The rock of Anzio
Subtitle: from Sicily to Dachau, a history of the 45th Infantry Division
By: Flint Whitlock.
Publisher: Westview Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group; Basic Books; Westview Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Boulder, Colo
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 479
ISBN-13: 9780813333991
Subjects: United States. Army. Infantry Division, 45th -- History; World War, 1939-1945 -- Regimental histories -- United States
Description: Anzio was one of the greatest battles of World War II - a desperate gamble to land a large amphibious force behind German lines in Italy in the hope that the war could be shortened by capturing Rome. It also turned out to be one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. military history. Allied forces quickly found themselves trapped on the beachhead, forced to endure unimaginable hardships, and subjected to four months of constant German attacks.

While the Germans decimated most of the Allied units at Anzio, they threw their strongest efforts against one American division - the 45th Infantry Division. The 45th was a National Guard unit made up of "citizen soldiers" from the Southwest, including thousands of Native Americans.

Through sheer determination and against overwhelming odds the 45th Division "Thunderbirds" saved the beachhead at Anzio from annihilation, just as they had done at Salerno six months earlier, breaking the back of the German onslaught. Eight members of the 45th - including the first three Native Americans so honored - earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for the division's 511 days of combat.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 445-450) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Ancient spirits, 1846-1943; title: Those malign gray slopes, 10 July-8 September 1943; title: That despondent shore, 9-14 September 1943; title: Heavy and accursed rain, 19 September 1943-21 January 1944; title: Dangerous waters, 22 January-2 February 1944; title: The stream of blood, 2-15 February 1944; title: The rush of jousts, 16 February 1944; title: Abandon every hope, 17-18 February 1944; title: City of flaming red, 19-23 February 1944; title: Any respite seemed unsuited, 24 February-22 May 1944; title: Leave this savage wilderness, 22 May-30 June 1944; title: Dreadful minos stands, 1 July 1944-28 April 1945; title: To the eternal dark, 29 April-7 May 1945; title: Epilogue : Things of beauty