text:
Annulment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Family law
Family
Marriage and other
equivalent or similar unions and status
Marriage
Types of marriages
Prenuptial agreement
Cohabitation
Concubinage
Common-law marriage
Civil union
Domestic partnership
Validity of marriages
Void and Voidable marriages
Annulment
Dissolution of marriages
Divorce
Adultery
Grounds for divorce
No-fault divorce
Matrimonial Causes Act
Legal separation
Alimony
Parenting plan
Residence [UK (E.W. and NI)]
Parental rights
Custody Evaluator (U.S.)
Parenting coordinator (U.S.)
Other issues
Paternity
Legitimacy
Child custody
Legal guardian
Adoption
Child support
Contact & visitation
CAFCASS [UK (E.W.)]
Grandparent visitation
U.N. Rights of the Child
Children's rights
Emancipation
Foster care
Ward
Parental child abduction
Private international law
Private international law
Divorce
Marriage
Hague Convention (adoption)
International child abduction
Hague Convention (child abduction)
Hague Convention (maintenance)
Family and criminal code
(or criminal law)
Paternity fraud
Bigamy
CPS (U.S.)
Child abuse
Domestic violence
Incest
Child-selling
v
t
e
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void.[1] Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place (though some jurisdictions provide that the marriage is only void from the date of the annulment; for example, this is the case in section 12 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 in England and Wales[2]). In legal terminology, an annulment makes a void marriage or a voidable marriage null.[3]
Contents
[hide]
1 Void vs voidable marriage
2 Christianity
2.1 Anglicanism
2.2 Catholicism
2.3 Methodism
3 Islam
4 United States
4.1 State of New York
4.2 State of Nevada
5 England and Wales
6 Australia
7 France
8 Multiple annulments
9 Controversies
10 See also
11 Notes
12 External links
Void vs voidable marriage[edit]
A difference exists between a void marriage and a voidable marriage .
A void marriage is a marriage which has no legal recognition (was not legally valid in the first place, i.e. is void ab initio). Such a marriage is automatically null, although a declaration of nullity is required to establish this. The process of obtaining a declaration of nullity is similar to an annulment process. Despite its retroactive nature, children born before an annulment are considered legitimate in many countries. Reasons for a void marriage may include, depending on jurisdiction, consanguinity (incestual marriage), bigamy, group marriage, child marriage.[4][5]
A voidable marriage is a marriage which can be canceled at the option of one of the parties. It is a valid marriage, but is subject to cancellation if contested in court by one of the parties to the marriage. The validity of a voidable marriage can only be made by one of the parties to the marriage; thus, a voidable marriage cannot be annulled after the death of one of the parties. A marriage can be voidable for a variety of reasons, depending on jurisdiction. Forced/coerced marriages are usually voidable. In countries where marriage law is influenced by religion (especially Roman Catholicism) there can be numerous reasons for a marriage to be voidable (see section below).
The principal difference between a void and voidable marriage is that, in the case of the former, because it is invalid from the beginning, it can be voided ex-officio; while in the case of the latter it is only the spouse himself/herself who can ask for an annulment (in some cases such as if the spouse is a minor or mentally disabled a third party representative such as a parent, legal guardian or child protective service can start an annulment acting as the legal representative of said spouse). These differences are very relevant, because they represent the official policy on issues such as forced marriage for instance: if such marriage is classified legally as void - then the state can cancel it even against the will of the spouses; if it is voidable - then the state cannot act in the absence of an application by a spouse even if the state knows the marriage is forced.[6]
Christianity[edit]
Anglicanism[edit]
The Church of England, the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, historically had the right to grant annulments, while divorces were "only available through an Act of Parliament."[7] Examples in which annulments were granted by the Anglican Church included being under age, having committed fraud, using force, and lunacy.[7]
Catholicism[edit]
Part of a series on the
Jurisprudence of
Catholic canon law
Current law[show]
1983 Code of Canon Law
Omnium in mentem
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Ad tuendam fidem
Ex Corde Ecclesiae
Indulgentiarum Doctrina
Pastor Bonus
Pontificalis Domus
Universi Dominici gregis
Custom
Legal history[show]
1917 Code of Canon Law
Corpus Juris Canonici
Decretist
Regulæ Juris
Decretals of Gregory IX
Decretalist
Decretum Gratiani
Extravagantes
Liber Septimus
Ancient Church Orders
Didache
The Apostolic Constitutions
Canons of the Apostles
Collections of ancient canons
Collectiones canonum Dionysianae
Collectio canonum quadripartita
Collectio canonum Quesnelliana
Collectio canonum Wigorniensis
Other
Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals
Benedictus Deus (Pius IV)
Contractum trinius
Defect of Birth
Oriental law[show]
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Eastern Canonical Reforms of Pius XII
Nomocanon
Archeparchy
Eparchy
Liturgical law[show]
Ecclesia Dei
Mysterii Paschalis
Sacrosanctum Concilium
Musicam Sacram
Summorum Pontificum
Tra le sollecitudini
Sacramental law[show]
Canon 844
Ex opere operato
Omnium in mentem
Valid but illicit
Holy Orders
Impediment (canon law)
Abstemius
Clerical celibacy (Catholic Church)
Nullity of Sacred Ordination
Dimissorial letters
Approbation
Confession
Apostolic Penitentiary
Complicit absolution
Canon penitentiary
Internal forum
Paenitentiale Theodori
Penitential canons
Seal of the Confessional
Eucharist
Eucharistic discipline
Canon 915
Matrimonial law[show]
Affinity
Banns of Marriage
Declaration of Nullity
Matrimonial Nullity Trial Reforms of Pope Francis
Defender of the Bond
Impediments to Marriage
Impediment of crime
Disparity of Cult
Ligamen
Matrimonial Dispensation
ratum sed non consummatum
Natural Marriage
Pauline privilege
Petrine privilege
Trials and tribunals[show]
Tribunals
Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Tribunal of the Roman Rota
Apostolic Penitentiary
Tribunal Officers
Judicial Vicar/Officialis
Auditor
Advocatus Diaboli
Defender of the Bond
Tribunal Procedure
Appeal as from an abuse
Presumption
Canonical structures[show]
Particular churches
Particular churches sui juris
Latin Church
Eastern Catholic Churches
Local particular churches
Abbacy nullius
Abbot nullius
Apostolic vicariate
Apostolic vicar
Apostolic administration
Apostolic administrator
Archdiocese
Diocese
Cathedraticum
Archeparchy
Eparchy
Deanery
Vicar forane
Military ordinariate
Mission sui juris
Personal ordinariate
Anglicanorum Coetibus
Personal Prelature
Juridic persons
Parish
Roman Curia
Dicastery
Congregation
Pontifical council
Jurisprudence[show]
Canonical coronation
Canonically crowned images
Computation of time
Custom
Delegata potestas non potest delegari
Derogation
Dispensation
Taxa Innocentiana
Indult
Impediment
Interpretation
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
Jurisdiction
Peritus
Obreption & subreption
Obrogation
Promulgation
Resignation of the Roman Pontiff
Sede vacante
Vacatio legis
Valid but illicit
Philosophy, theology, and
fundamental theory[show]
Theology
Ecclesiology
Treatise on Law
Determinatio
Law of persons[show]
Person (canon law)
Canonical age
Canonical faculties
Clerics and public office
Clerical celebacy
Consecrated life
Defect of Birth
Emancipation
Juridic & physical persons
Jus patronatus
Laicization (dispensation)
Canonical documents[show]
Notary (canon law)
Protonotary apostolic
Apostolic constitution
Canon
Concordat
Decree
Decretal
Encyclical
Motu proprio
Ordinance
Papal brief
Papal bull
Penitential
Positive law
Rescript
Penal law[show]
Canon 1324
Canon 1398
Excommunication
Interdict
Internal forum
Laicization (penal)
Latae Sententiae censure
Catholicism portal
v
t
e
Main article: Declaration of nullity
See also: Marriage (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Catholic Church, an annulment is properly called a "Declaration of Nullity", because according to Catholic doctrine, the marriage of baptized persons is a sacrament and, once consummated and thereby confirmed, cannot be dissolved as long as the parties to it are alive. A "Declaration of Nullity" is not dissolution of a marriage, but merely the legal finding that a valid marriage was never contracted. This is analogous to a finding that a contract of sale is invalid, and hence, that the property for sale must be considered to have never been legally transferred into another's ownership. A divorce, on the other hand, is viewed as returning the property after a consummated sale.
The Roman Pontiff may dispense from a marriage ratum sed non consummatum since, having been ratified (ratum) but not consummated (sed non consummatum), it is not absolutely unbreakable. A valid natural marriage is not regarded as a sacrament, however, if at least one of the parties is not baptized. In certain circumstances it can be dissolved in cases of Pauline privilege[8] and Petrine privilege,[9] but only for the sake of the higher good of the spiritual welfare of one of the parties.
The Church holds the exchange of consent between the spouses to be the indispensable element that "makes the marriage". The consent consists in a "human act by which the partners mutually give themselves to each other": "I take you to be my wife" - "I take you to be my husband." This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfillment in the two "becoming one flesh". If consent is lacking there is no marriage. The consent must be an act of the will of each of the contracting parties, free of coercion or grave external fear. No human power can substitute for this consent. If this freedom is lacking the marriage is invalid. For this reason (or for other reasons that render the marriage null and void) the Church, after an examination of the situation by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal, can declare the nullity of a marriage, i.e., that the marriage never existed. In this case the contracting parties are free to marry, provided the natural obligations of a previous union are discharged. -Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1626-1629
Although an annulment is thus a declaration that "the marriage never existed", the Church recognizes that the relationship was a putative marriage, which gives rise to "natural obligations". In canon law, children conceived or born of either a valid or a putative marriage are considered legitimate,[10] and illegitimate children are legitimized by a putative marriage of their parents, as by a valid marriage.[11]
Certain conditions are necessary for the marriage contract to be valid in canon law. Lack of any of these conditions makes a marriage invalid and constitutes legal grounds for a declaration of nullity. Accordingly, apart from the question of diriment impediments dealt with below, there is a fourfold classification of contractual defects: defect of form, defect of contract, defect of willingness, defect of capacity. For annulment, proof is required of the existence of one of these defects, since canon law presumes all marriages are valid until proven otherwise.[12]
Canon law stipulates canonical impediments to marriage. A diriment impediment prevents a marriage from being validly contracted at all and renders the union a putative marriage, while a prohibitory impediment renders a marriage valid but not licit. The union resulting is called a putative marriage. An invalid marriage may be subsequently convalidated, either by simple convalidation (renewal of consent that replaces invalid consent) or by sanatio in radice ("healing in the root", the retroactive dispensation from a diriment impediment). Some impediments may be dispensed from, while those de jure divino (of divine law) may not be dispensed.
In some countries, such as Italy, in which Catholic Church marriages are automatically transcribed to the civil records, a Church declaration of nullity may be granted the exequatur and treated as the equivalent of a civil divorce.
Methodism[edit]
Methodist Theology Today, edited by Clive Marsh, states that:
when ministers say, "I pronounce you husband and wife," they not only announce the wedding—they create it by transforming the bride and groom into a married couple. Legally they are now husband and wife in society. Spiritually, from a sacramental point of view, they are joined together as one in the sight of God. A minute before they say their vows, either can call off the wedding. After they say it, the couple must go through a divorce or annulment to undo the marriage.[13]
Islam[edit]
Faskh means "to annul" in Islam.[3] It is a Sharia-granted procedure to judicially rescind a marriage.[citation needed]
A man does not need grounds to divorce his wife in Islam. To divorce, he can simply invoke Talaq and part with the dower he gave her before marriage; or, he can invoke Lian doctrine in case of adultery, by bringing four witnesses who saw the wife committing adultery (which is almost impossible) or by self-certify and swear by Allah four times, and Sharia requires the court to grant divorce requested by the man.[3][14]
Also, Sharia does grant a Muslim woman simple ways to end her marital relationship and without declaring the reason. Faskh or (kholo) (annulment) doctrine specifies certain situations when a Sharia court can grant her request and annul the marriage.[3][not specific enough to verify]
Grounds for Faskh are:[3][15] (a) irregular marriage (fasid),[16] (b) forbidden marriage (batil),[17] (c) the marriage was contracted by non-Muslim husband who adopted Islam after marriage,[citation needed][18] (d) the husband or wife became an apostate after marriage, (e) husband is unable to consummate the marriage. In each of these cases, the wife must provide four independent witnesses acceptable to the Qadi (religious judge), who has the discretion to declare the evidence unacceptable.[14]
In Sunni Maliki school of jurisprudence (fiqh), cruelty, disease, life-threatening ailment and desertion are additional Sharia approved grounds for the wife or the husband to seek annulment of the marriage.[3] In these cases too, the wife must provide two male witnesses or one male and two female witnesses or in some cases four witnesses,[15] acceptable to the Qadi (religious judge), who has the discretion to declare the evidence unacceptable.[citation needed]
