Comments by "ODDBALL SOK" (@oddballsok) on "Who's to blame for the Battle of Anzio 1944? | Patreon Q&A 8" video.

  1. assuming that a pitiful 5th army is CAPABLE of cutting off entirely the german 10th +14th armies.....through MOUNTAINEOUS terrain...in which the US army had TERRIBLE problems of manouvering..ALL THE TIME. Cutting of the Germans...dream on...
    5
  2. nazis ? where ? Kesselring ?!?!?
    1
  3. I had a look on google map on what this Alban hills look like, and more importantly how "easy" it could be reached and held by a group "of twenty good men". I suggest all you guys to do the same. I have the impression : 1) It is NOT simple and NOT fastly reached...even under peace time it would take a full day to get AT THE BEST positions (you'll only know when you are there if something is good or not). Steep slope, fully grown wild forrest. only a few (in those days) paths. 2) What good is a handfull of infantry and or spotters on that ridge ?..to have it being an EFFECTIVE occupation of the hilltop and an EFFECTIVE artillery post set up..you 'll need 500 men up that hill AAAAAND at lower parts of the slope to defend any enemy advancement. That means some artillery pieces up the hill and wired communications placements...yes ? how many miles ? through what terrain ? = DIFFICULT. 3)By pinpointing a few spots on google maps i find there is no SUPREME location that overlooks "it all"..Rome, main road between Rome and Monte Cassino, the beachhead, etc. Let alone things are NOT CLEAR all the time; there is fogg, mist, etc. Again this means a SUBSTANTIAL presence is needed ALL ALONG the intended defense perimeter. That means substantial IN NUMBERS and equipment (there wasn't) and substantial in allotted TIME (the germans and fascist italians made sure that was also not possible). 4) Hence ..acting like "a wildcat" was simply a too difficult task. Might I remember you all on how Montgommery at Normandy and Caen also did not act like " a wildcat"..... despite NO luftwaffe, NO (concentrated heavy) German Panzers, No crack german troops at the beaches ..but tons and men on ratio 10 to 1 for the allied side.......
    1
  4. another thing to make clear: The beached americans had (too) few artillery units, and somehow (?) the navy vessels were not able to bombard further or heavier than the first few miles off the beach. Hence an american spotter on a distant hill would NOT MATTER MUCH to harrass the germans. In contrast: The german spotters that reached the hills (Alban ?) had at THEIR disposal tons and tons and tons of Artillery (inlcuding a railroad gun ..later) and OF COURSE their view (views..many points to spot) meant that the FULL WEIGHT of their artillery could land smack hard on the beach head perimiter. Hence the SIGNIFICANCE of the Alban hill is DIFFERENt between the antagonists. Not the hill is important..the ARTILLERY AT HAND is important. ..note I hear nothing about the US Airforce dominance and why THAT didnot give the advantage locally ???? I suppose those too were whisked off to UK and Normandy ??
    1