How Hitler Surprisingly Saved Rome From Destruction

An Important Decision Often Overlooked

(Public domain)

On July 10th, 1943, Allied armies landed in Sicily. No one knew that from the first moment that Allied boots hit the sands of Sicily, the armies involved would be subjected to one of the most grueling and deadly phases of the war. Everyone knew that Italy’s terrain was unsuitable for warfare. Still, many believed that it was only a matter of time before Allied armies were trundling through Rome and soldiers would be happily bathing in the Trevi Fountain. That was not the case.

The goal of the invasion of Italy was threefold. First, the Allies wanted to knock Italy out of the war, thus depriving Hitler of one of his key allies in Europe. Second, the Allies wanted to capture (liberate) Rome from German control. Third, the Allies wanted to tie up as many German divisions as possible in an effort to relieve pressure on Stalin on the Eastern Front and bleed forces away from defenses in Western France.

As the campaign dragged on, the Allies salivated more and more over the prospect of liberating Rome. The image of generals riding through the Eternal City at the head of a victorious column was an intoxicating one. Characters like Winston Churchill and Generals Mark Clark and Bernard Montgomery dedicated many evenings to dreaming, writing, and pining…