[Rocky]

"Within the next twenty-four hours Hitler dispatched other units to Italy from Yugoslavia, France, and Germany to reinforce elements of the 3d Panzer Grenadier and 71st Infantry Divisions that were already moving into the Anzio area. "

The article lists some of the positive results of the invasion at Anzio, including the "drain of scarce German troop reserves." It seems likely that Hitler's reassignment of troops and supplies from Europe weakened the Germans' capability to respond to the invasion at Normandy. As the article concludes, Anzio, although not an unqualified success, was a significant battlefront. It was certainly more important than Churchill's "beached whale" comment would imply.

Thanks for posting this. I'll have to visit the "foxhole" more often.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for dropping by, Rocky. Glad you liked the thread.

Churchill made the "beached whale" comment becasue there was a short window of opportunity right after the landings to have moved inland and cut of the German units south of Anzio or to advance on Rome before the Germans were able to reinforce the Anzio area.

With hindsight, if the Allies had moved faster there was a possibility of Anzio accomplishing it's goals in a shorter period of time and without all the heavy fighting that did end up occurring.