In certain circumstances, an unrelated Muslim can petition a Qadi to void (faskh) the marriage of a Muslim couple who may not want the marriage to end. For example, in case the third party detects apostasy from Islam by either husband or wife (through blasphemy, failure to respect Sharia, or conversion of husband or wife or both from Islam to Christianity, etc.).[15] In cases of apostasy, in addition to annulment of the marriage, the apostate may face additional penalties such as death sentence, imprisonment and civil penalties unless they repent and return to Islam.[19][not specific enough to verify]
United States[edit]
In the United States, the laws governing annulment are different in each state. Although the grounds for seeking an annulment differ, as can factors that may disqualify a person for an annulment, common grounds for annulment include the following:
Marriage between close relatives. States typically prohibit marriages between a parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, or between siblings, and many restrict marriages to first cousins.
Mental incapacity. A person who is not legally capable of consenting to marriage based upon mental illness or incapacity, including incapacity caused by intoxication, may later seek an annulment.
Underage marriage. If one or both spouses are below the legal age to marry, then the marriage is subject to being annulled.
Duress. A person who enters a marriage due to threats or force may later seek an annulment.
Fraud. A spouse is tricked into marrying the other spouse, through the misrepresentation or concealment of important facts about the other spouse, such as a criminal record or infertility.
Bigamy. One spouse was already married at the time of the marriage for which annulment is sought.[20]
For some grounds of annulment, such as concealment of infertility, if after discovering the potential basis for an annulment a couple continues to live together as a married couple, that reason may be deemed forgiven.[20] For underage marriages, annulment must typically be sought while the underage spouse remains a minor, or shortly after that spouse reaches the age of majority, or the issue is deemed waived.[21]
State of New York[edit]
Main article: New York divorce law
New York law provides for: Incestuous and void marriages (DRL §5); Void marriages (DRL §6) Voidable marriages (DRL §7).[22]
The cause of action for annulment of a voidable marriage in New York State is generally fraud (DRL §140 (e)). There are other arguments; see the Statute. Fraud generally means the intentional deception of the Plaintiff by the Defendant in order to induce the Plaintiff to marry. The misrepresentation must be substantial in nature, and the Plaintiff's consent to the marriage predicated on the Defendant’s statement. The perpetration of the fraud (prior to the marriage), and the discovery of the fraud (subsequent to the marriage) must be proven by corroboration of a witness or other external proof, even if the Defendant admits guilt (DRL §144). The time limit is three years (not one year). This does not run from the date of the marriage, but the date the fraud was discovered, or could reasonably have been discovered.
A bigamous marriage (one where one party was still married at the time of the second marriage) as well as an incestuous marriage is void ab initio (not legal from its inception). However, there is still the need for an "Action to Declare the Nullity of a Void Marriage" (DRL §140 (a)), upon which the Court, after proper pleadings, renders a judgment that the marriage is void. There may be effects of marriage such as a property settlement and even maintenance if the court finds it equitable to order such relief.
State of Nevada[edit]
In Nevada, the qualifications for annulment[23] include: a marriage that was void at the time performed (such as blood relatives, bigamy), lacked consent (such as, underage, intoxication, insanity), or is based on some kind of dishonesty. See also Nevada Annulment Statutes. To file actions based on fraud, you must have separated from your spouse as soon as you learned of the fraud.
Annulments in Nevada require a residency of at least 6 weeks, including a signed witness statement of having been living in Nevada for that amount of time.
England and Wales[edit]
England and Wales provides for both void and voidable marriages.[5]
Void marriage: spouses are closely related; one of the spouses was under 16; one of the spouses was already married or in a civil partnership
Voidable marriage: non-consummation; no proper consent to entering the marriage (forced marriage); the other spouse had a sexually transmitted disease at the time of marriage; the woman was pregnant by another man at the time of marriage
Section 13 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 provides for certain restrictions in regard to the possibility of annulling voidable marriages, including where the petitioner knew of the "defect" and of the possibility of annulment, but induced the respondent to believe that he would not seek an annulment; or where it would be "unjust" to the respondent to grant the decree of nullity. There is usually a time limit of three years from the date of the marriage in order to institute the proceedings.[24]
Australia[edit]
Since 1975, Australian law provides only for void marriages. Before 1975, there were both void and voidable marriages. Today, under the Family Law Act 1975(Cth.) a decree of nullity can only be made if a marriage is void.[25]
A marriage is void if:[26][27][28]
one or both of the parties were already married at the time (i.e. bigamy)
the parties are in a prohibited relationship (i.e. closely related such as siblings)
the parties did not comply with the marriage laws in the jurisdiction where they were married (note that although a marriage contracted abroad is in general considered valid in Australia, in certain cases, such as when there are serious contradictions with the marriage laws of Australia, the marriage is void)
one or both of the parties were under-age and did not have the necessary approvals, (minimum marriageable age is 16, but 16 and 17 years-olds need special court approval) or
one or both of the parties were forced into the marriage.
France[edit]
In France, a country of Roman Catholic tradition, annulment features prominently in law, and can be obtained for many reasons. The law provides for both void and voidable marriages.[29] (see articles 180 to 202, and articles 144, 145, 146, 146-1, 147, 148, 161, 162, 163, and 164 of the French Civil Code)
void marriage: forced marriage (not to be confused with consent obtained under deception which makes a marriage voidable not void); underage marriage; bigamy; incestuous marriage; lack of legal competence of the registrar; and clandestine marriage (i.e. hiding the marriage from the public, no witnesses present)
voidable marriage: vices of consent, i.e. consent obtained under deception/by misrepresentation of one's personal characteristics, personal past, intentions after marriage, etc., where the deceived spouse discovers after the marriage the deceit (given a very broad interpretation by the courts); and failure to secure the authorization of the person who should have authorized the marriage (i.e. lack of authorization of guardians of a mentally challenged spouse)
Multiple annulments[edit]
Henry VIII of England had three of his six marriages annulled.[30][31][32][33] These marriages were to Catherine of Aragon (on the grounds that she had already been married to his brother—although this annulment is not recognized by the Catholic Church); Anne Boleyn[33] (on the grounds that she had allegedly seduced him with witchcraft and was unfaithful—not wishing to execute his legal wife, he offered her an easy death if she would agree to an annulment); and Anne of Cleves[34] (on the grounds of non-consummation of the marriage and the fact that she had previously been engaged to someone else). Catherine Howard never had her marriage annulled. She had committed adultery with Thomas Culpeper during the marriage, and she had flirted with members of his court. Because of this, on November 22, 1541, it was proclaimed at Hampton Court that she had "forfeited the honour and title of Queen," and was from then on to be known only as the Lady Catherine Howard. Under this title she was executed for high treason three months later.[35]
Controversies[edit]
The grounds of annulment in regard to a voidable marriage, and indeed the concept of a voidable marriage itself, have become controversial in recent years. According to a paper in Singapore Academy of Law Journal:[36]
"Where divorce is available to all, it seems somewhat inconsistent to favour some groups of unhappily married people by giving them the privilege of choosing whether to put an end to their misery by way of annulment or by way of divorce. It is also worthy of note that some judges, like Coomaraswamy J. in Chua Ai Hwa (mw), have noted that some of the grounds making a marriage voidable have tended to be abused by parties who hope the court will grant the petition on fairly skimpy evidence simply because the petition is not defended."
See also[edit]
Void marriage
Alimony
Catholic marriage theology
Divorce
Nullity (conflict) for a discussion of the rules relating to the annulment of marriage (conflict) in the Conflict of Laws
Separation
Notes[edit]
Jump up ^ Statsky, William (1996). Statsky's Family Law: The Essentials. Delmar Cengage Learning. pp. 85–86. ISBN 1-4018-4827-3.
Jump up ^ Report on Family Law (Scot Law Com No 135, 1992): http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/download_file/view/446/ See paragraph 8.23."In English law a decree of nullity in respect of a voidable marriage now has prospective effect only. It operates "to annul the marriage only as respects any time after the decree has been made absolute, and the marriage shall, notwithstanding the decree, be treated as if it has existed up to that time.""
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f John L. Esposito (2002), Women in Muslim Family Law, Syracuse University Press, ISBN 978-0815629085, pp. 33-34
Jump up ^ http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi?COMMONQUERY=LAWS
^ Jump up to: a b https://www.gov.uk/how-to-annul-marriage/when-you-can-annul-a-marriage
Jump up ^ http://ubplj.org/index.php/dlj/article/view/935
^ Jump up to: a b Kertzer, David I.; Barbagli, Marzio (2002). The History of the European Family: Family life in the long nineteenth century (1789-1913). Yale University Press. p. 116. ISBN 9780300090901.
Jump up ^ 1 Corinthians 7:10-15
Jump up ^ Orlando O. Espín, James B. Nickoloff (editors), An Introductory Dictionary of Theology and Religious Studies (Liturgical Press 2007 ISBN 978-0-81465856-7), p. 1036
Jump up ^ Code of Canon Law, canon 1137 Archived July 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ Code of Canon Law, canon 1139 Archived July 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ Code of Canon Law, canon 1060
Jump up ^ Marsh, Clive (10 May 2006). Methodist Theology Today. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 126. ISBN 9780826481047.
^ Jump up to: a b J Rehman (2007), The sharia, Islamic family laws and international human rights law: Examining the theory and practice of polygamy and talaq, International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, 21(1): 108-127
^ Jump up to: a b c Lynn Welchman (2000), Beyond the Code: Muslim Family and the Shari'a Judiciary in the Palestinian West Bank, Springer, ISBN 978-9041188595, pp. 311-318
Jump up ^ For example, a marriage when the Muslim woman was observing Iddah or Ihram
Jump up ^ For example, a married couple that is biologically related father-daughter, mother-son, sister-brother. Quran 4:23; however, some fiqhs have argued exceptions. Consanguineous marriages are very common in Islamic world - Consanguineous marriages Brecia Young, Santa Fe Institute, United States (2006)
Jump up ^ Quran forbids marriage of Muslim woman to a Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist or other non-Muslim man, Quran 2:221
Jump up ^ Peters & De Vries (1976), Apostasy in Islam, Die Welt des Islams, Vol. 17, Issue 1/4, pp 1-25
^ Jump up to: a b Larson, Aaron. "Annulment Law". ExpertLaw. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
Jump up ^ "Grounds for Annulment" (PDF). TexasLawHelp.org. Pro Bono Net. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
Jump up ^ http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/nycode/DOM/2
Jump up ^ Nevada Annulment Qualifications
Jump up ^ http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/18
Jump up ^ Dickey, A. (2007) Family Law (5th Ed)
Jump up ^ http://www.familylawcourts.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/FLC/Home/Publications/Family+Court+of+Australia+publications/FCOA_Applying_decree_nullity
Jump up ^ http://www.familylawcourts.gov.au/wps/wcm/resources/file/eb0dce4113da6ec/FSAppNullity_010113V1.pdf
Jump up ^ http://www.legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au/guides/law_handbook/pdf/Ch26_family_law.pdf
Jump up ^ http://legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCode.do;jsessionid=F1A5BA892CEFC6A062850AF3A899FBB9.tpdila07v_1?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070721&dateTexte=20150324
Jump up ^ "The Trial of Sir Thomas More: A Chronology". University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
Jump up ^ Anne of Cleves: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources
Jump up ^ About Anne of Cleves
^ Jump up to: a b Anne Boleyn
Jump up ^ Anne of Cleves
Jump up ^ The Politics of Marriage: Henry VIII and his Queens. - book reviews Contemporary Review, Jan, 1995 by Michael L. Nash
Jump up ^ http://www.sal.org.sg/digitallibrary/Lists/SAL%20Journal/Attachments/100/1993-5%282%29-SAcLJ-290-Leong.pdf
External links[edit]
Look up annulment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Catholic Encyclopedia "Canonical Impediments"
Catholic Encyclopedia "Validation of Marriage"
New York State Domestic Relations Law, Article 9
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Annulment&oldid=798842590"
Categories:
Marriage
Family law
Annulment
Matrimonial canon law
Hidden categories:
Webarchive template wayback links
All articles with unsourced statements
Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015
Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from January 2016
Articles with unsourced statements from January 2016
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Brezhoneg
Cebuano
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
മലയാളം
Nederlands
日本語
Svenska
Edit links
This page was last edited on 4 September 2017, at 04:11.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

