I was amazed at the harshness of the fighting that took place in Italy in regards to the operations at Anzio and Monte Casino. The Allies put much effort into invading the city of Anzio which is apparent by the number and types of forces used. These forces consisted of amphibious infantry, airborne units, and ranger units. I did learn from the presentations that these forces were badly needed in regards to the resistance that the Germans placed before them.
I had always thought that the raid on Monte Casino resulted in the Germans suffering greater casualties. The presentations again educated me on the right path by showing that the Allies had around 50,000 casualties. It was ironic that the bombing of the structure provided the Germans an advantage of getting to fight with better cover and concealment. This also was a strong example of collateral damage in World War 2 with the Monte being eliminated because of the combat that transpired.
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Yes, I have always found it interesting that the Germans were able to put up a better defense of Italy than they did of Northern Europe and Germany. Perhaps it was because Italy was much smaller, and more manageable, allowing the Germans to concentrate their forces easier and with stronger defensive lines.
The reason I believe that Germans were able to put up better defense in Italy was not really because of the size of the country but because of the terrain. The terrain of Italy is mostly mountainous, which favors the defenders not the attackers and I think this was the reason for the better defense in Italy then Western Europe.
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