Battle of Monte Cassino (World War II) war movies

Battle of Monte Cassino 17 January 1944

After Allied forces landed on mainland Italy the offensive was halted on German Gustav Line fortificated positions near Naples. The line was based on Rapido-Gari, Liri, and Garigliano valleys, also the positions on surrounding peaks and ridges. The mountainous area made the attacks very hard and very risky - even infantry had problems in fast movement while being under constant fire. In the central point of the line Monte Cassino abbey was located on the hilltop, believed by Allies to be a observation point for artillery that was causing high losses among Allied forces.

Americans prepared an air strike on the abbey - the bombers turned the buildings into rubble, which instead of solving the problem caused another. Now the German paratroopers that were defending the hilltop had even better conditions to fight hidden among ruins.

The siege lasted 4 months, during which Allied forces carried out many attacks on the Gustav Line and the abbey itself. Four massive attacks were made by Allies on 17th and 18th of May 1944 and the last one, executed by Polish forces, discovered that Germans have retreated from the abbey. This was beginning of the fall of Gustav Line. The losses of Allied during the attacks of Monte Cassino were significant - 55,000 men dead (British, Polish, Indian, Australian, Canadian, South African), the German losses are uncertain, but most probably they were around 20,000 killed.

M4 Sherman

Panzerkampfwagen IV

B-17 Flying Fortress

War movies about Battle of Monte Cassino

Story of G.I. Joe 1945

Italian campaign seen by the eyes of American war correspondent.