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{{Short description|1944 battle of World War II in Cisterna, Italy}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Battle of Cisterna
|partof = the [[Battle of Anzio]] in the [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian campaign]] of the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Medditerreanean theatre of World War II]]
|image =
|caption =
|date = 30 January–2 February 1944
|place = [[Cisterna di Latina|Cisterna]], [[Anzio|Anzio beachhead]], [[Italy]]
|coordinates={{coord|41.591431|N|12.828785|E|source:Bharatdata|display=inline}}
|result = German victory
|combatant1 = {{flag|United States|1912}}
|combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
|commander1 = [[Mark W. Clark|Mark Wayne Clark]] [[John P. Lucas]] [[William Orlando Darby]]
|commander2 = [[Eberhard von Mackensen]] [[Traugott Herr]]
|units1 = [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]] [[504th Infantry Regiment (United States)|504th Parachute Infantry Regiment]] [[6615th Ranger Force]]<ref name="LCcombatants">Lloyd Clark (2006), pp. 118 & 137</ref>
|units2 = Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Batallion
[[Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring|1st Paratroop Panzer Division]] [[33rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|15th Panzergrenadier Division]] (elements) [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]] (elements) 
Reinforcements: [[71st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|71st Infantry Division]] [[23rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|26th Panzer Division]]<ref name="LCcombatants"/><ref>Lamson (1948), pp. 27 - 35</ref>
|casualties1 = 311 killed 450 POWs '''761 Casualties'''<ref name="Zaloga S. 2005, p. 44">Zaloga S. (2005), p. 44</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gerolymatos |first1=André |title=An International Civil War: Greece, 1943-1949 |date=25 October 2016 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-18230-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RZsqDQAAQBAJ&q=cisterna&pg=PA355 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Henderson |first1=Horace Edward |title=The Greatest Blunders of World War II: How Errors Mistakes and Blunders Determined Victory Or Defeat |date=August 2001 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=978-0-595-16267-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8-ZmVU_iRcgC&q=cisterna&pg=PA326 |language=en|quote=p.326}}</ref>
|casualties2 = 400 Casualties<ref name="Zaloga S. 2005, p. 44">Zaloga S. (2005), p. 44</ref>
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Italy}}
{{Campaignbox Winter Line}}
}}

The '''Battle of Cisterna''' took place during [[World War II]], on 30 January–2 February 1944, near [[Cisterna di Latina|Cisterna]], [[Italy]], as part of the [[Battle of Anzio]], part of the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]]. The battle was a clear [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German]] victory which also had repercussions on the employment of [[United States Army Rangers|U.S. Army Rangers]] that went beyond the immediate tactical and strategic results of the [[battle]].

During this battle, the [[1st Ranger Battalion (United States)|1st]], [[3rd Ranger Battalion (United States)|3rd]], and [[4th Ranger Battalion (United States)|4th]] U.S. Army Ranger [[battalion]]s, the 83rd [[Chemical mortar battalion|Chemical Mortar Battalion]], and the [[509th Infantry Regiment (United States)|509th Parachute Infantry Battalion]], which had been brigaded as the [[6615th Ranger Force|6615th Ranger Force (Provisional)]] commanded by [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[William Orlando Darby|William O. Darby]], were assigned to support the renewal of an attack by [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[Lucian Truscott]]'s [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]], which had previously failed to take Cisterna from 25 to 27 January. The 3rd Division's attack was part of a large offensive by Major General [[John P. Lucas|John Lucas]]'s [[VI Corps (United States)|U.S. VI Corps]] to break out of the Anzio beachhead before German reinforcements could arrive and concentrate for a counterattack.

==Background==
[[File:Battle of Cisterna Plan.jpg|thumb|300px|left|[[Allies of World War II|Allied]] plan of attack and force dispositions at Cisterna 30 January 1944.]]

