Sideshow War: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 - Paperback

by George F. Botjer (Author)

The fight for the Italian peninsula presented deep dilemmas to both the Allied and Axis powers. Was the Allies' campaign to liberate Italy worth the enormous loss of manpower and matériel and the devastation of the country? Could the Germans afford the diversion of resources from the Russian front for Italy's defense?

In Sideshow War: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945, George F. Botjer examines the economic, political, and cultural factors that influenced the unfolding of this campaign and also provides new, unpublished documentation highlighting Axis defensive operations in Sicily, their takeover of Italy, and the internment of the Italian army. He includes new documentation of economic conditions in German-occupied northern Italy and the extent to which Germany exploited the industries of that region.

Allied leaders, who never fully committed to liberating Italy as a whole, constantly debated the various possible terminal points: Sicily, Naples, and Rome. An awareness that the mountainous terrain strongly favored the defender resulted in this indecision. Incorporating the German, Allied, and Italian points of view, this study

presents a more comprehensive overview of this phase of the war than any previous book.

Back Jacket

The liberation of Italy posed deeply rooted concerns from both the Axis' and Allies' sides. Was the American and British campaign in Italy worth the enormous loss of manpower and materiel and the near destruction of Italy? The Germans faced a similar dilemma: Could they afford the diversion of men and war machines from the Russian front for Italy's defense? Historians today still question whether it was all worthwhile. In Sideshow War: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945, George F. Botjer not only examines the social dynamic, including economic, political, and cultural factors, that influenced the unfolding of this campaign, but he also provides new, unpublished documentation highlighting Axis defensive operations in Sicily and their takeover of Italy and the internment of the Italian army. He includes new documentation of economic conditions in German-occupied northern Italy and the extent to which Germany exploited the industries of that region. Incorporating the German, Allied, and Italian points of view, this perspective on the Italian campaign will engross and inform military historians and anyone interested in World War II and the war's effects on social, economic, and political life.

Author Biography

George F. Botjer received his Ph.D. in history from Florida State University. A professor of history at the University of Tampa, he lives in Clearwater, Florida.