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CASSINO
The city is best known as the
site of the Abbey of
Montecassino and the Battle of
Monte Cassino during World War
II, which resulted in tremendous
Allied and German casualties as
well as the near total
destruction of the town itself.
The Battle of Monte Cassino
was a costly series of four
battles during World War II,
fought by the Allies with the
intention of breaking through
the Winter Line and seizing Rome.
On February 15 the monastery,
high on a peak overlooking the
town of Cassino, was destroyed
by 1400 tons of bombs dropped by
American B-17, B-25, and B-26
bombers. The bombing was based
on the fear that the abbey was
being used as a lookout post for
the Axis defenders. Two days
after the bombing, German
paratroopers poured into the
ruins to defend it. From January
17 to May 18, the Gustav
defenses were assaulted four
times by Allied troops. These
operations resulted in
casualties of over 54,000 Allied
and 20,000 German soldiers.
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