Flawed Commanders and Strategy in the Battles for Italy, 1943-45

During the Italian campaign, 1943-45, the coordination between the different armies added complexity to Allied plans. This new account examines the campaign, exploring the strategy, intentions, motives, plans, and deeds of the five commanders who led the battles: Montgomery, Alexander, Patton, Clark, and Kesselring. Their personal notes and accounts, taken alongside archival material, provide surprising conclusions, such as Montgomery being not quite the master of war he is portrayed as, Patton having serious flaws, Clark losing lives to bolster his image, and Alexander being vague. Kesselring, a war criminal, appears to be the most efficient and popular leader.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2023
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Wars often deviate from planned trajectories, particularly during the Italian campaign, spanning from 1943 to 1945. The intricate coordination between various armies introduced an additional layer of complexity to the Allied plans. First-hand accounts from the period vividly showcase errors in strategies, tactics, coalition tensions, and operations at the campaign command level. This comprehensive new account delves into the Italian campaign, encompassing its entirety from Sicily to the surrender in 1945. It explores the overarching strategy, intentions, motives, plans, and deeds that shaped the battles. Furthermore, the account provides a detailed analysis of the five commanders who led the Italian campaign: the two British commanders, Montgomery and Alexander; the two American commanders, Patton and Clark; and the prominent German commander, Field Marshal Kesselring. By combining personal notes and accounts from these commanders, alongside archival material, the account yields surprising conclusions. Montgomery, often portrayed as a master of war, reveals certain shortcomings. Patton's flaws are exposed through his reckless decision to waste men's lives to save a relative and his failure to address the shooting of prisoners of war. Clark's actions cost lives to enhance his image, while Alexander, known for his gentlemanly demeanor, proved ineffective as a senior leader. Conversely, condemned war criminal Kesselring emerges as one of the most efficient and popular leaders, akin to Alexander in his effectiveness.

Weight: 576g
Dimension: 236 x 161 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636243122