Allied invasion of Sicily

The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II, in which the Allies captured the island of Sicily from the Axis powers (Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy). It was a large-scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It began on the night of 9–10 July 1943, and ended on 17 August.

Background

The Italian Campaign was a series of Allied beach landings and land battles from Sicily and southern Italy up the Italian mainland toward Nazi Germany. The Allies hoped to remove Fascist Italy from the war, secure the central Mediterranean, and divert German divisions from the Eastern Front.

Planning

The plan for the invasion of Sicily was developed by the Allied Forces Headquarters under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The operation aimed to capture the island and use it as a base for further operations in Italy.

The Invasion

The invasion began with a large airborne operation, followed by amphibious landings on the southern and eastern coasts of Sicily. The British Eighth Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, landed on the southeast coast, while the U.S. Seventh Army, under General George S. Patton, landed on the south coast.

Aftermath

The successful invasion of Sicily led to the downfall of Benito Mussolini and the collapse of the Fascist regime in Italy. It also paved the way for the Allied invasion of mainland Italy.

See also

• Italian Campaign (World War II)
• Operation Avalanche
• Operation Shingle

References

• World War II
• Allies of World War II
• Axis powers