World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Gothic Line, renamed Green Line in Jun 1944, was the final main German defensive line in northern Italy. The line stretched from the area south of La Spezia on the west coast of Italy through the Apennine Mountains to the area between Pesaro and Ravenna on the east coast. It featured 2,376 machine gun nests, 479 gun positions, concrete bunkers, barbed wire, anti-tank ditches, and natural terrain favoring the defenders. By Aug 1944, the Germans in Italy were plagued with increased Italian partisan activity behind the front lines, while the Allies commanders in Italy were frustrated by their superiors transferring forces under their control for the new front in France; by the first week of Aug, strength of British 8th Army had fallen from the height of 249,000 men to about 153,000, for example. Although France now became the main front for the Allies to break into the heart of Germany, the Italian campaign was not canceled, as it had political value. If the American and British forces were able to take northern Italy, they would have a chance to advance further north into Austria and Hungary to lessen post-war Soviet influence in that region.

ww2dbaseOperation Olive was launched on 25 Aug 1944. On the Adriatic Sea coast in eastern Italy, Oliver Leese's British 8th Army assaulted the eastern end of the Gothic Line. Troops of Polish II Corps and Canadian I Corps spearheaded the attack, finding surprised German defensive positions. Albert Kesselring, the German theater commanding officer, was unsure whether this attack was to be the main assault and held on to his reserves, fearing that the US troops stationed south of Bologna might launch the actual main attack. On 28 Aug, captured Allied document revealed that the British 8th Army indeed was part of the main effort, and Kesselring released three reserve divisions to the coastal area; it would take them two to three days before they could arrive and become ready for combat. Meanwhile, British, Polish, and Canadian troops pushed through the Green I defensive positions and reached Green II defensive positions, threatening the city of Rimini. In the first two weeks of Sep, British and Indian troops engaged in a series of heavy fighting on Gemmano, held by troops of German 98th Division; it took the Allies 12 separate attempts before finally wearing down the defenders and capturing the town. In an attempt to safeguard the German flanks, German troops marched into high grounds in the neutral country of San Marino, located southwest of Rimini; on 17 Sep, Indian 4th Division attacked San Marino, capturing the small country after three days of fighting against troops of German 278th Infantry Division. On 21 Sep, Rimini fell to troops of Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade of Canadian 1st Division, with New Zealand 20th Armoured Regiment in support. Just as progress was made, however, the autumn rain season began, swelling rivers and flooding roads, slowing but not stopping the advances. In late Sep, Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery replaced Oliver Leese as the commanding officer of British 8th Army.

ww2dbaseMark Clark's US 5th Army launched the second arm of the attack in the Apennine Mountains toward Bologna at dusk on 12 Sep, about three weeks after British 8th Army. Monte Altuzzo and Monte Pratone were captured by 17 Sep, and the key Il Giogo pass was taken four days later. Around this time, Clark decided against the capture of Bologna, instead moving east toward Imola in an attempt to encircle German 10th Army; a few days later, as the advance toward Imola grounded to a halt, he switched his attention back at Bologna. A fresh offensive by US and British troops was launched toward Bologna on 5 Oct, which again saw very slow progress.

ww2dbaseIn the first week of Oct 1944, British 8th Army launched a new offensive, forcing Kesselring to consolidate his defenses at Bologna. On 16 Oct, US 5th Army launched yet another new offensive toward Bologna, with US 88th Division capturing Monte Grande four days later and British 78th Division capturing Monte Spaduro on 23 Oct. The US 5th Army attack stalled by the end of Oct. The British 8th Army advance made very slow progress through Nov and Dec 1944, capturing Forlì on 30 Oct, capturing Ravenna on 5 Nov, crossed the Cosina River on 23 Nov, and finally capturing Faenza on 17 Dec. As the German forces established new defensive positions along the Senio River, and the first snow of the winter about to fall, the British 8th Army's attack ground to a halt as well.

ww2dbaseThe Allies suffered 40,000 casualties during the Gothic Line offensive.

Gothic Line Offensive Interactive Map

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Gothic Line Offensive Timeline