On 22 January 1944, the Allies launched [[Battle of Anzio|Operation Shingle]], the [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious landing]] by the [[United States Army|U.S.]] and [[British Army|British]] [[Division (military)|divisions]] of [[VI Corps (United States)|U.S. VI Corps]] in the area of [[Anzio]] and [[Nettuno]]. This was designed to unhinge the formidable [[Wehrmacht|German]] [[Winter Line|Gustav Line]] defenses some {{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the southeast which had been under attack from the south by the other three [[corps]] (one British, one French and one U.S.) of [[Mark W. Clark|Mark Clark]]'s [[United States Army North|United States Fifth Army]] since 16 January in the first [[Battle of Monte Cassino]]. Following the landings, which had been virtually unopposed, [[John P. Lucas]]—the VI Corps commander—had chosen a cautious strategy of consolidating the [[beachhead]] and building up his force strength, which also allowed time for the Germans to reinforce their defensive positions. By 29 January, there were 69,000 men in the beachhead but the Germans had also had time to react and move 71,500 troops to face them.<ref>Lloyd Clark (2006), pp. 134 & 136</ref>

On 31 January, Lucas launched a two-pronged attack. The main attack, by [[History of the British 1st Division during the World Wars|British 1st Infantry Division]], was to advance northeast up the Via Anziate toward Campoleone and the [[Alban Hills]]. In a secondary simultaneous attack, a [[United States Army Rangers|Ranger]] force was to infiltrate Cisterna and clear the Conca - Cisterna road during the night preparatory to an attack in the morning by [[15th Infantry Regiment (United States)|15th Infantry Regiment]] on the town and supporting attacks by [[504th Infantry Regiment (United States)|504th Parachute Infantry Regiment]] on their right and [[7th Infantry Regiment (United States)|7th Infantry Regiment]] on their left. 7th Infantry was to cut Route 7, the main supply line to the [[10th Army (Wehrmacht)|German Tenth Army]] on the Gustav Line, at [[Cassino]].

However, the plan had been based on the misinterpretation of reconnaissance intelligence, which had concluded that the main line of German resistance was behind Cisterna. In fact, the Wehrmacht had designated Cisterna as an assembly area for its reserve divisions and had begun moving units into the area. Although a Polish conscript in the German Army had deserted to the U.S. lines immediately before the attack, warning of the buildup, the message was not relayed promptly and the attack proceeded as planned.
The Rangers, who expected to encounter a line of thinly-held outposts advanced unknowingly towards a large enemy force.<ref>King (1985) Ch. 4</ref>

Contrary to their designated function as an elite raiding force, the Rangers had been involved in much of the front line fighting around the Anzio beachhead. Ranger casualties meant many replacements were recruits who lacked the experience and quality of training of the original members. The growing presence of green troops in an otherwise skilled force degraded its ability to conduct successful infiltration and night operations.

==Battle==
The [[1st Ranger Battalion (United States)|1st]] and [[3rd Ranger Battalion (United States)|3rd Ranger Battalions]]—preceding the main attack by the [[4th Ranger Battalion (United States)|4th Ranger Battalion]] and the 3rd Battalion, [[15th Infantry Regiment (United States)|15th Infantry Regiment]]—attempted a night infiltration behind German lines into the town of Cisterna. Their objective was to seize the town in a surprise attack and hold it until the main attack came through.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://specialoperationshistory.info/omeka/items/show/71 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130702112058/http://specialoperationshistory.info/omeka/items/show/71 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 July 2013 |title=Interview with Private Harry Perlmutter, Part I |work=Special Operations History Foundation |access-date=26 April 2013 }}</ref>

The two battalions—totaling 767 men and supported by a platoon of 43 men of the 3rd Reconnaissance Troop—moved out at 01:30 and moved in the darkness along a drainage ditch (Mussolini Canal) in column formation. Although they were able to bypass numerous German positions, at first light they were still short of their objective and needed to cross open ground for the final portion of the approach. At this point the Rangers were attacked by strong German forces of the [[715th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|715th Infantry Division]] and [[Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring|Hermann Göring Panzer Division]], including at least seventeen German [[Panzer IV]] [[tank]]s. According to the Army history of the operation, the infiltration movement had apparently been discovered and an ambush prepared.

The 1st Battalion commander—Major Dobson—personally knocked out one tank by shooting the commander with his pistol, climbing atop the tank, and dropping a white phosphorus grenade down the hatch.{{sfn|Atkinson|2007|p=391}} Two other tanks were captured by Rangers, but then knocked out by other Rangers who did not know they had been captured. Despite fierce fighting, there was little chance of success once the Rangers were attacked on the open ground. German units put Ranger prisoners in front of their tanks and commanded other Rangers to surrender.{{sfn|Atkinson|2007|p=392}} Over 700 POWs were captured.

