This course explores five central themes, some from the Italian perspective, others from the Canadian and the vast multi-national ‘United Nations’ alliance that included Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Free Poland and France, New Zealand, Brazil, Greece as well as what later became Israel, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The opposing German view is also critical. All of these nations left traces of their wartime experience in Italy, which participants will explore and consider.
Follow the program as participants visit memorial sites and battlegrounds, discuss questions and tensions surrounding daily seminar topics, take in local culture, and consider how to bring this all back to their daily lives.
Follow the program as participants visit memorial sites and battlegrounds, discuss questions and tensions surrounding daily seminar topics, take in local culture, and consider how to bring this all back to their daily lives.
Day 1 (May 6): Orientation in Rome.
Day 2 (May 7): Origins of Modern Italy and Fascism. Day 3 (May 8): Salerno-Paestum via the Ardeatine Caves. Day 4 (May 9): Operation Avalanche Strategic and Operational Plans; D- Day landings; the advance inland; German counter-offensive, and struggle for Alta Villa heights. Day 5 (May 10): Civil War and resistance in Naples; The Port of Naples – supplying a war from across the sea. Day 6 (May 11): Ortona via the Biferno Valley in Campobasso; The Adriatic Coast, via Sangro River Commonwealth War Cemetery. Day 7 (May 12): Canadians at the Moro River; Indians and New Zealanders at Orsogna; Struggle for the Gully; Casa Berardi, and Cider Crossroads Day 8 (May 13): Walking tour of the Ortona urban battlefield; Ortona War Museum; Church of Santa Maria di Constantinopli; Moro River Canadian War Cemetery. |
Day 9 (May 14): Cassino via Sangro River
Valley; Castel di Sangro, Hill 1009; the Gustav Line through Venafro to Cassino. Day 10 (May 15): Monte della Difensa; Monte Lungo; San Pietro; The Battles for Cassino; Abbey of Monte Cassino; Polish Cemetery. Day 11 (May 16): 4th Battle for Cassino, May 1944; 1st Canadian Corps and the Hitler Line; the Melfa River; Cassino Commonwealth War Cemetery. Day 12 (May 17): Pursuit through central Italy to the Gothic Line; Pesaro. Day 13 (May 18): Rest day in Pesaro. Day 14 (May 19): Allied and German Strategy in Italy after the Battle of Normandy; Gothic Line outposts in the ‘Red’ Line; Closing up to Green Line I; Montecchio Canadian War Cemetery. Day 15 (May 20): Battle for the main Gothic Line - Green Line I; Tomba di Pesaro; Gradara Canadian War Cemetery. |
Day 16 (May 21): Battle for Gemmano -
Coriano Ridge, Green Line II; Desperate Struggle on San Martino-San Lorenzo Ridge. Day 17 (May 22): Battle of Rimini; Climax at San Fortunato Ridge; Coriano War Cemetery. Day 18 (May 23): Battle for the Rivers, Lamone Crossing; Canadian Finale at Lake Commachio; Villanova and Ravenna Commonwealth War Cemeteries. Day 19 (May 24): Bologna - partisan uprising. Day 20 (May 25): The experience on Monte Sole; SS/Blackshirt Response and the final spring of 1945: The End of the War in Italy. Day 21 (May 26): Return to Rome, via Futa Pass, and Florence US Cemetery. |