The Battle of Monte Cassino, Italy 1944 | 2nd Battle: Monte Cassino Steeps | Easy Red 2

Описание: 2/16/1944

During the Second Battle of Monte Cassino (February 1944), the fighting focused on the steep, rocky slopes surrounding Cassino town, where German forces had established well-prepared defensive positions. These ridges and gullies, including Castle Hill, Hangman’s Hill, and Snakeshead Ridge, dominated the approaches to the town and the Rapido–Liri Valley, giving the Fallschirmjäger defenders excellent observation and fields of fire. Allied infantry—including U.S., Indian, and later New Zealand units—attempted to climb these near-vertical slopes under constant artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire, often advancing in small units along narrow paths to reduce exposure.

The terrain made coordinated assaults extremely difficult. Rubble, mud, and winter weather slowed movement, while German positions in caves and reverse slopes allowed defenders to strike from relative safety. Attacks frequently stalled after heavy casualties, with Allied troops gaining only limited footholds on the ridges. These steep slopes proved decisive in the battle, as control of high ground dictated the outcome of subsequent assaults and forced the Allies into prolonged attritional fighting, setting the stage for the more coordinated operations in March and the final breakthrough in May 1944.