===Attempted relief of the Rangers===
The main assault also jumped off, now attempting to rescue the trapped battalions. Led by the 4th Ranger Battalion, it encountered serious opposition and failed to break through. However, the overall attack—which also included an attack by the [[7th Infantry Regiment (United States)|7th Infantry Regiment]] and [[504th Parachute Infantry Regiment]]s—did push the Allied lines forward {{convert|3|mi|km|abbr=on}} on a {{convert|7|mi|km|abbr=on}} wide front on 31 January and 1 February, although failing to achieve the desired breakthrough and Cisterna was to remain in German hands until May 1944. However, German counterattacks on 1–2 February—conducted by the Hermann Göring Panzer and [[71st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|71st Infantry Divisions]]—failed to recapture any of the ground from the Allies and suffered severe casualties.

==Aftermath==
Later intelligence revealed that the American efforts had helped "spike"{{vague|date=December 2022}} the planned German counter-attack on the Allied forces at Anzio.<ref>Cawthorne, Nigel, '' The Mammoth Book of Inside the Elite Forces'', Robinson, 2008 {{ISBN|1845298217}} {{ISBN|978-1845298210}}</ref>

Gen Lucas' employment of the lightly armed Rangers to spearhead the attack was heavily criticized. The shattered Ranger forces within Italy were subsequently disbanded, and as many as four-hundred surviving Rangers served as replacements in the US/Canadian [[First Special Service Force]], an elite raiding force in need of qualified replacements.

[[William O. Darby]] had commanded the American Ranger Force during the battle. When the 179th Infantry Regiment of the [[45th Infantry Division (United States)|45th Infantry Division]] was nearly overrun on 18 February during the major German attempt to take out the beachhead, Darby was sent to take command and hold the ground. Darby later was assistant division commander of the [[10th Mountain Division (United States)|10th Mountain Division]]. He was killed in action on 30 April 1945, and was the only U.S. officer honored with a posthumous promotion to General during World War II.

A fictionalized account of the battle was depicted in the motion picture ''[[Anzio (film)|Anzio]]'' (1968) and at the end of the film ''[[Darby's Rangers]]'' (1958).

==See also==
* ''[[Cisterna di Latina]]''
* [[Ivor Parry Evans]]

==References==
* {{cite book|last1=Atkinson|first1=Rick|title=The Day of Battle|date=2007|publisher=Picador|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8050-8861-8}}
* {{cite book | first=Lloyd |last=Clark | title=Anzio: The Friction of War. Italy and the Battle for Rome 1944 | publisher=Headline Publishing Group, London | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-7553-1420-1}}
* {{cite book | first=Dr Michael J.|last=King| url=http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/king.pdf| title=Rangers: Selected Combat Operations in WWII | series=Leavenworth Papers No.11| publisher=US Army Command and General Staff College|location=Leavenworth, Ks| year=1985| orig-year=1985| chapter=Chapter 4}}
* {{cite book| first1=Maj. Roy, Jr.| last1=Lamson| last2=Conn| first2=Dr. Stetson| url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/anziobeach/anzio-fm.htm| title=Anzio 22 January - 22 May 1944| publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]]| location=Washington, D.C.| year=1990| orig-year=1948| series=American Forces in Action Series| id=CMH Pub 100-10| access-date=29 June 2010| archive-date=4 June 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604011943/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/anziobeach/anzio-fm.htm| url-status=dead}}
* {{cite book | first=Clayton D. | last=Laurie | url=http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm | title=Anzio 1944 | publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]] | location=Washington | series=WWII Campaigns | id=CMH Pub 72-19 | access-date=1 July 2010 | archive-date=23 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523075358/http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm | url-status=dead }}
* {{cite book | first=Zaloga |last=Steven| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dfzgfd29qRIC&q=400&pg=PA22| title=Anzio 1944: The Beleaguered Beachhead | publisher= Osprey Publishing| location=Washington|series= WWII Campaigns|date=20 February 2013|isbn=9781472800169}}

==External links==
* [http://darbysrangers.tripod.com/id6.htm Battle of Cisterna at Darby's Rangers website]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Cisterna}}
[[Category:World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign|Cisterna]]
[[Category:1944 in Italy]]
[[Category:January 1944 events]]
[[Category:February 1944 events]]
[[Category:Germany–United States military relations]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving the United States|Cisterna]]

Battle of Cisterna - Revision history

Bot at 00:34, 18 December 2022