The Forgotten D-Day - Operation Avalanche - WWII - Part 1 - Extra History

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The art style looked reminiscent of early episodes of Extra History, like the Resource War series. Is that a call back to the channels first look at World War II some 6 years ago?

One reason the italian front never got much attention was that it quickly turned into a massive embarrassment for the allies, who'd gone in expecting a quick run to Rome and ended up smashing face-first into some of the toughest defenses of the whole war. A lot of higher officers had gone in hoping this would make them the next Patton or Montgomery and instead found the campaign to be a persistent black mark on their future careers.

Just gonna drop this here because I think y'all will find it interesting. My grandfather was actually from Assergi, a village close to where Mussolini was held (actually the one from where the funicular railway starts): he was paid a small sum to bring supplies to the garrison stationed there, as he was only 14 back then. When the germans came he first heard several gunshots, took cover in the street where he was strolling, and then briefly ventured in the village outskirts: there he saw the body of Pasqualino Vitocco, one of the only two italian soldiers killed by the germans during that day. The body scared him shitless though, and he thought that the germans would come back to shoot the rest of the town, so he ran home and hid through the rest of the day, to the point that he never saw the planes taking off (probably he remembered this so vividly because he was very afraid they would still be around the mountains somewhere).

My paternal Grandfather was a British Army Colonel assigned as one of the liaison officers to Patton's 3rd Army Headquarters. He wrote that he spent the war safe from the Germans but under constant attack from General Patton.

Rob’s great grandparents must have given an awesome comeback to Patton insulting them.

As someone who always enjoys the lesser known stories of WW2, this series is going to be a banger

I often look at the plan behind this campaign and have to wonder: "what the heck were they thinking?" My grandmother's family was from Italy, having moved to the US gradually over the 1920s and 30s. I've been back there several times to visit family (the children and grandchildren of my grandmother's one brother who stayed), and I've seen the Salerno coast and what the Apennine Mountains look like. Those areas looked every bit as nightmarish to land on or advance through as the episode describes (and, of course, that's exactly how it turned out). Plus, there's a bigger conceptual issue with the "soft underbelly" argument. Say you land, and fight your way out of the "baseball stadium" landing area, and up through the hundreds of miles of narrow mountainous peninsula, and clear all of Italy. So this is farther than the Allies ever actually got, but say you do all that. Congratulations, now the next task on your way to attack Germany is to CROSS THE GODDAMN ALPS. That's an opposed crossing, mind you, nothing like Hannibal's march. Most likely, you're in for another dozen Isonzos.

Lady Astor a member of the UK parliament referred to British troops in Italy as "D-Day Dodgers". The troops responded with a satirical song depicting their bloodiest battles as a holiday trip, starting with: We landed at Salerno, a holiday with pay, Jerry brought the band down to cheer us on our way Showed us the sights and gave us tea, We all sang songs, the beer was free. We are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy. The last verses turns to a more serious reply: Now Lady Astor, get a load of this. Don't stand up on a platform and talk a load of p***. You're the nation's sweetheart, the nation's pride We think your mouth's too bloody wide. We are the D-Day Dodgers, in Sunny Italy. When you look 'round the mountains, through the mud and rain You'll find the crosses, some which bear no name. Heartbreak, and toil and suffering gone The boys beneath them slumber on They were the D-Day Dodgers, who'll stay in Italy

Wow, it’s not even Saturday and We already have an episode? How lucky are we? thank you extra history.

My great gramps was the driver of a Sherman tank in Italy with the Canadian 14th Armored Regiment and saw service throughout the majority of the Italian Campaign. He then fought in the Netherlands and ended the war in Germany. The troops in Italy were nicknamed "The D-Day Dodgers" despite the fact that the Italian campaign was often far more gruesome.

For anyone wondering: that hotel, in which the dictator of Italy was prisoner, is is still standing today. And is available to receive guests. The name is "hotel Campo Imperatore" (emperor field hotel). And is situated at 2130 m on the sea level.

Hold the phone. Rob's great grandfather served with Patton in Hawaii? And came to blows? Who was this man? I want to know his story now!

The campaigns in Italy aren’t given as much credit as they should be, likely due to the hardened German defense and stalemate that occurred right in the middle of Italy, requiring a second foothold to be gained elsewhere. One of my ancestors was in the 45th, so this is important to me.

3:29 Italy was one of the victorious powers in WW1 and thus had no treaty limiting their army or defence spending, so they didn't break any treaties

My grandpa’s uncle served with Patton in the North African campaign and the invasion of Sicily. Glad to see the story I always wanted to hear is being told!

There was actually 2 soldiers that Patton slapped, the other one everyone knows being SGT Paul Bennet, with Patton previously expressing the idea to find & shoot a few 'cowards' to make examples anyways. The other soldier was PV2 Charles Kuhl, who had undiagnosed Malaria at the time Patton slapped and threatened to execute him, too. He and his parents actually wanted the matter dropped in defense of Patton. He passed in 1971.

We landed at Salerno, a holiday with pay Gerry brought the band out to welcome us on our way Showed us the sights and gave us tea We all sang songs, the beer was free To welcome D-day dodgers to sunny Italy

Oh man, Clark's behaviour during the Italian campaign was certainly something. Can't wait to see how that will be covered.

You saying D-Day is not just the Normandy Landings made me so very happy. I always have to tell people this.