This Day in American History: The Allied Invasion of Sicily (July 10, 1943)
This Day in American History: July 10, 1943
Before dawn on this day in 1943, the largest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen hit the beaches of Sicily. More than 150,000 American, British, and Canadian troops, backed by 3,000 ships and 4,000 aircraft, stormed ashore under General Dwight D. Eisenhower's overall command. It was the Allies' first foothold on Axis home soil, and the opening move in knocking fascist Italy out of the war for good.
American and British troops landing near Gela, Sicily Higgins boats and a Sherman tank on Sicily General Patton instructing troops on Sicily US 45th Infantry Division in liberated Messina
The Allies got a lucky break before the first boot hit the sand. A violent storm the night before nearly scrubbed the operation, but it also convinced Axis commanders that no sane commander would attempt a landing in such weather. That, combined with a brilliant deception operation involving a corpse, fake papers, and a fictional invasion of Greece, left Sicily defended by just two German divisions when General George S. Patton's Seventh Army and General Bernard Montgomery's Eighth Army came ashore.
Restored color footage above brings the beachhead to life, from the landing craft churning through the surf to the dust and wreckage inland.
It wasn't a walkover. At Gela, American Rangers and infantry ran straight into a counterattack by German Tiger tanks and Italian armor, and only naval gunfire from cruisers offshore held the line. Within days, though, the beachhead was secure and the Allies were pushing inland toward Palermo and Messina.
The shockwaves reached Rome fast. Within two weeks, Benito Mussolini was deposed and arrested, ending two decades of fascist rule in Italy. Thirty-eight days after the landings, the last Axis troops were driven off the island. Sicily became the training ground for the amphibious tactics the Allies would use less than a year later on the beaches of Normandy, and the first proof that Hitler's Fortress Europe could be cracked open from the south.
Sicily was the dress rehearsal for D-Day. Come back tomorrow to see what else happened on July 11 throughout American history.
Also on this day
1509: Reformer John Calvin was born in France, going on to shape Protestant theology across Europe.
1850: Millard Fillmore was sworn in as the 13th U.S. President after Zachary Taylor's sudden death in office.
1890: Wyoming joined the Union as the 44th state, having already granted women full voting rights years ahead of the rest of the country.
1943: Tennis great Arthur Ashe was born.
1962: Telstar 1 launched, ushering in the era of live transatlantic television and phone signals.
1980: Pop singer Jessica Simpson was born.
Sources: HISTORY.com, The National WWII Museum, and archival footage via YouTube
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