Rome – “Remembrance is not merely an exercise in historical memory. It is what strengthens our identity and the historical relationships of our foreign policy, born from the sacrifice of thousands of young men who crossed the ocean to defend the rule of law, freedom, and democracy. It is thanks to their sacrifice that Italy today is a free and democratic country, firmly committed to the European Union.”
These were the words of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking on January 22 at the commemorations in Anzio and Nettuno marking the 82nd anniversary of the Allied landings on the Lazio coast.

During the night of January 21–22, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Shingle, landing at Anzio and Nettuno in what the renowned American historian Samuel Eliot Morison famously described as “Churchill’s child.” At the time, the situation along the German defensive “Gustav Line” - stretching from Ortona through Cassino to the mouth of the Garigliano River - had become critical. Allied troops were unable to break through the entrenched German resistance.

The plan to land behind enemy lines and march on Rome received decisive backing from Winston Churchill, who pressed the Allied command to proceed with the operation despite strong reservations from the American leadership. U.S. commanders feared the mission would prove extremely difficult, given the limited resources available. Many landing craft had already been redeployed from the Mediterranean after the Salerno landings in September 1943 and sent to other theaters, including the war against Japan.

Operation Shingle began with the landing of two divisions — one American and one British, transferred from the Cassino front and placed under the command of General Mark Clark, head of the U.S. Fifth Army. The initial objective was to seize the Alban Hills and then advance toward Rome along the historic Appian Way.

However, German resistance was far stronger than British planners of the 15th Army Group, led by General Harold Alexander, had anticipated, just as the Americans had feared. Fighting to secure and defend the Anzio–Nettuno beachhead dragged on for more than four months, forcing the Allies to commit additional troops until their strength grew to seven divisions.

Only in late May, after the breakthrough at Cassino, were Allied forces finally able to advance in a pincer movement, pushing forward from Anzio as well. On June 4, they entered Rome, liberating the Italian capital and marking the triumphal arrival of General Clark.