Battle of Salerno
The Battle of Salerno, part of the Allied campaign in World War II, occurred from September 9, 1943, as Allied forces launched an amphibious assault named Operation Avalanche on the southern Italian mainland. This operation aimed to divert German troops from other significant fronts by penetrating Italy following the collapse of Mussolini’s fascist regime and the securing of Sicily. The initial expectation of minimal resistance was challenged by a determined German defense led by General Heinrich von Vietinghoff, who utilized advantageous mountainous positions to counter the Allied advances.
Despite the slow progress of Allied forces, critical reinforcements, including airborne troops and naval firepower, arrived during the conflict, enabling the Allies to withstand and eventually repel a fierce German counterattack. The battle resulted in significant casualties, with Allied losses exceeding 15,000 and German losses estimated at 8,000. By October 1, Allied forces successfully captured Naples, marking a key moment in the campaign to liberate Italy. The battle, while an important step in the Allies' efforts, faced scrutiny due to its execution and planning, which sparked ongoing debate both during and after the war.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Battle of Salerno
Type of action: Amphibious invasion in World War II
Date: September 9-October 1, 1943
Location: Gulf of Salerno off the southwest coast of Italy
Combatants: United States Fifth Army (British Tenth and American Sixth Corps) vs. German Tenth Army
Principal commanders:American, General Mark Clark (1896–1984); German, General Heinrich von Vietinghoff (1887–1952)
Result: Allies succeeded in achieving their objective, taking the port of Naples
With Sicily secured and Benito Mussolini’s fascist government collapsing, the Allies decided to invade Italy rather than attempt a 1943 cross-channel invasion of northern France. On September 9, 1943, a combined British and American amphibious assault (Operation Avalanche) led by General Mark Clark took place at Salerno, with the intent of drawing German troops to Italy and away from more potentially active and important invasion possibilities elsewhere.
Although the Allies anticipated little or no resistance, German troops, led by Heinrich von Vietinghoff, put up a strong defense from positions in the mountains from which they could fire down on the attacking troops. Nonetheless, Allied progress was slow but steady until September 12, when the Germans unleashed a furious counterattack. However, necessary Allied assistance arrived, including two battalions of the Eighty-second Airborne, additional firepower provided by two British battleships, two thousand air sorties, and fifteen hundred additional troops from North Africa. The Germans retreated, and on October 1, Allied troops entered Naples.
British and American losses were in excess of 15,000 men, German losses were estimated at 8,000. About 175,000 Allied troops, more than two-thirds of which were British, and about 60,000 Germans and Italians participated in the battle.
Significance
Both Salerno in the southwest and General Bernard Law Montgomery’s invasion of Southeast Italy were the beginning of the Allied effort to drive the Germans out of Italy. A less than well-planned strategy engendered a great deal of controversy both at the time and later.
Bibliography
Blumenson, Martin. Mark Clark. New York: Congdon & Weed, 1984.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Salerno to Cassino. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, 1969.
Breuer, Willliam B. They Jumped at Midnight: The “Crash” Parachute Missions That Turned the Tide at Salerno. New York: Jove Books, 1990.
Morris, Eric. Salerno: A Military Fiasco. New York: Stein and Day, 1983.
The War in Europe. The War Chronicles: World War II series. Documentary. A&E Home Video, 1983.