attrs: id class style

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

attrs: href title

value: th

value: li

value: ul

values: Parental responsibility (access and custody)

values: Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

values: Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

values: Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance

values: float:right;clear:right;width:22.0em;margin:0 0 1.0em 1.0em;background:#f9f9f9;border:1px solid #aaa;padding:0.2em;border-spacing:0.4em 0;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%

values:
/wiki/Legal_procedure
mw-redirect
Legal procedure

values:
/wiki/Canon_law_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Canon law (Catholic Church)

values:
/wiki/Pastor_Bonus
mw-redirect
Pastor Bonus

values: font-size: 105%; padding: 0.2em 0px 0.4em; text-align: left; display: none;

values:
/wiki/Decretals_of_Gregory_IX
mw-redirect
Decretals of Gregory IX

values:
/wiki/Holy_Orders_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Holy Orders (Catholic Church)

values: Seal of the Confessional (Catholic Church)

values:
/wiki/Eucharist_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Eucharist (Catholic Church)

values: Matrimonial nullity trial reforms of Pope Francis

values:
/wiki/Impediment_of_crime
mw-redirect
Impediment of crime

values:
/wiki/Matrimonial_dispensation
mw-redirect
Matrimonial dispensation

values:
/wiki/Particular_church
mw-redirect
Particular church

values:
/wiki/Abbacy_nullius
mw-redirect
Abbacy nullius

values:
/wiki/Abbot_nullius
mw-redirect
Abbot nullius

values:
/wiki/Apostolic_vicar
mw-redirect
Apostolic vicar

values:
/wiki/Apostolic_administration
mw-redirect
Apostolic administration

values:
/wiki/Apostolic_administrator
mw-redirect
Apostolic administrator

values:
/wiki/Archdiocese_(Roman_Catholic)
mw-redirect
Archdiocese (Roman Catholic)

