Urgent help needed with Italian history

Okay, I have a history project due tomorrow which involved me coming up with three focussing questions surrounding a battle in WWII that involved New Zealanders. Two of my focussing questions were easy to answer, but the third has alluded me for three weeks.

How was the battle of Monte Cassino significant to the outcome of WWII? Or if you want I can be more vague and ask how the taking of Italy was significant to the outcome.

Please, please help. Thanks to any experts who can. Sources I can cite would be wonderful too, unless you're willing to give up your first and last name so I can use you as my source. I've searched endlessly online and haven't come up with anything (wikipedia is a no-go zone because they take all their info from other sources too).

Basically I have the answer to the question already, I just need another source (i.e. one of you, or the internet if you can provide a source) to back it up.

I would really appreciate any help I can get. I know now isn't really the time of activity on the site (I suspect most of you are from the Northern Hemisphere). Keep in mind I don't need a full background of the battles, just a few sentences to answer that question.

Thank you! ~ ENZ.
 

Paul MacQ

Donor
Monte Cassino was an important Battle in the Italian Campaign

There was a massive amount of effort to take it. It was very Important to the Germans as shown in the premier Units they used to defend it, Ir was very Important to the the Allies to throw some other elite Units at it (Free Polish and Kiwi's often used as Assault Troops again)

In regards to the big Picture for Europe not huge in the Long Run With Russian pressing in from East and France being a dagger pointed to the Heart of Germany ( Personal Level real important, My Grand Father being in Recce Battalion 2nd NZ Division )

It was on Bloody amazing Choke point that had to be taken,
 
See from what I can gather Italy allowed tactics used in Normandy to be 'practised' somewhat. Plus it exposed the axis as having weak spots, which could also be related to Normandy. Churchill was also adamant that the Mediterranean be defended, and taking out Italy was a step towards this too.

I need specifics. Surely there's more to it. But thanks for the reply :)
 
I am sorry to tell you that the battle of Monte Cassino was of completely no value in the WW2.
It was a "delay" battle (Thermopylae style) which the germans fought only to gain time and slow their retreat.
The outcome was inevitable, but allied generals managed it very badly.
The result was both a slaughterhouse and the destruction of an historical piece of art
 

Paul MacQ

Donor
I need specifics. Surely there's more to it. But thanks for the reply :)

Tactics used in This Battle had little bearing in Western Europe especially Normandy. Simply due to Terran, Cliff climbing Special Forces Rangers were already being Trained

Good old Fashioned Mountain Infantry was needed. Old Advantage of Height was the Force multiplier for the Germans . Despite the Hundreds of Bombs and Shells that got landed there( actually the Rubble caused made it a better Defensive Position ) Main lesson that this Battle could give the Allies. That Air Superiority and Massive ordnance advantage means dick squat if the Defensive Position is right,
 
It showed that fighting in mainland Italy is a bad idea. It also showed that Mark Clark was a moron who wasted men... the Germans where outnumed 2.5 to 1 and still held them off far longer than they should have
 
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