June 4, 1944 the other Epic Day
The Day Rome Fell
June 4, 1944 – The “other” Epic Day in June
June 6 is remembered as “the” D-Day of World War II and rightly so. It was truly the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany when the allies gained a toe-hold on the shores of France. And because of those events, another day of epic historical significance passes without much mention in modern times, especially as the veterans of WWII become fewer and fewer with each passing year. June 4, 1944 saw the liberation of Rome, the first Axis capital to fall to the allies.
On September 3, 1943 Montgomery and his British Troops landed on the toe of Italy after intense bombardment. The U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark joined their British counterparts on the Italian mainland on September 9, 1944 at Salerno. There was initially much optimism that resistance would be light as the Italian government surrendered and ordered that its troops not resist the allies. Quickly the lower part of Italy including the port of Naples (which the Germans sabotaged and placed booby traps to make it difficult for the Allies to use) fell into British and American hands. The Italians were done with the war, but unfortunately the Germans were not and set up defensive positions south of Rome.
It was there during the winter of ’43 and spring of ’44 that the British and U.S. troops bogged down, faced with rivers, mud, ridges and withering fire from German defensive positions. An attempt to leapfrog the defensive lines by landing troops at Anzio nearly met with disaster. All the allies could do was dig in and wait for better weather and reinforcements.
Reinforcements for the U.S. troops came in the form of the 88th Infantry Division, “The Blue Devils” the first all draftee division to be trained and placed in harms way. The farmers, mule drivers, and other citizen soldiers were eager for a fight. They did not need to wait long as Operation Diadem kicked off on May 11, 1944 with a furious artillery barrage and then an all out assault on the German lines.
The terrain was rugged and hilly and the German positions were well entrenched. Nevertheless the soldiers of the 88th performed admirably in their first battle. The tiny town of Santa Marie Infante proved to be the stronghold of German defenses and after some initial setbacks and counter-attacks, the 88th shouldered its way into the town. Thereafter the German defenses crumbled and the U.S. troops, now perched on the lofty heights that the Germans once held, watched what appeared to be the entire Wermarcht fleeing northward.
The Allies pushed on and on, often out-pacing the objectives set before them for the day’s operation. The forces in Anzio caught the remaining German units by surprise in the ferocity of their breakout and the 88th and other elements of the 5th Army pushed up from the south. The Germans had little choice but to declare Rome an “open city” and fall back to defensive lines north of Rome. The U.S. troops entered Rome on June 4, 1944 to cheers and celebration from the residents.
liberation of Rome
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