Fatal Decision Anzio and the Battle for Rome

by Carlo D'Este

Fatal Decision is a powerful, dramatic, moving, and ultimately definitive narrative of one of the most desperate campaigns of World War II. In the winter of 1943-44, Anzio, a small Mediterranean resort and port some thirty-five miles south of Rome, played a crucial role in the fortunes of World War II as the target of an amphibious Allied landing. The Allies planned to bypass the strong German defenses along the Gustav Line and at Monte Cassino sixty miles to the southeast, which were holding up the American and British armies and preventing the liberation of Rome. By taking advantage of Allied command of the sea and air to effect complete surprise, infantry and armored forces landing at Anzio on January 22 were expected to secure the beachhead and then push inland to cut off the two main highways and railroads supplying the German forces to the south, either trapping and annihilating the German armies or forcing them to withdraw to the north, thus opening the way to Rome. But the reality of one of the most desperate campaigns of World War II was bad management, external meddling, poorly relayed orders, and uncertain leadership. The Anzio beachhead became a death trap, with Allied troops forced to fight for their lives for four dreadful months. The eventual victory in May 1944 was muted, bitter, and overshadowed by the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6. Mixing flawless research, drama, and combat with a brilliant narrative voice, Fatal Decision is one of the best histories ever written of a World War II military campaign.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military History, Military Fiction, Italy, War

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

Carlo D'Este retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1978, having served overseas in Germany, Vietnam, and England. Born in Oakland, California, he received his B.A. from Norwich University and his M.A. from the University of Richmond and an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Norwich in 1992.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire Italian campaign in World War II was something of a strategic mistake, and it reached it's nadir when, with the allied offensive stalled at Monte Cassino, Churchill conceived the amphibious attack that would supposedly turn the Germans out of the Cassino position and help liberate Rome. Instead, the result was a 5 month-long stalemate and one of the most wretched campaigns in the West: the battles in the Anzio bridgehead. To make matters worse, when the allies finally broke out, US General Mark Clarke - something of an egomaniac - ordered his 5th Army not to cut off and destroy the German forces but rather liberate Rome for reasons of prestige. D'Este does his usual thorough and engaging job describing the campaigns, the personalities involved and the experiences of the soldiers who fought in the horrible battles in the bridgehead and around Cassino. An excellent study of a somewhat fruitless and frustrating campaign.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

D'Este sets a standard that modern historians of WW2 should aim for. This is a very clear, concise treatment of an operation that was misbegotten and and misguided from the start. The brainchild of Churchill and tasked to competent by second string generals, Anzio is a battle of many "what if's". What if the allies allotted enough manpower to overcome the Germans? What if General Mark Clark had followed his commander's orders and cut off the German line of retreat once the break through was underway? For months, this battle resembled the trench warfare of WW1. Neither side had enough men or resources to bring it to conclusion. Like most military histories, maps are few and hard to read. The internet offers plenty to choose from.

D'Este's summary is a masterpiece of analysis, footnotes are plenteous and interesting, and he captures the personalities of the leaders and the experience of the rank and file expertly. Highly recommended.

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest disappointment about this e-book is the low production standards by Harper Collins. The quality of the maps are poor. They are obviously images from a printed edition, and they do not enlarge with clarity. There are also a number of transposition errors that I found distracting.

The book itself is fine, but I struggled through parts. Unlike D’Este’s studies of Normandy and Sicily, this book was difficult for me to to read. I expect the static nature of the Anzio campaign bogged me down. However, the author’s thorough examination of the campaign, and his insights into logistics and politics are informative. He is critical of many of the commanders, especially Mark Clark.

[Iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the campaign it covers, this can be a bit of a slog and tends to drag at times, but D'Este's coverage and insights are as engaging as ever. I wanted to know more about this campaign and (with the exception of Atkinson) I can't see anyone covering it better than D'Este.

And yes, it took me four months to read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well-written and interesting account of the Anzio campaign and what led up to it. Detailed but not so much that it drags, despite the length. This one IS memorable because the battle is memorable -- a screwy situation made worse by bad leadership. Let's give it 4.49 stars.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting narrative of Italian campaign in WWII. It reveals interesting details about decision making and the command structure in Anzio and on the liberation of Rome. However its focus is more on American troops in general and British troops in Anzio. It leaves out the French and the Pole. It portraits General Clark, commanding US fifth Army, most unfavorably, describing him as an attention seeker who sacrificed opportunity after opportunity to encircle and to annihilate German 10th and 14th Armies just to be the general liberator of Rome. I wonder what an American historian would say on the topic. The author is critical of Alexander as well and his handling of challenges facing allies in Anzio and in Monte Cassino. Overall an interesting book to read but too many military detailed and not much about other aspects of campaign in Italy. I would not put it on must read, must know list.

[Bruinrefugee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, detailed look at the Anzio beach landings in World War II and all that surrounded it. There's a better mix of information about what was going on at ground-level as well as amongst the corridors of power than in his Normandy book. The happenings around Cassino are intertwined although at a higher level of generality.

[Bill V · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an alright book. I was surprised that it focused so heavily on Operation Shingle and Anzio. Despite the subtitle, I was hoping for more coverage on Salerno (Operation Avalanche) and the battles around Cassino.

[JerryDeanHalleck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the best narrative history of the battle for Anzio. Objective, well written, and free of either Pro-british or Anti-british Bias. The Gold standard on the battle. For the sosphicated reader, not a "Gott in Himmel, a bayonet in the gut" book.

[Nick Crisanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read! That battles in Italy definitely sound like the worst of the war and Carlo D'Este brings them to life.