values:
/wiki/Diocese_(Roman_Catholic)
mw-redirect
Diocese (Roman Catholic)

values:
/wiki/Vicar_forane
mw-redirect
Vicar forane

values:
/wiki/Anglicanorum_Coetibus
mw-redirect
Anglicanorum Coetibus

values:
/wiki/Jurisprudence_of_canon_law
mw-redirect
Jurisprudence of canon law

values:
/wiki/Dispensation_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Dispensation (Catholic Church)

values: Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts

values:
/wiki/Papal_resignation
mw-redirect
Papal resignation

values: Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of canon law

values:
/wiki/Canonical_age
mw-redirect
Canonical age

values:
/wiki/Ecclesiastical_positive_law
mw-redirect
Ecclesiastical positive law

values: padding:0.3em 0.4em 0.3em;font-weight:bold;border-top: 1px solid #aaa; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa;

values:
/wiki/Marriage_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Marriage (Catholic Church)

values:
/wiki/Catholic_doctrine
mw-redirect
Catholic doctrine

values:
/wiki/Baptism_(Catholic_Church)
mw-redirect
Baptism (Catholic Church)

values:
/wiki/Roman_Pontiff
mw-redirect
Roman Pontiff

values:
/wiki/Canonical_impediment
mw-redirect
Canonical impediment

values:
/wiki/Convalidation_of_marriage
mw-redirect
Convalidation of marriage

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2015)

values:
noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact
white-space:nowrap;

values: The citation is not specific enough to facilitate source verification (January 2016)

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (January 2016)

values:
/wiki/Law_of_New_York
mw-redirect
Law of New York

values:
/wiki/New_York_State
mw-redirect
New York State

values:
/wiki/Property_settlement
mw-redirect
Property settlement

values:
/wiki/Roman_Catholic
mw-redirect
Roman Catholic

values:
/wiki/French_Civil_Code
mw-redirect
French Civil Code

values:
/wiki/Catholic_marriage
mw-redirect
Catholic marriage

values:
/wiki/Nullity_(conflict)
mw-redirect
Nullity (conflict)

values:
/wiki/Marriage_(conflict)
mw-redirect
Marriage (conflict)

values:
/wiki/Conflict_of_Laws
mw-redirect
Conflict of Laws

values:
nofollow
http://tudorhistory.org/boleyn/
external text

values:
nofollow
http://tudorhistory.org/cleves/
external text

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values: Category:Webarchive template wayback links

values: Category:All articles with unsourced statements

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015

values: Category:Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from January 2016

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from January 2016

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Annulment
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: فسخ نکاح – Persian

values: അസാധുവാകുന്ന വിവാഹം – Malayalam

values: Nietigverklaring van een kerkelijk huwelijk – Dutch

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Annulment rootpage-Annulment skin-vector action-view


text:
Gothic Line
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the fighting on and beyond the Gothic Line between August, 1944 and March 1945, including Operation Olive or the Battle of Rimini. For the fighting to capture the town of Rimini in September 1944, see Battle of Rimini (1944).
Gothic Line Offensive
Part of the Italian Campaign of World War II

