World War II: North Africa, Sicily, & Italy

Our overview of World War II continues with a look at the fighting in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Though largely considered a secondary theater, the Mediterranean provided the most direct way for striking at the Axis Powers after the fall of France in 1940. The lessons learned during the invasions of Sicily and Italy provided valuable schooling for Allied planners as they prepared for the Normandy landings in France. Also, the campaigns in the Mediterranean produced many of the leaders, such as George S. Patton and Bernard Montgomery (left) who would lead Allied armies into Germany. While the fighting in North Africa was largely characterized by large desert battles, the combat in Italy was particularly tenacious as the Allies slowly advanced through the peninsula's mountains.

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