Best book(s) on the Italian Campaign?

[krichter33]

Hello just like the previous topic about the North Africa campaign, I'm curious about what is a good book or books that deal with the Italian campaign primarily from the German perspective. I of course would love for the book to be as tactical as possible. Anyways I would really be grateful for any good suggestions. Thank you.

[Felix C]

Neither Fear nor Hope
http://www.amazon.com/Neither-Fear-Frid ... r+nor+Hope

[John P. Moore]

"Im gleichen Schritt und Tritt" was published by Schild Verlag in 1998 and covers the 16th W-SS division in Italy. The detailed maps are excellent. "The Day of Battle" by Rick Atkinson is a very detailed description of the Italian campaign mainly from the US and British perspective, but with plenty of input from German commanders. Some other good references are "After the Battle" issues 13 - Cassino, 52 - Anzio, 95 Salerno, 129 - Florence and 152 - Rome. Other good books are from the US Army in WW II series, "Salerno to Cassino" and "Cassino to the Alps".

I was fortunate to visit many of these battlefields during visits to Italy in 2005, 2007 and again last May when I was in the Salerno area for more than a week.

John

[Steve Hoog]

Felix and John

Are your book recommendations a quick read or complex?

[John P. Moore]

For anyone seriously interested in the Italian campaign, I recommend a thorough reading of all my recommendations.

[Steve Hoog]

I am short on time and this is a side interest; I could be interested only in a quick read.

[krichter33]

All those suggestions are great. I'm looking for a single or double volume that deals with the entire campaign as tactically as possible, mostly from the German perspective. The reason why is because I have a couple of unit and battle histories from this campaign that I would like to read, but only after I learn about the campaign itself. The perfect example would be a book like the one I just started reading "Rommel's Desert War" by Kitchen about the North African campaign. I know Kurowski has a book about the Italian campaign, but I don't know how good it is considering it is Kurowski. So, if there is any book like that, please let me know. Thanks!

[krichter33]

Does anyone know how the Kurowski book is???

[John P. Moore]

Krichter33 - Why are you so interested in the Italian campaign from the German perspective? The Germans behaved very badly in Italy and the details are documented in depth in the English-language publications that I suggested earlier. The German retreat in Italy left a path of widespread civilian deaths and destruction of property and infrastructure along with countless atrocities. It is as if the German military embarked upon a deliberate course of retaliation against the entire country following Italy's surrender to the Allies.

john

[krichter33]

....uh,,,ok...Because I have read books only from the American and British perspective, and no, I'm not some ignorant 'fanboy' who doesn't know about the atrocities that were committed, just like in the East. It seems other individual's areas of interest, such as the WSS, does include atrocities to no end, yet is studied from all perspectives, military and criminal. My main area of interest is in the tactical, military aspect, which does not preclude me from acknowledging all aspects of that campaign. The Atkinson book is decent from the Allied perspective, but is not focused on the German side. I have read Atkinson, and I have read D'Este, who is the best from the Allied side, now I would like to read something that focuses on the German military side. I mentioned Kurowski's book as it seems to be the only book in English that does this, though I am hesitant to buy it, which is why I asked about it. If you cannot reply with more helpful suggestions, than I would suggest not to criticize someone's area of interest, due to a lack of knowledge of what that area of interest entails.....thank you.

[Michate]

krichter,

I do not have an "all in one single volume" book for you, but, if you can read German, I may recommend the following titles on important periods, battles, or aspects of that campaign:

1. "Zwischen Reggio und Cassino: Das Kriegsgeschehen in Italien im zweiten Halbjahr 1943" Karl-Heinz Golla, on the Italian campaign in 1943.

http://www.amazon.de/Zwischen-Reggio-Ca ... einz+Golla

The author is a former German (Bundeswehr) staff officer from the Fallschirmtruppe, he also wrote an interesting book on the Fallschirmtruppe in 1936-42 and a third one on the Greek campaign.

2. "Monte Cassino" by Katriel Ben Arie. The author is an Israeli officer, thus a military expert and also very polyglott and multilingual, so he has managed to write a very even-handed operational level account of that famous battle, based on relevant sources from nealry all participating sides, Anglo, German, and also (IIRC) French and Polish.

I guess an English version is available.

3. "Monte Cassino" by Rudolf Böhmler. A dated, but quite good book by a former German officer. German centric, but with (mostly) good military expertise and with a little bit of information on the history of the monastery and St. Benedict as well.

An English translation may be available.

4. "Krieg in Europa", the wartime related memoirs of general Dr. Frido von Senger und Etterlin, the foremost German corps commander in Italy. Includes a lot of soul searching on political and cultural questions, but also some good discussions of some aspects of the campaign in Italy.

An English translation should be available.

5. There is also the (rather short) section on the Italian campaign in the DRZW series, Vol. 8 (main part of that volume is on the Eastern front in 1943-44), written by Gerhard Schreiber.

EDIT: I noted from another thread that you are surely aware of the books on Monte Cassino.

[krichter33]

Thank you michate for the helpful suggestions. My German isn't great but I can manage. The Bohmler book and the von Senger book I have already read and they are excellent. The Golla book is definitely one I have to look at. From the Allied perspective I love D'Este's books on Sicily and Anzio. Atkinson is alright, but glosses over too much in a sort of populist style. I'm looking for as scholarly and detailed a work as possible, and if it entails reading numerous books, so the better. Once again thanks for your positive suggestions.

[Felix C]

Fold3.com has the german manuscript series title on Casino. Also Italian Campaign titles as well. These are the ones written by German senior rand officers.

You can join now for one year for $49.95. Deadline is Midnight tonight.