German defensive positions in Northern Italy, 1944
Date
25 August 1944 – Early March 1945
Location
Northern Italy
Result
Inconclusive
Belligerents
United Kingdom
United States
India
Canada
Poland
Kingdom of Italy
New Zealand
South Africa
Brazil
Greece Germany
Italian Social Republic
Commanders and leaders
Harold Alexander
Oliver Leese (until September 1944)
Richard L. McCreery (from September 1944)
Mark Clark
Mascarenhas de Morais
Albert Kesselring
Heinrich von Vietinghoff
Joachim Lemelsen
Rodolfo Graziani
Alfredo Guzzoni
Strength
U.S. Fifth Army
British Eighth Army
Brazilian Expeditionary Force German 10th Army
German 14th Army
Army Group Liguria
Casualties and losses
40,000[1]
[show]
v
t
e
Gothic Line Offensive
Rimini
San Marino
Gemmano
Monte Castello
Garfagnana
[show]
v
t
e
Italian Campaign
Invasion of Sicily
Invasion of Italy
Baytown
Avalanche
Slapstick
Armistice with Italy
Achse
Naples
Vatican bombing
Volturno Line
Barbara Line
Bari raid
Winter Line (Bernhardt Line / Cassino / Anzio Nettuno)
Trasimene Line
Ancona
Elba
San Marino
Gothic Line
1945 Spring offensive
By the end of 1944, the replacements made with troops of the U.S. 92nd Infantry Division (photo) and the Brazilian division, still hadn't covered the hole left by those diverted to Southern France.
The Gothic Line (German: Gotenstellung; Italian: Linea Gotica) was a German defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains during the fighting retreat of the German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy, commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.
Adolf Hitler had concerns about the state of preparation of the Gothic Line: he feared the Allies would use amphibious landings to outflank its defences. To downgrade its importance in the eyes of both friend and foe, he ordered the name, with its historic connotations, changed, reasoning that if the Allies managed to break through they would not be able to use the more impressive name to magnify their victory claims. In response to this order, Kesselring renamed it the "Green Line" (Grüne Linie) in June 1944.
Using more than 15,000 slave-labourers, the Germans created more than 2,000 well-fortified machine gun nests, casemates, bunkers, observation posts and artillery-fighting positions to repel any attempt to breach the Gothic Line.[2] Initially this line was breached during Operation Olive (also sometimes known as the Battle of Rimini), but Kesselring's forces were consistently able to retire in good order. This continued to be the case up to March 1945, with the Gothic Line being breached but with no decisive breakthrough; this would not take place until April 1945 during the final Allied offensive of the Italian Campaign.[3]
Operation Olive has been described as the biggest battle of materials ever fought in Italy. Over 1,200,000 men participated in the battle. The battle took the form of a pincer manoeuvre, carried out by the British Eighth Army and the U.S. Fifth Army against the German 10th Army (10. Armee) and German 14th Army (14. Armee). Rimini, a city which had been hit by previous air raids, had 1,470,000 rounds fired against it by allied land forces. According to Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese, commander of the British Eighth Army:
“ The battle of Rimini was one of the hardest battles of Eighth Army. The fighting was comparable to El Alamein, Mareth and the Gustav Line (Monte-Cassino). ”
Contents
[hide]
1 Background
1.1 Allied strategy
1.2 Allied plan of attack
2 Adriatic front (British Eighth Army)
2.1 Eighth Army dispositions for Operation Olive
2.2 German 10th Army dispositions
2.3 Eighth Army attack
2.4 Battles for Gemmano and Croce
2.5 Coriano taken and the advance to Rimini and San Marino
3 Central Front (Fifth Army)
3.1 U.S. Fifth Army formation
3.2 German formation in the central Apennines
3.3 Allied plan
3.4 Battle
4 Time runs out for the Allied offensive
5 Later operations
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
Background[edit]
After the nearly concurrent breakthroughs at Cassino and Anzio in spring 1944, the 11 nations representing the Allies in Italy finally had a chance to trap the Germans in a pincer movement and to realize some of the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's strategic goals for the long, costly campaign against the Axis "underbelly". This would have required the U.S. Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark to commit most of his Anzio forces to the drive east from Cisterna, and to execute the envelopment envisioned in the original planning for the Anzio landing (i.e., flank the German 10th Army, and sever its northbound line of retreat from Cassino). Instead, fearing that the British Eighth Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese, might beat him to the Italian capital of Rome, Clark diverted a large part of his Anzio force in that direction in an attempt to ensure that he and the Fifth Army would have the honour of liberating the Eternal City.
As a result, most of Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring's forces slipped the noose and fell back north fighting delaying actions, notably in late June on the Trasimene Line (running from just south of Ancona on the east coast, past the southern shores of Lake Trasimeno near Perugia and on to the west coast south of Grosseto) and in July on the Arno Line (running from the west coast along the line of the Arno River and into the Apennine Mountains north of Arezzo). This gave time to consolidate the Gothic Line, a 10 miles (16 km) deep belt of fortifications extending from south of La Spezia (on the west coast) to the Foglia Valley, through the natural defensive wall of the Apennines (which ran unbroken nearly from coast to coast, 50 miles (80 km) deep and with high crests and peaks rising to 7,000 feet (2,100 m)), to the Adriatic Sea between Pesaro and Ravenna, on the east coast. The emplacements included numerous concrete-reinforced gun pits and trenches, and 2,376 machine-gun nests with interlocking fire, 479 anti-tank, mortar and assault gun positions, 120,000 metres (130,000 yd) of barbed wire and many miles of anti-tank ditches.[4] This last redoubt proved the Germans' determination to continue fighting.
Nevertheless, it was fortunate for the Allies that at this stage of the war the Italian partisan forces had become highly effective in disrupting the German preparations in the high mountains. By September 1944, German generals were no longer able to move freely in the area behind their main lines because of partisan activity. Generalleutnant Frido von Senger und Etterlin—commanding XIV Panzer Corps (XIV Panzerkorps)—later wrote that he had taken to travelling in a little Volkswagen "(displaying) no general's insignia of rank—no peaked cap, no gold or red flags...". One of his colleagues who ignored this caution—Wilhelm Crisolli (commanding the 20th Luftwaffe Field Division)—was caught and killed by partisans as he returned from a conference at corps headquarters.[5]
Construction of the defences was also hampered by the deliberately poor quality concrete provided by local Italian mills whilst captured partisans forced into the construction gangs supplemented the natural lethargy of forced labour with clever sabotage. Nevertheless, prior to the Allies' attack, Kesselring had declared himself satisfied with the work done, especially on the Adriatic side where he "...contemplated an assault on the left wing....with a certain confidence".[6]
Allied strategy[edit]
Further information: Gothic Line order of battle
The Italian front was seen by the Allies to be of secondary importance to the offensives through France, and this was underlined by the withdrawal during the summer of 1944 of seven divisions from the U.S. Fifth Army to take part in the landings in southern France, Operation Dragoon. By 5 August, the strength of the Fifth Army had fallen from 249,000 to 153,000,[7] and they had only 18 divisions to confront the combined German 10th and 14th Armies′ strength of 14 divisions plus four to seven reserve divisions.
Nevertheless, Winston Churchill and the British Chiefs of Staff were keen to break through the German defences to open up the route to the northeast through the "Ljubljana Gap" into Austria and Hungary. Whilst this would threaten Germany from the rear, Churchill was more concerned to forestall the Russians advancing into central Europe. The U.S. Chiefs of Staff had strongly opposed this strategy as diluting the Allied focus in France. However, following the Allied successes in France during the summer, the U.S. Chiefs relented, and there was complete agreement amongst the Combined Chiefs of Staff at the Second Quebec Conference on 12 September.[8]
Allied plan of attack[edit]
The original plan of General Sir Harold Alexander, the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Allied Armies in Italy (AAI)—as formulated by his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Sir John Harding—was to storm the Gothic Line in the centre, where most of his forces were already concentrated. It was the shortest route to his objective, the plains of Lombardy, and could be mounted quickly. He mounted a deception operation to convince the Germans that the main blow would come on the Adriatic front.
The Gothic Line, August 1944 and the concept of Operation Olive. The dark blue arrows represent major Allied attacks.
On 4 August, Alexander met Lieutenant-General Leese, the British Eighth Army commander, to find that Leese did not favour the plan.[9] He argued that the Allies had lost their specialist French mountain troops to Operation Dragoon and that the Eighth Army's strength lay in tactics combining infantry, armour and guns which could not be employed in the high mountains of the central Apennines.
It has also been suggested that Leese disliked working in league with Clark after the Fifth Army's controversial move on Rome at the end of May and early June and wished for the Eighth Army to win the battle on its own.[10] He suggested a surprise attack along the Adriatic coast. Although Harding did not share Leese's view and Eighth Army planning staff had already rejected the idea of an Adriatic offensive (because it would be difficult to bring the necessary concentration of forces to bear), General Alexander was not prepared to force Leese to adopt a plan which was against his inclination and judgement[11] and Harding was persuaded to change his mind.
Operation Olive—as the new offensive was christened—called for Leese's Eighth Army to attack up the Adriatic coast toward Pesaro and Rimini and draw in the German reserves from the centre of the country. Clark's Fifth Army would then attack in the weakened central Apennines north of Florence toward Bologna with British XIII Corps on the right wing of the attack fanning toward the coast to create a pincer with the Eighth Army advance. This meant that as a preparatory move, the bulk of the Eighth Army had to be transferred from the centre of Italy to the Adriatic coast, taking two valuable weeks, while a new intelligence deception plan (Operation Ulster[12]) was commenced to convince Kesselring that the main attack would be in the centre.
Adriatic front (British Eighth Army)[edit]
Eighth Army dispositions for Operation Olive[edit]
A British M10 tank destroyer Self Propelled Gun (SPG) and infantrymen of the 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters during the advance to the Gothic Line, 27–28 August 1944.
