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With the Allies being held up in southern Italy by The Gustav Line, near the end of 1943, Gen. Mark Clark decides to do an end run. The force of British and American troops, led by Gen. John Lucas, will land just south of Rome. However, the Allies have few facts to go on and will be caught off guard by the number of troops Field Marshal Albert Kesselring will throw at the tiny beach head at Anzio.
Gen. von Manstein is sent north to capture Leningrad. But days before his attack is launched, the Soviets launch their own. And the results of this battle will be felt all the way to Stalingrad.
The German 17th Army on the Taman peninsula is bending, but not breaking. Then the Soviets realize, they don’t have to win, just hold. For events at Kursk will decide the fate of the Caucasus.
With the building up of troops on the Taman Peninsula, the Germans realize they need an all out attack to drive the enemy back into the Black Sea. Thus Operation Neptune is born. Yet as the Germans look into their cupboard for reserves, they are shocked by what they...
