The battles for Cassino

A battle of the First World War fought with the weapons of the Second. Military experts have long agreed that it would hardly be possible to find a better example of an impregnable natural defensive barrier on the road to Rome than that provided by the city of Cassino. When this naturally strong position was defended by resolute and battle-hardened troops it is easy to see how and why the Germans held out repeatedly against the massive Allied assault despite its lavish air and artillery support. There were four separate and distinct 'battles' of Cassino each one being immensely costly in Allied lives. In their turn Americans, Indians, British, Gurkhas and Poles reached the summit of Monte Cassino but found it impossible to retain a hold for long. Ever since those battles were fought questions have been asked about the relevance of the Cassino operation when viewed against Anglo-American strategy as a whole. Why were these battles fought? Were they necessary? Could the Allies have avoided them by out-flanking the Monte Cassino defences? And repeatedly too, the controversy has raged over whether or not the destructive bombing of the historic monastery at Cassino was ever justified on military grounds.In this book, Brigadier E.D. Smith, who took part in the battles as a young officer in the Gurkhas, takes a fresh look at these questions and provides a detailed professional analysis of one of the bloodiest encounters in the last war.