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  • Anzio: Italy and the Battle for Rome -1944, and: They Fought at Anzio
  • Mannie Liscum
Anzio: Italy and the Battle for Rome -1944. By Lloyd Clark . New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0-87113-946-7. Maps. Photographs. Appendixes. Notes. Select bibliography. Index. Pp. xxiii, 392. $25.00.
They Fought at Anzio. By John S.D. Eisenhower . Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8262-1738-7. Maps. Photographs. Illustrations. Appendix. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Pp. xii, 306. $34.95.

Although generally overshadowed by Operation Overlord and subsequent fighting in Northwest Europe, the preceding Italian Campaign (June 1943-June 1944) has received considerable attention over the past sixty-odd years. Lloyd Clark's Anzio: Italy and the Battle for Rome -1944 and John S.D. Eisenhower's They Fought At Anzio represent two recent examples. Both books provide a modicum of 'new' material while presenting concise historiographies of the Italian Campaign, from the invasion of the Italian mainland to the fall of Rome.

Academically inclined readers are likely, at least initially, to judge Anzio somewhat frivolous for its obvious lack of traditional footnotes. Fortunately, Clark does not forego referencing altogether, but rather provides a 'Notes' section (31 pp. total) at the end of the book in which abridged verbatim quotes from the passages being referenced are presented (by page number), followed thereafter by the relevant citation. Upon closer examination readers will find that about half of Clark's citations are to primary unpublished sources, thus demonstrating that the research for the book was in fact impressive.

One example of Clark's use of 'fresh' material is his handling of the period from the end of the third battle of Cassino (23 March 1944) to the final push against the Gustav Line and breakout from the Anzio beachhead (Operation Diadem, initiated 11 May 1944). Devoid of large engagements, this period has been given little attention in most accounts of the Italian Campaign. Yet, an entire chapter of Anzio (Chapter 8, pp. 225-262) is used to describe the World War I-like trench stalemate that dominated this period as both sides licked their wounds and prepared for their next moves. Clark weaves together recollections of average G.I.s and Tommies to humanize and give lively voice to the day-to-day tasks engaged in by the men, from reconnaissance patrols to taking part in sports and various non-combat work details.

Both Anzio and They Fought at Anzio should be lauded for presenting the Italian Campaign from a multi-national viewpoint, although Eisenhower's book is more consistent and thorough than Clark's in this regard. As one example, while both books are sprinkled with information from German sources, Chapter 5 (pp. 35-48) of They Fought at Anzio is devoted wholly to discussing the establishment and defense of the Gustav Line with a substantial portion of the text representing the viewpoints of General der Panzertruppen Frido von Senger und Etterlin (commander of XIV Panzer Corps/Tenth Army). Eisenhower also gives fitting coverage to the actions of the French Expeditionary Corps (FEC) in the mountains of Liri Valley that, [End Page 271] while not the main effort, was ultimately vital to breaking the Gustav Line. Although cursory in his mention of the FEC (one and one-half sentences total), Clark still accomplishes more than many of his British contemporaries, such as D. Graham and S. Bidwell [Tug of War - The Battle for Italy 1943-45 (Hodder and Stoughton, 1986)], who tend to entirely disregard the FEC actions.

As to coverage of combat, Anzio presents fairly detailed descriptions of action (regimental level and lower), while the same events are dealt with in broader strokes (often regimental level and higher) in They Fought at Anzio. Combat passages in Eisenhower's book are supplemented with descriptions of personalities and relationships between commanders involved, pre- and post-engagement information, and personal recollections of those lower in rank to give humanity to the overall story. Two sources Eisenhower repeatedly draws from are the memoirs of nurse Lt. Avis Dagit Schorer (Half An Acre of Hell, Galde Press, 2000) and armored infantryman Lt. Lloyd Wells (Anzio to the Alps, University of...

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