The Allied invasion of Italy began in September 1943 and the operation remains one of the most controversial of all the campaigns of World War II. It was fought against the background of bitter Anglo-American disagreements over strategy“indeed, had Mussolini not fallen and Sicily not surrendered, the Italian campaign might never have been fought at all. The bloody fighting is epitomised by the events around Monte Cassino as the Germans defended the infamous Gustav Line, which, in some areas, was shored up by rows of turrets from tanks.

This episode features illuminating interviews with battle experts, who shed light on the military and political complexities of the campaign. The archive footage includes Anzio Annie, one of the notorious German heavy guns which caused such devastation during the Anzio landings.