Cassino, which was the scene of several battles between January and May 1944 was one of the most important places of the second world war. The battles concerning the town of Cassino and the Abbey of Monte Cassino, were four and took place between January and May 1944. It was the intention of the allies to strike – the line of fixtures, which then divided Italy into two parts, with the Allied forces in the South and the Germans in the North, and moved through the city Cassino to Rome to lay siege and to join with the allies, who had remained after operation shingle in the vicinity of Anzio, a breach in the Gustav line. The Germans had arrived in Cassino on October 14, 1943 under the leadership of Austrian Colonel Schlegel, who commanded the Goring Panzer Division. The Colonel warned Gregorio India square, the Abbot of Montecassino, being that soon the center of German resistance would become the area, and thanks to this warning many treasures preserved in the Abbey could be saved by transported them to Vatican with 120 trucks (8 December). Also the People who lived near the Abbey, were evacuated, and the Germans fortified the city Cassino with trenches, minefields, and much more.
If you visit the Museum of Cassino, you can learn more about this chapter in the history of the second world war. As already mentioned, Cassino was a mainstay of the German defense and a strategic point, to reach Rome; to break the Gustav line, the allies repeatedly attacked the city. The first two battles that took place between January 12 and February 12, 1944, and February 15, 1944 were disappointing for the allies and led to the destruction of the city and the Abbey. After the Allied attempt to conquer the Abbey, the first battle of Monte Cassino ended with the victory of the Germans; the second battle is known because of the bombing of Monte Cassino, the part of the goals of the allies was, because it was believed that the monastery of German troops occupied. Based on this false assumption, Monte Cassino was bombed the whole morning of 15th February, until the Monastery was turned into a pile of rubble. The bombardment caused numerous deaths and injuries among the soldiers and among the civilian population, who had sought refuge in the monastery, but the area was still in German hands. During the third battle, which began on March 15, 1944, the entire city of Cassino was destroyed by bombs, which caused many victims among the civilian population and the British and Neuseelandischen soldiers, and on the same day the allies went over to the attack, but were immediately blocked by the Germans. The attacks lasted until March 22: Although the third battle had resulted in no Allied victory, the losses among the Germans were substantial, and the Allies began to prepare the fourth battle, which lasted from 11 to 19 May 1944. At the military Museum of Cassino, you can find many testimonies about this phase, which ended with the victory of the allies, this time in the State were to seize the area and to put an end to one of the bloodiest chapters of the second world war in Italy. These Museum was written by Francesca Tessarollo using War article. For more information, please visit pictures 2 world war or Monte Cassino battle.
