2. Summary
• The Allies wanted to break
the standstill at the Cassino
Line, capture Rome, and
weaken Germany’s grip on
Europe.
• In 1944, Allied troops
decided to land thousands
of troops in a small fishing
village in Anzio, Italy.
• The goal was to surprise the
Germans, secure the
beachhead, and advance to
Rome.
6. Allied Leaders
• Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark- plan
for attacking Anzio
• General Eisenhower- revived
Anzio plan
• General Sir Henry M. Wilson-
commander or Allied troops in
Mediterranean
• Maj. Gen. John P. Lucas- US
Army commander of Fifth
Army’s VI Corps
• Col. William O. Darby- led 3rd
Division and three Ranger
Battalions to attack at Cisterna
7. How it Happened
• 0200 Jan 22, 1944: Allied forces surprise
attack the German troops onshore and take
the Anzio beach by noon.
• Over the Next Few Days: Allies will push 7
miles inland against increasing German
resistance
• Jan 23: Allies move towards Campoleone and
capture the town of Aprilia
• Jan 24-25: Allies make some progress going
towards Cisterna and Littoria.
8. How it Happened Continued
• Jan 26-29: Allied forces regroup and
reorganize themselves
• Jan. 30: Col. Darby makes an attack on
Cisterna
• Feb. 3-4: Germany makes their first
counterattack in several waves
• Mar. 4: Germany makes their final attack
• March-May: Allies get bombarded with air
raids and constant cannon firing.
9. Results
• May 23: Allied forces drive to the Anzio
beachhead and breached the German line
• June 4: General Clark’s forces captured Rome
Although the Allies
succeeded in
capturing Rome, it
took awhile to breach
the line, and things
didn’t go according to
plan.
10. Long Term Effects
• The landing at Anzio
helped to distract
the Germans and
divert their attention
long enough so that
landing in
Normandy, occurring
4 days after the
capture of Rome,
was possible.