On the coast, Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese, the British Eighth Army commander, had Polish II Corps with 5th Kresowa Division in the front line and the 3rd Carpathian Division in reserve. To the left of the Poles was Canadian I Corps which had the Canadian 1st Infantry Division (with the British 21st Tank Brigade under command) in the front line and the Canadian 5th Armoured Division in reserve.
For the opening phase the corps artillery was strengthened with the addition of the British 4th Infantry Division's artillery. West of the Canadians was British V Corps with the British 46th Infantry Division manning the right of the corps front line and 4th Indian Infantry Division its left. In reserve were the British 56th Infantry and 1st Armoured Divisions and the British 7th Armoured and 25th Tank Brigades.
Further to the rear was the British 4th Division, waiting to be called forward to join the corps. The left flank of the Eighth Army front was guarded by British X Corps employing the 10th Indian Infantry Division and two armoured car regiments, 12th and 27th Lancers. Prior to the attack the I Canadian Corps' front was covered by patrolling Polish cavalry units and V Corps by patrolling elements of the Italian Liberation Corps. In army reserve, also waiting to be called forward, was the 2nd New Zealand Division.[13]
German 10th Army dispositions[edit]
Facing the Eighth Army was the German 10th Army′s LXVI Panzer Corps (LXVI Panzerkorps). Initially, this had only three divisions: 1st Parachute Division facing the Poles, 71st Infantry Division (71. Infantriedivision) inland on the parachute division's right and 278th Division (278. Infantriedivision) on the Corps right flank in the hills which was in the process of relieving 5th Mountain Division. The 10th Army had a further five divisions in 51st Mountain Corps covering 80 mi (130 km) of front line on the right of LXVI Panzer Corps and a further two divisions—162nd Infantry Division (162. (Turkoman) Infantriedivision) and 98th Infantry Division (98. Infantriedivision) (replaced by 29th Panzer Grenadier Division (29. Panzergrenadierdivision) from 25 August)—covering the Adriatic coast behind LXVI Corps. In addition, Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring had in his Army Group Reserve the 90th Panzer Grenadier Division (90. Panzergrenadierdivision) and 26th Panzer Division (26. Panzerdivision).[14]
Eighth Army attack[edit]
The British Eighth Army crossed the Metauro river and launched its attack against the Gothic Line outposts on 25 August. As Polish II Corps, on the coast, and I Canadian Corps, on the coastal plain on the Poles' left, advanced towards Pesaro the coastal plain narrowed and it was planned that the Polish Corps, weakened by losses and lack of replacements, would go into Army reserve and the front on the coastal plain would become the responsibility of the Canadian Corps alone. The Germans were taken by surprise, to the extent that both von Vietinghoff, and the parachute division's commander—Generalmajor Richard Heidrich—were away on leave.[15]
They were in the process of pulling back their forward units to the Green I fortifications of the Gothic Line proper and Kesselring was uncertain whether this was the start of a major offensive or just Eighth Army advancing to occupy vacated ground whilst the main Allied attack would come on the U.S. Fifth Army front towards Bologna. On 27 August, he was still expressing the view that the attack was a diversion and so would not commit reserves to the front.[15] It was not until 28 August—when he saw a captured copy of Leese's order of the day to his army prior to the attack—that Kesselring realised that a major offensive was in progress,[16] and three divisions of reinforcements were ordered from Bologna to the Adriatic front, still needing at least two days to get into position.
By 30 August, the Canadian and British Corps had reached the Green I main defensive positions running along the ridges on the far side of the Foglia river. Taking advantage of the Germans' lack of manpower, the Canadians punched through and by 3 September had advanced a further 15 mi (24 km) to the Green II line of defences running from the coast near Riccione. The Allies were close to breaking through to Rimini and the Romagna plain. However, LXXVI Panzer Corps on the German 10th Army′s left wing had withdrawn in good order behind the line of the Conca river.[17] Fierce resistance from the Corps′ 1st Parachute Division—commanded by Heidrich (supported by intense artillery fire from the Coriano ridge in the hills on the Canadians' left)—brought their advance to a halt.
Meanwhile, British V Corps was finding progress in the more difficult hill terrain with its poor roads tough going. On 3–4 September, while the Canadians once again attacked along the coastal plain, V Corps made an armoured thrust to dislodge the Coriano Ridge defences and reach the Marano river. This was to open the gate to the plain beyond which could be rapidly exploited by the tanks of British 1st Armoured Division, poised for this purpose. However, after two days of gruesome fighting with heavy losses on both sides, the Allies were obliged to call off their assault and reassess their strategy. The Eighth Army commander, Oliver Leese, decided to outflank the Coriano ridge positions by driving westwards toward Croce and Gemmano to reach the Marano valley which curved behind the Coriano positions to the coast some 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Riccione.
Battles for Gemmano and Croce[edit]
The Battle of Gemmano has been nicknamed by some historians as the "Cassino of the Adriatic". After 11 assaults between 4 and 13 September (first by British 56th Division and then British 46th Division), it was the turn of Indian 4th Division who after a heavy bombardment made the 12th attack at 03:00 on 15 September and finally carried and secured the German defensive positions.[18] In the meantime, to the north, on the other side of the Conca valley a similarly bloody engagement was being ground out at Croce. The German 98th Division held their positions with great tenacity, and it took five days of constant fighting, often door to door and hand to hand before the British 56th Division captured Croce.
Coriano taken and the advance to Rimini and San Marino[edit]
Further information: Battle of San Marino
With progress slow at Gemmano, Leese decided to renew the attack on Coriano. After a paralyzing bombardment from 700 artillery pieces[19] and bombers, the Canadian 5th Armoured Division and the British 1st Armoured Division launched their attack on the night of 12 September. The Coriano positions were finally taken on 14 September.
Once again, the way was open to Rimini. Kesselring's forces had taken heavy losses, and three divisions of reinforcements ordered to the Adriatic front would not be available for at least a day. Now, the weather intervened: torrential rain turned the rivers into torrents and halted air support operations. Once again movement ground to a crawl, and the German defenders had the opportunity to reorganise and reinforce their positions on the Marano river, and the salient to the Lombardy plain closed. Once more, the Eighth Army was confronted by an organised line of defence, the Rimini Line.
Meanwhile, with Croce and beyond it Montescudo secured, the left wing of the Eighth Army advanced to the Marano river and the frontier of San Marino. The Germans had occupied neutral San Marino over a week previously to take advantage of the heights on which the city-state stood. By 19 September, the city was isolated and fell to the Allies with relatively little cost.[20] Three miles (5 km) beyond San Marino lay the Marecchia valley running across the Eighth Army line of advance and running to the sea at Rimini.
During the night of 19/20 September, Brigadier Richard W. Goodbody, commanding the 2nd Armoured Brigade, ordered (with many doubts) the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) to attack Pt 153 at 10.50. The German AT gunners, using the renowned 88mm guns, had a field day. All but three Sherman tanks of the two squadrons that took part in the attack were destroyed. The Bays lost 24 tanks and, more important, 64 highly skilled tank crewmen. Fortunately for the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, who had been ordered to pass through the Bays, their attack was postponed after strong representations had been made to higher HQ.[21]
On the right the I Canadian Corps on 20 September broke the German positions on the Ausa river and into the Lombardy Plain and 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade entered Rimini on the morning of 21 September as the Germans withdrew from their positions on the Rimini Line behind the Ausa to new positions on the Marecchia.[22] However, Kesselring's defence had won him time until the onset of the autumn rains. Progress for the Eighth Army became very slow with mud slides caused by the torrential rain making it difficult to keep roads and tracks open, creating a logistical nightmare. Although they were out of the hills, the plains were waterlogged and the Eighth Army found themselves confronted, as they had the previous autumn, by a succession of swollen rivers running across their line of advance.[23] Once again, the conditions prevented Eighth Army's armour from exploiting the breakthrough, and the infantry of British V Corps and I Canadian Corps (joined by the 2nd New Zealand Division) had to grind their way forward while von Vietinghoff withdrew his forces behind the next river beyond the Marecchia, the Uso, a few miles beyond Rimini. The positions on the Uso were forced on 26 September, and Eighth Army reached the next river, the Fiumicino, on 29 September. Four days of heavy rain forced a halt, and by this time V Corps was fought out and required major reorganization.
Since the start of Operation Olive, Eighth Army had suffered 14,000 casualties.[nb 1] As a result, British battalions had to be reduced from four to three rifle companies due to a severe shortage of manpower. Facing the Eighth Army LXXVI Panzer Corps had suffered 16,000 casualties.[25] As the Eighth Army paused at the end of September to reorganise Leese was reassigned to command the Allied land forces in South-East Asia, and Lieutenant-General Richard L. McCreery was moved from commanding British X Corps to take over the army command.[26]
Central Front (Fifth Army)[edit]
Further information: Gothic Line order of battle
U.S. Fifth Army formation[edit]
Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's U.S. Fifth Army comprised three corps: U.S. IV Corps, under Major General Willis D. Crittenberger, on the left formed by the U.S. 1st Armored Division, the 6th South African Armoured Division and two regimental combat teams ("RCT"), one of the U.S. 92nd Infantry Division (the "Buffalo Soldiers") the other the Brazilian 6th RCT (the first land forces contingent of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force); in the centre was U.S. II Corps, under Major General Geoffrey Keyes, (with the U.S. 34th, 85th, 88th and 91st Infantry Divisions supported by three tank battalions under command); and on the right British XIII Corps, under Lieutenant-General Sidney Kirkman, (composed of the British 1st Infantry and 6th Armoured Divisions, the 8th Indian Infantry Division and the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade). Like the Eighth Army, the Fifth Army was considered to be strong in armour and short on infantry considering the terrain they were attacking.[27]
German formation in the central Apennines[edit]
