Battle of Rapido River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Rapido River
Part of the Winter Line and the battle for Rome, Italian Campaign of World War II
American soldiers bring back wounded during the attempt to cross the Gari River near Cassino, Italy, January 1944.
Date 20–22 January 1944 Location Gari River, Italy 41°26′N 13°50′E / 41.44°N 13.83°E / 41.44; 13.83 Result German victory
Belligerents
United States	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Mark Clark Geoffrey Keyes Fred Walker	Heinrich von Vietinghoff Frido von Senger und Etterlin
Strength
36th Infantry Division	15th Panzergrenadier Division
Casualties and losses
155 killed 1,052 wounded 921 missing and captured	64 killed 179 wounded

The Battle of Rapido River was a tough fight during World War II. It happened in Italy from January 20 to 22, 1944. Even though it's called "Rapido River," the battle actually took place on the Gari River.

This battle was part of the Italian Campaign. The Allied forces were trying to break through the strong German defenses known as the Winter Line. American soldiers from the US 36th Infantry Division tried to cross the Gari River. They faced heavy fire and counterattacks from the German 15th Panzergrenadier Division. After two days of intense fighting, the American soldiers had to retreat. They suffered many losses.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

By late 1943, the Allied advance in Italy had slowed down. They were stuck near Monte Cassino. This area was a key part of the Axis (German) defense line, called the Winter Line.

Allied leaders planned a big attack to get around the Germans. This plan was called Operation Shingle. It involved landing troops by sea at Anzio. To help this landing, Allied forces to the south were ordered to attack. They hoped these attacks would make the Germans move their soldiers away from Anzio.

Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, who led the US Fifth Army, ordered his troops to cross the Gari River. This river was south of Monte Cassino. Two groups of soldiers, the 141st and the 143rd Infantry Regiments, were chosen for this dangerous task. They were part of the US 36th Infantry Division, led by Major General Fred Walker. The idea was to secure a small area on the other side of the river. Then, tanks could cross and advance through the Liri Valley.

What Happened During the Battle?

On the night of January 20, 1944, the US 36th Infantry Division began its attack. They fired over 31,000 artillery shells at German positions across the Gari River. But this huge barrage did not cause much damage. Other American divisions made small attacks further north to distract the Germans.

At 7:00 PM, the 141st and 143rd Infantry Regiments started to cross the river. They used boats to get across. Right away, they faced problems. Landmines on the riverbank caused injuries. German artillery also hit the soldiers before they even reached the water.

Some soldiers from the 143rd Regiment managed to cross. But they lost too many men and boats due to German fire. They could not hold their position and had to go back. The 141st Regiment had an even harder time. They landed directly on a minefield and had to pull back with many casualties.

The next day, both regiments were ordered to attack again. This time, they had a bit more success. But the Germans fought back fiercely. The German 15th Panzergrenadier Division fired so heavily that American engineers could not build bridges. Without bridges, tanks and other armored vehicles could not cross to help the infantry. The foot soldiers were left to fight alone. This led to very high losses for both regiments.

After more than 20 hours of fighting, the American soldiers were told to withdraw. The 143rd Regiment managed to retreat mostly intact. But many soldiers from the 141st Regiment were trapped. Their boats and temporary bridges had been destroyed. The German defenders then launched a counterattack. They captured hundreds of American soldiers.

Major General Fred L. Walker decided not to send in the division's last regiment, the 142nd Infantry. The battle officially ended at 9:40 PM on January 22.

What Happened After the Battle?

The Battle of Rapido River did not achieve its goals. The Americans did not gain any important ground. Also, the plan to draw German forces away from Anzio did not work.

After the battle, there was a lot of disagreement. General Clark criticized General Walker's actions. Walker, however, argued that the whole plan was risky and unnecessary. He had protested Clark's plan, believing it was likely to fail.

This battle was one of the biggest defeats for the US Army during World War II. In 1946, the US Congress even investigated to find out who was responsible for the disaster.

The War Secretary, Robert P. Patterson, wrote a report. He said that the battle was necessary and that General Clark had made good decisions. However, Colonel Miller Ainsworth, who led the 36th Infantry Division Association, disagreed. He felt that Mark Clark was trying to avoid being blamed.

See also

• Battle of Monte Cassino
• Battle of Anzio
• Fred L. Walker
• Mark W. Clark