Allied invasion of Sicily

Sicilian campaign
Part of the Italian campaign of World War II

A map of the Allied army progress during Operation Husky from 11 July to 17 August 1943.
Date9 July – 17 August 1943
(1 month, 1 week and 1 day)
Location
Result Allied victory
Territorial
changes
Sicily occupied by Allied forces
Belligerents

 United Kingdom

 United States
 Canada
Free France Free France[2]
Supported by:
 Australia[3][4][5]
Commanders and leaders
Strength
Initial strength:
  • 160,000 personnel
  • 600 tanks
  • 14,000 vehicles
  • 1,800 guns[6]

Peak strength:

  • 467,000 personnel[7]
  • Fascist Italy Italy:
    • 131,359[8]–252,000 personnel[9]
    • 260 tanks
    • 1,400 aircraft[10]
  • Nazi Germany Germany:
Casualties and losses
  • United KingdomCanada United Kingdom and Canada:[12][13]
    • 2,938 killed
    • 9,212 wounded
    • 2,782 missing
  • United States United States:[12]
    • 2,811 killed
    • 6,471 wounded
    • 686 missing
  • Fascist Italy Italy:[14]
    • 4,678 killed
    • 32,500 wounded
    • 116,861 captured or missing[15]
  • Nazi Germany Germany:[14]
    • 4,325 killed
    • 13,500 wounded
    • 10,106 captured or missing

The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as the Battle of Sicily and Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers (Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It began with a large amphibious and airborne operation, followed by a six-week land campaign, and initiated the Italian campaign.

To divert some of the Axis forces to other areas, the Allies engaged in several deception operations, the most famous and successful of which was Operation Mincemeat. Husky began on the night of 9–10 July 1943 and ended on 17 August. Strategically, Husky achieved the goals set out for it by Allied planners; the Allies drove Axis air, land and naval forces from the island and the Mediterranean sea lanes were opened for Allied merchant ships for the first time since 1941. These events led to the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, being toppled from power in Italy on 25 July, and to the Allied invasion of Italy on 3 September.

The German leader, Adolf Hitler, "canceled a major offensive at Kursk after only a week, in part to divert forces to Italy," resulting in a reduction of German strength on the Eastern Front.[16] The collapse of Italy necessitated German troops replacing the Italians in Italy and to a lesser extent the Balkans, resulting in one-fifth of the entire German army being diverted from the east to southern Europe, a proportion that would remain until near the end of the war.[17]

  1. ^ Tucker, Spencer C. (30 November 2011). World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia, Volume 1 (2011 ed.). Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 374. ISBN 9781598844573. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. ^ Gaujac, p. 68
  3. ^ Royal Australian Navy – the corvettes/minesweepers HMAS Cairns, Cessnock, HMAS Gawler, HMAS Geraldton, HMAS Ipswich, HMAS Lismore, HMAS Maryborough, and HMAS Wollongong
    Royal Australian Air ForceNo. 3 Squadron RAAF (fighters), No. 450 Squadron RAAF (fighters), No. 458 Squadron RAAF (maritime patrol), and No. 462 Squadron RAAF (heavy bombers)
  4. ^ "SICILY 1943 Battle Honors". Royal Australian Navy Official site. For service in the prescribed area, 10 July to 17 August 1943
  5. ^ "450 Squadron RAAF Roll of Honour". Queensland War Memorial Register. 16 September 2015.
  6. ^ Mitcham & von Stauffenberg (2007), p. 63
  7. ^ a b Mitcham & von Stauffenberg (2007), p. 307
  8. ^ Le Operazioni in Sicilia e in Calabria (Luglio-Settembre 1943), Alberto Santoni, p.400, Stato maggiore dell'Esercito, Ufficio storico, 1989
  9. ^ Including Navy and Air Force personnel.
  10. ^ Dickson(2001) p. 201
  11. ^ Shaw, p. 119
  12. ^ a b Hart, Basil H. Liddel (1970). A History of the Second World War. London, Weidenfeld Nicolson. p. 627.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sicily p. 305 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ a b Ufficio storico dello Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito (USSME) (1993). Le operazioni in Sicilia e in Calabria. Rome. pp. 400–401.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  15. ^ "La guerra in Sicilia". Sbarchi Alleati in Italia.
  16. ^ Atkinson 2007, p. 172
  17. ^ Charles T. O'Reilly. "Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943–1945." Lexington Books, 2001. pp. 37–38.