In the front line facing Clark's forces were five divisions of Joachim Lemelsen's German 14th Army (20th Luftwaffe Field Division, 16th SS Panzer Grenadier Division (16. Panzergrenadierdivision), 65th and 362nd Infantry Divisions and the 4th Parachute Division) and two divisions on the western end of Heinrich von Vietinghoff's German 10th Army (356th and 715th Infantry Divisions). By the end of the first week in September, the Luftwaffe Field Division and the 356th Infantry Division had been moved to the Adriatic front along with (from army reserve) the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division and the armoured reserve of 26th Panzer Division. The 14th Army was not of the same quality as the 10th Army: it had been badly mauled in the retreat from Anzio and some of its replacements had been hastily and inadequately trained.[28]
Allied plan[edit]
Clark's plan was for II Corps to strike along the road from Florence to Firenzuola and Imola through the Il Giogo pass to outflank the formidable defences of the Futa pass (on the main Florence–Bologna road) while on their right British XIII Corps would advance through the Gothic Line to cut Route 9 (and therefore Kesselring's lateral communications) at Faenza. The transfer of 356th Infantry Division to the Adriatic weakened the defences around the Il Giogo pass which was already potentially an area of weakness, being on the boundary between 10th and 14th Armies.[29]
Battle[edit]
Main article: Battle of Rimini (1944)
During the last week in August, U.S. II Corps and British XIII Corps started to move into the mountains to take up positions for the main assault on the main Gothic Line defences. Some fierce resistance was met from outposts but at the end of the first week in September, once reorganisation had taken place following the withdrawal of three divisions to reinforce the pressured Adriatic front, the Germans withdrew to the main Gothic Line defences. After an artillery bombardment, the Fifth Army's main assault began at dusk on 12 September. Keyes tried to flank the II Giogo Pass by attacking both the peaks of Monticello and Monte Altuzzo using the 91st Infantry Division (nicknamed the "Wild West Division") in a bold attempt to bounce the Germans off the positions, but this failed.[30]
Top of Il Giogo Pass in the Gothic Line, looking toward the north.
Progress at the II Giogo Pass was slow, but on II Corps' right British XIII Corps were making better progress. Clark grasped this opportunity to divert part of II Corps reserve (the 337th Infantry Regiment, part of the 85th Infantry Division) to exploit XIII Corps success. Attacking on 17 September, supported by both American and British artillery, the infantry fought their way onto Monte Pratone, some 2–3 mi (3.2–4.8 km) east of the Il Giogo pass and a key position on the Gothic Line.[31] Meanwhile, U.S. II Corps renewed their assault on Monte Altuzzo, dominating the east side of the Il Giogo Pass. The Altuzzo positions fell on the morning of 17 September, after five days of fighting. The capture of Altuzzo and Pratone as well as Monte Verruca between them caused the formidable Futa Pass defences to be outflanked, and Lemelsen was forced to pull back, leaving the pass to be taken after only light fighting on 22 September.
On the left, IV Corps had fought their way to the main Gothic Line: notably the U.S. 370th Regimental Combat Team, which pushed the Axis troops on its sector to the north beyond the Highway 12 towards Gallicano; and the Brazilian 6th RCT, which took Massarosa, Camaiore and other small towns on its own way north. By the end of the month, the Brazilian unit had conquered Monte Prano and controlled the Serchio valley region without suffering any major casualties. In October, it also took Fornaci with its munitions factory, and Barga; while the 370th received reinforcements from other Buffalo soldiers units (365th and 371st), to ensure the Fifth Army left wing sector at the Ligurian Sea.[32][33]
On Fifth Army's far right wing, on the right of the British XIII Corps front, 8th Indian Infantry Division fighting across trackless ground had captured the heights of Femina Morta, and British 6th Armoured Division had taken the San Godenzo Pass on Route 67 to Forlì, both on 18 September.
At this stage, with the slow progress on the Adriatic front, Clark decided that Bologna would be too far west along Route 9 to trap the German 10th Army. He decided therefore to make the main II Corps thrust further east towards Imola whilst XIII Corps would continue to push on the right toward Faenza. Although they were through the Gothic Line, Fifth Army—just like the Eighth Army before them—found the terrain beyond and its defenders even more difficult. Between 21 September and 3 October, U.S. 88th Division had fought its way to a standstill on the route to Imola suffering 2,105 men killed and wounded — roughly the same as the whole of the rest of II Corps during the actual breaching of the Gothic Line.[34]
The fighting toward Imola had drawn German troops from the defence of Bologna, and Clark decided to switch his main thrust back toward the Bologna axis. U.S. II Corps pushed steadily through the Raticosa Pass and by 2 October, it had reached Monghidoro some 20 mi (32 km) from Bologna. However, as it had on the Adriatic coast, the weather had broken and rain and low cloud prevented air support while the roads back to the ever more distant supply dumps near Florence became morasses.[35]
On 5 October, U.S. II Corps renewed its offensive along a 14-mile (23 km) front straddling Route 65 to Bologna. They were supported on their right flank by British XIII Corps including British 78th Infantry Division, newly returned to Italy after a three-month re-fit in Egypt. Gradual progress was made against stiffening opposition as German 14th Army moved troops from the quieter sector opposite U.S. IV Corps. By 9 October, they were attacking the massive 1,500 foot (450 m) high sheer escarpment behind Livergnano which appeared insuperable. However, the weather cleared on the morning of 10 October to allow artillery and air support to be brought to bear. Nevertheless, it took until the end of 15 October before the escarpment was secured.[36] On the right of U.S. II Corps British XIII Corps was experiencing equally determined fighting on terrain just as difficult.
Time runs out for the Allied offensive[edit]
By the second half of October, it was becoming increasingly clear to General Alexander that despite the dogged fighting in the waterlogged plain of Romagna and the streaming mountains of the central Apennines, with the autumn well advanced and exhaustion and combat losses increasingly affecting his forces' capabilities, no breakthrough was going to occur before the winter weather returned.
On the Adriatic front, the British Eighth Army's advance resumed on its left wing through the Apennine foothills toward Forlì on Route 9. On 5 October the 10th Indian Infantry Division—switched from British X Corps to British V Corps—had crossed the Fiumicino river (thought to be the river known in Roman times as the Rubicon) high in the hills and turned the German defensive line on the river forcing the German 10th Army units downstream to pull back towards Bologna. Paradoxically, in one sense, this helped Kesselring because it shortened the front he had to defend and shortened the distance between his two armies, providing him with greater flexibility to switch units between the two fronts. Continuing their push up Route 9, on 21 October British V Corps crossed the Savio river which runs north eastward through Cesena to the Adriatic and by 25 October were closing on the Ronco river, some 10 mi (16 km) beyond the Savio, behind which the Germans had withdrawn. By the end of the month, the advance had reached Forlì, halfway between Rimini and Bologna.
Cutting the German Armies' lateral communications remained a key objective. Indeed, later Kesselring was to say that if in mid-October the front south of Bologna could not be held, then all the German positions east of Bologna "were automatically gone."[37] Alexander and Clark had decided therefore to make a last push for Bologna before winter gripped the front.
On 16 October, the U.S. Fifth Army had gathered itself for one last effort to take Bologna. The Allied Armies in Italy were short of artillery ammunition because of a global reduction in Allied ammunition production in anticipation of the final defeat of Germany. The Fifth Army′s batteries were rationed to such an extent that the total rounds fired in the last week of October were less than the amount fired during one eight-hour period on 2 October.[38] Nevertheless, U.S. II Corps and British XIII Corps pounded away for the next 11 days. Little progress was made in the centre along the main road to Bologna. On the right, there was better progress, and on 20 October the U.S. 88th Division seized Monte Grande, only 4 mi (6.4 km) from Route 9, and three days later British 78th Division stormed Monte Spaduro. However, the remaining four miles were over difficult terrain and were reinforced by three of the best German divisions in Italy—the 29th Panzergrenadier Division, 90th Panzergrenadier Division and the 1st Parachute Division—which Kesselring had been able to withdraw from the Romagna as a result of his shortened front. By late October, the Brazilian 6th RCT had pushed the Axis forces through province of Lucca to Barga, where its advance was halted.[39]
Later operations[edit]
In early November, the buildup to full strength of the 1st Brazilian Division and some reinforcement of the U.S. 92nd Division had not nearly compensated the U.S. Fifth Army for the formations diverted to France. The situation in the British Eighth Army was even worse: Replacement cadres were being diverted to northern Europe and I Canadian Corps was ordered to prepare to ship to the Netherlands in February of the following year.[40] Also, while they remained held in the mountains, the armies continued to have an over-preponderance of armour relative to infantry.[41]
During November and December, Fifth Army concentrated on dislodging the Germans from their well-placed artillery positions which had been key in preventing the Allied advance towards Bologna and the Po Valley. Using small and medium Brazilian and American forces, the U.S. Fifth Army attacked these points one by one but with no positive outcome. By the end of the year, the defence compound formed by the Germans around Monte Castello, (Lizano in) Belvedere, Della Toraccia, Castelnuovo (di Vergato), Torre di Nerone, La Serra, Soprassasso and Castel D'Aiano had proved extremely resilient.[42][43]
Meanwhile, the British Eighth Army—held on Route 9 at Forlì—continued a subsidiary drive up the Adriatic coast and captured Ravenna on 5 November. In early November, the push up Route 9 resumed, and the river Montone, just beyond Forlì, was crossed on 9 November. However, the going continued to be very tough with the river Cosina, some 3 mi (4.8 km) further along Route 9 being crossed only on 23 November. By 17 December, the river Lamone had been assaulted and Faenza cleared.[44] The German 10th Army established itself on the raised banks of the river Senio (rising at least 20 ft (6.1 m) above the surrounding plain) which ran across the line of the Eighth Army advance just beyond Faenza down to the Adriatic north of Ravenna. With snows falling and winter firmly established, any attempt to cross the Senio was out of the question and the Eighth Army's 1944 campaign came to an end.[45]
