failures of the Allied forces during World War II, and it became the subject of a Congressional inquiry. This action clearly illustrates the immense difficulties of crossing a riverline which is integrated into the enemy's main line of defense."

PDF link

link

Not to mention the river was at full flood due to recent heavy rain.

I have been reading about this lately, interested in setting up a fun Flames of War scenario for a club game. ANyone ever do this?

It would have been worse, if some of the German gunners had not taken pity on the US soldiers and stopped firing.

36th Division in WWII
The Rapido Crossing
link

I was there last year, here's a picture of the Rapido where they got clobbered …not a great picture sorry but very pretty place. This is looking south from what would have been the German view. Taken literally from the bottom of Monte Cassino….so even that is quiet high.

Some serious hills in the surrounding area, the Germans would have seen everything !
Going to the 70th anniversary next year, it'll be huge.

THE RAPIDO, VIEWED FROM MONTE TROCCHIO

Anzio -- The Allies' Greatest Blunder of World War II
by Irwin J. Kappes

"Much has been written by military analysts about the conceptually faulty Operation Shingle —the Anzio beachhead in January, 1944. But the story that has been overlooked is the naval aspect of the operation, which was a resounding success.

On the 50th anniversary of the Anzio landings, the office of the Chief of Naval Operations released a statement reading, in part: "A half-century ago American, British, Dutch and Greek naval forces landed soldiers of the American and British armies on the Italian coast. German resistance was unexpectedly powerful and rapidly increased in strength. For four months the invaders battled foul winter weather, heavy bombing and artillery fire to sustain the Anzio beachhead. Throughout this long struggle on the Italian littoral, our troops were strongly supported by naval gunfire, airpower and a shuttle of ships and craft that braved air and submarine attack to deliver reinforcements. Late in May 1944 the main Allied advance linked up with Anzio's defenders, and Rome was liberated a few days later. In what many consider a land battle, there were a total of 17 ships lost: ten British and seven U.S. Navy. In this action, 166 American sailors were wounded and 160 made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

"Anzio was hard-fought and hard-won. By drawing off troops that could have opposed the main Allied offensive in Italy, the Anzio operation helped tilt the balance in our favor and contributed to the drive that led to the fall of Rome." "Anzio beachhead," naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison later wrote, "should endure in our memories as a symbol of heroic tenacity". "

link

The 1st Battalion,141st Infantry Regiment at the Rapido River
20-22 January ,1944 (Cassino)

PDF link