What do you think?
Rate this book
Backwater War
s/t: The Allied Campaign in Italy 1943-45
A year before the much-heralded second front was opened in Normandy in 1944, the Allies waged a campaign in Sicily and Italy--an assault that was marked by intra-Allied argument and dissent from beginning to end. This is the story of the "backwater war" that resulted: a fierce, drawn-out campaign that began with the invasion of Sicily, continued with the landings at Salerno and Anzio in Italy, and included the controversial bombing of Monte Cassino.
A year before the much-heralded second front was opened in Normandy in 1944, the Allies waged a campaign in Sicily and Italy--an assault that was marked by intra-Allied argument and dissent from beginning to end. This is the story of the "backwater war" that resulted: a fierce, drawn-out campaign that began with the invasion of Sicily, continued with the landings at Salerno and Anzio in Italy, and included the controversial bombing of Monte Cassino.
About the Author:
Edwin P. Hoyt, a historian and veteran of World War II, has written more than 150 books, including Guadalcanal (0812885635), Inferno (1568331495), and The Last Kamikaze (0275940675). His work has appeared in the Denver Post, Collier's, American Heritage, and CBS News.
- GenresHistoryMilitary History
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2002
18 people want to read
About the author
Edwin P. Hoyt
237 books29 followersEdwin P. Hoyt was a prolific American writer who specialized in military history. He was born in Portland, Oregon to the publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 31, 2025
not enough spice Imo
July 6, 2024
The war in Italy often takes a backseat to the campaign in France after 1944. I feel part of the reason is because it was so much less successful and sensational, there were no sweeping advances and great victories in Italy.
Here it's called the backwater war, but elsewhere it has been called the sideshow war, or the forgotten war, and so on.
Hoyt offers a solid concise account of the Italian Campaign, including the invasion of Sicily.
His approach is in conformity with the traditional interpretation of events, focussing on such controversies as the rivalry between Patton and Montgomery in Sicily, Montgomery's cautious fighting style, the controversy over Anzio and Clark's decision to take Rome, the question of Monte Cassino, while also including much information on Kesselring and Vietinghoff.
Interesting, if brief, details are provided about the 10th Mountain Division, while we learn the standard account of how the Allies broke the Gothic Line and ultimately defeated the Germans in Italy.
Much of what Hoyt says has been challenged by more recent scholars, such as regarding Clark on the taking of Rome. Some suggest he couldn't have cut the Germans off anyway. Historians like Carlo d'Este challenge the traditional narrative of Patton and Montgomery butting heads and committing errors in Sicily, while Michael Howard has led the argument against the idea of a British way of war, and Churchill's alleged emphasis on the Mediterranean over France.
This last argument Hoyt frequently raises, suggesting that Churchill and the British were determined to derail the American strategy for France and push for an operation in the Balkans, to forestall the Russian advance in that region.
These conclusions have all been reexamined in the last decades, but Hoyt is a useful starting point in getting a handle on the questions and what the traditional views have been. It is very detailed in particular operations, such as river crossings or assaults on mountain lines, despite it's short length.
Here it's called the backwater war, but elsewhere it has been called the sideshow war, or the forgotten war, and so on.
Hoyt offers a solid concise account of the Italian Campaign, including the invasion of Sicily.
His approach is in conformity with the traditional interpretation of events, focussing on such controversies as the rivalry between Patton and Montgomery in Sicily, Montgomery's cautious fighting style, the controversy over Anzio and Clark's decision to take Rome, the question of Monte Cassino, while also including much information on Kesselring and Vietinghoff.
Interesting, if brief, details are provided about the 10th Mountain Division, while we learn the standard account of how the Allies broke the Gothic Line and ultimately defeated the Germans in Italy.
Much of what Hoyt says has been challenged by more recent scholars, such as regarding Clark on the taking of Rome. Some suggest he couldn't have cut the Germans off anyway. Historians like Carlo d'Este challenge the traditional narrative of Patton and Montgomery butting heads and committing errors in Sicily, while Michael Howard has led the argument against the idea of a British way of war, and Churchill's alleged emphasis on the Mediterranean over France.
This last argument Hoyt frequently raises, suggesting that Churchill and the British were determined to derail the American strategy for France and push for an operation in the Balkans, to forestall the Russian advance in that region.
These conclusions have all been reexamined in the last decades, but Hoyt is a useful starting point in getting a handle on the questions and what the traditional views have been. It is very detailed in particular operations, such as river crossings or assaults on mountain lines, despite it's short length.
February 11, 2025
A Quick History of War in Italy. Some editorial errors and misspellings detracted from the story. No earth shattering insights provided but good general history of war in Italy.
March 10, 2025
dull read
occasionally interesting bits
occasionally interesting bits
March 11, 2017
Hoyt's prose is error ridden and sloppy. Many basic facts are incorrect (3rd Panzer Division was not in Italy) and the research is poor. 90% of the book is from the Allied point of view.
April 5, 2014
This short overview of the Allied campaign in Italy is no where near as good as other volumes on the subject including Rick Atkinsons Day of Battle, or Mark Zeuhkle's volumes on Ortona, Liri, Gothic Line and Operation Husky.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews