Italian campaign (World War II)

Italian Campaign
Part of World War II
Date 9 July 1943 – 2 May 1945 Location Italy Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Allies United Kingdom Newfoundland India New Zealand United States Canada South Africa Poland Free French Brazil Greece (and others) Italy (from September 1943) Italian partisans Yugoslav Partisans	Axis Germany Italian Social Republic Italy (until September 1943)
Commanders and leaders
Winston Churchill Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman	Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini
Units involved
8th Army 5th Army	14th Army 10th Army

The Italian campaign of World War II, also called the Liberation of Italy, was a military campaign in the Kingdom of Italy from 1943-1945. After victory in the North African Campaign the British and American governments agreed to invade Italy before invading France. In September 1943, Italy surrendered to the allies but the German forces in the country occupied the north of the country and set up a fascist government.

History

In July 1943, allied forces landed in Sicily, With the declining popularity with Benito Mussolini, he was forced to leave as prime minister. Allied forces landed in mainland Italy in September, and the government surrendered. The German forces occupied Italy and the Italian Social Republic was formed, starting a civil war.

In January 1944, the battle of Monte Cassino started and it lasted a few months. The allies won, they liberated Rome and pushed up the Italian mainland.

In April 1945, allied forces made the last offensive into Italy, Mussolini was executed by Italian partisans. On 2 May 1945, the axis forces surrendered and the civil war ended.