In late December, in a final flourish to the year's fighting, the Germans used a predominantly Italian force of units from the Italian Monterosa Division to attack the left wing of the U.S. Fifth Army in the Serchio valley in front of Lucca to pin Allied units there which might otherwise have been switched to the central front. Two brigades of the 8th Indian Infantry Division were rapidly switched across the Apennines to reinforce the U.S. 92nd Infantry Division. By the time the reinforcements had arrived, the Axis forces had broken through to capture Barga, but decisive action by the 8th Indian Division's Major-General Dudley Russell halted further advance and the situation was stabilised and Barga recaptured by the New Year.[46]
In mid-December Harold Alexander became supreme commander of the Mediterranean Theatre. Mark Clark took his place as commander of the Allied Armies in Italy (re-designated 15th Army Group) and command of U.S. Fifth Army was given to Lucian K. Truscott.[47] In mid-February, as the winter weather improved, Fifth Army resumed its attacks on German artillery positions (Operation Encore). This time the IV Corps used two full infantry divisions to accomplish the mission: the Brazilian division, tasked with taking Monte Castello, Soprassasso and Castelnuovo di Vergato; and the newly arrived U.S. 10th Mountain Division, tasked to take Belvedere, Della Torraccia and Castel D'Aiano.[48][49] Operation Encore began on 18 February and was completed on 5 March, preparatory to the final offensive in Italy.[50][51][52]
See also[edit]
Gothic Line order of battle
15th Army Group
Battle of Rimini (1944)
Italian Campaign (World War II)
Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II
Italian Social Republic
European Theatre of World War II
Notes[edit]
Footnotes
Jump up ^ The British Official History gives V Corps casualties as 9,000 and Canadian casualties (referencing the Canadian Official History) as just under 4,000 up to 21 September. In addition, losses to sickness in V Corps were 6,000 and 1,000 in 1st Canadian Division with no figure given for Canadian 5th Armoured Division.[24] Leese reported battle casualties totaling 14,000 and 210 irrecoverable tanks.[24]
Citations
Jump up ^ The lost evidence- Monte Cassino- history channel[verification needed]
Jump up ^ Sterner, 2008. p.106
Jump up ^ Bryn, Chapter 14.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 28.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 36.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 29.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 20.
Jump up ^ Orgill, pp. 114–115.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p. 119.
Jump up ^ Blaxland, p. 163.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 33.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p. 126.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p. 226.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p. 227.
^ Jump up to: a b Jackson, p. 234.
Jump up ^ Orgill, pp. 46–47.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 65.
Jump up ^ Hingston, p. 129.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 124.
Jump up ^ Orgill, pp. 140–141.
Jump up ^ War Monthly - Issue 34 (1977). Gothic Line 1944, by E. D. Smith, p. 28. ISSN 0307-2886.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p. 296.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 161.
^ Jump up to: a b Jackson 2004, p. 303.
Jump up ^ Jackson, p.304.
Jump up ^ Carver, p. 243.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 164.
Jump up ^ Orgill, pp. 164–166.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p.165.
Jump up ^ War Monthly - Issue 34 (1977). Gothic Line 1944, by E. D. Smith, p. 30. ISSN 0307-2886.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 178.
Jump up ^ Brooks, pp. 221 & 223.
Jump up ^ Moraes, Chapter III, section "Operations at Serchio Valley".
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 187.
Jump up ^ Orgill, pp. 187–188.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 200.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 210.
Jump up ^ Orgill, p. 213.
Jump up ^ Brooks, pp. 223-24.
Jump up ^ Corrigan 2010, p.523
Jump up ^ Clark, p.606
Jump up ^ Moraes, Chapter IV
Jump up ^ Brooks, Chapters XX & XXI
Jump up ^ Blaxland, pp. 227–236.
Jump up ^ Carver, pp. 266–267.
Jump up ^ Moseley, Ray (2004). Mussolini : the last 600 days of il Duce. Dallas: Taylor Trade Pub. ISBN 978-1-58979-095-7. p. 156
Jump up ^ Sterner, p.105
Jump up ^ Brooks, Chapters XXI & XX.
Jump up ^ Moraes, Chapter V (The IV Corps Offensive); Sections Monte Castello & Castelnuovo
Jump up ^ Clark, p.608 View on Google Books
Jump up ^ Bohmler, Chapter IX
Jump up ^ Ibidem, Brooks.
References[edit]
Baumgardner, Randy W. (1998) 10th Mountain Division Turner Publishing Co. ISBN 978-1-56311-430-4
Blaxland, Gregory (1979). Alexander's Generals (the Italian Campaign 1944–1945). London: William Kimber & Co. ISBN 0-7183-0386-5.
Bohmler, Rudolf (1964). Monte Cassino: a German View. Cassell. ASIN B000MMKAYM.
Brooks, Thomas R. (2003) [1996]. The War North of Rome (June 1944 – May 1945). Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81256-9.
Carver, Field Marshal Lord (2001). The Imperial War Museum Book of the War in Italy 1943–1945. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 0-330-48230-0.
Clark, Mark (2007) [1950]. Calculated Risk. New York: Enigma Books. ISBN 978-1-929631-59-9.
Corrigan, Gordon. (2010) The Second World War: A Military History Atlantic Books ISBN 9781843548942
Ernest F. Fisher, Jr. (1993) [1977] Mediterranean Theater of Operations: Cassino to the Alps United States Government Printing Office ISBN 9780160613104
Evans, Bryn. (2012) [1988] With the East Surreys in Tunisia and Italy 1942 - 1945: Fighting for Every River and Mountain Pen & Sword Books Ltd ISBN 9781848847620
Gibran, Daniel K. (2001) The 92nd Infantry Division and the Italian Campaign in World War II McFarland & Co. Inc. Publishers ISBN 0786410094
Hingston, W.G. (1946). The Tiger Triumphs: The Story of Three Great Divisions in Italy. HMSO for the Government of India. OCLC 29051302.
Hoyt, Edwin P. (2007) [2002]. Backwater War. The Allied Campaign in Italy, 1943–45. Mechanicsburg PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3382-3.
Jackson, General Sir William & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO:1987]. Butler, Sir James, ed. The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part 2 – June to October 1944. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-071-8.
Laurie, Clayton D. (1994). Rome-Arno 22 January-9 September 1944. WWII Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. ISBN 978-0-16-042085-6. CMH Pub 72-20.
Moraes, Mascarenhas (1966). The Brazilian Expeditionary Force By Its Commander. US Government Printing Office. ASIN B000PIBXCG.
Montemaggi, Amedeo (2002). LINEA GOTICA 1944. La battaglia di Rimini e lo sbarco in Grecia decisivi per l'Europa sud-orientale e il Mediterraneo. Rimini: Museo dell'Aviazione.
Montemaggi, Amedeo (2006). LINEA GOTICA 1944: scontro di civiltà. Rimini: Museo dell'Aviazione.
Montemaggi, Amedeo (2008). CLAUSEWITZ SULLA LINEA GOTICA. Imola: Angelini Editore.
Montemaggi, Amedeo (2010). ITINERARI DELLA LINEA GOTICA 1944. Guida storico iconografica ai campi di battaglia. Rimini: Museo dell'Aviazione.
Muhm, Gerhard. "German Tactics in the Italian Campaign".
Muhm, Gerhard (1993). La Tattica tedesca nella Campagna d'Italia, in Linea Gotica avanposto dei Balcani (in Italian) (Edizioni Civitas ed.). Roma: (Hrsg.) Amedeo Montemaggi.
Oland, Dwight D. (1996). North Apennines 1944–1945. WWII Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72-34 ISBN 9781249453659 (of BiblioBazaar, 2012 Reprint).
O'Reilly, Charles T. (2001). Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945. Lexington Books. ISBN 0739101951.
Orgill, Douglas (1967). The Gothic Line (The Autumn Campaign in Italy 1944). London: Heinemann.
Popa, Thomas A. (1996). Po Valley 1945. U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. ISBN 0-16-048134-1. CMH Pub 72-33.
Sterner, C.Douglas. (2008). Go for Broke. American Legacy Historical Press. ISBN 9780979689611.
Various Authors (2005) Gothic Line - Le Battaglie Della Linea Gotica 1944-45 (in Italian) / (in English) Edizioni Multigraphic ISBN 8874650957
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gothic Line.
La Città Invisibile (in Italian) Collection of signs, stories and memories during the Gothic Line age.
Gemmano 1944 Part 1 : The Gothic Line and the Operation Olive
Gothic Line And Po Valley Campaign Go For Broke National Education Center
The Gothic Line: Canada's Month of Hell Canada at War
Gotica Toscana Italian military history association (in English) / (in Italian)
Men at war on Gothic line (in Italian) / (in English) Associazione Linea Gotica
Montemaggi, Amedeo (2002). "Battle of Rimini". Centro Internazionale Documentazione "Linea Gotica" website. Retrieved 2008-11-20. External link in |work= (help)
North Apennines Campaign, 1944-1945 in U.S. Army Center of Military History Website.
Photographs of the Gothic Line Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d'Italia (in Italian)
Portal FEB (in Portuguese) Website with Bibliography, videos, testimonials from veterans about the Italian Campaign.
[1] Time Line of Mediterranean WWII theatre (in Italian)
[show]
v
t
e
World War II
Asia and the Pacific
China
South-East Asia
North and Central Pacific
South-West Pacific
Europe
Western
Eastern
Mediterranean and Middle East
North Africa
East Africa
Italy
West Africa
Atlantic
North America
South America
Casualties
Military engagements
Conferences
Commanders
Participants
Allies
(leaders)
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
China
Cuba
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Ethiopia
France
Free France (from June 1940)
Greece
India
Italy (from September 1943)
Luxembourg
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines (Commonwealth)
Poland
South Africa
Southern Rhodesia
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
United States
Puerto Rico
Yugoslavia
Axis and
Axis-aligned
(leaders)
Albania
Bulgaria
Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China
Independent State of Croatia
Finland
Germany
Hungary
Free India
Iraq
Italy (until September 1943)
Italian Social Republic
Japan
Manchukuo
Philippines (Second Republic)
Romania
Slovakia
Thailand
Vichy France
Armed neutrality
Resistance
Albania
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech lands
Denmark
Estonia
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Jewish
Korea
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaya
Netherlands
Northeast China
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Anti-communist
Romania
Thailand
Soviet Union
Slovakia
Western Ukraine
Vietnam
Yugoslavia
Monarchists
Timeline
Prelude
Africa
Asia
Europe
1939
Poland
Phoney War
Winter War
Atlantic
Changsha
China
1940
Weserübung
Netherlands
Belgium
France
Armistice of 22 June 1940
Britain
North Africa
West Africa
British Somaliland
North China
Baltic States
Moldova
Indochina
Greece
Compass
1941
East Africa
Yugoslavia
Shanggao
Greece
Crete
Iraq
Soviet Union (Barbarossa)
Finland
Lithuania
Syria and Lebanon
Kiev
Iran
Leningrad
Gorky
Moscow
Sevastopol
Pearl Harbor
The outbreak of the Pacific War
Hong Kong
Philippines
Changsha
Malaya
Borneo (1941–42)
1942
Burma
Changsha
Java Sea
Coral Sea
Gazala
Dutch Harbor
Attu (occupation)
Kiska
Zhejiang-Jiangxi
Midway
Rzhev
Blue
Stalingrad
Singapore
Dieppe
El Alamein
Guadalcanal
Torch
1943
Tunisia
Kursk
Smolensk
Gorky
Solomon Islands
Attu
Sicily
Cottage
Lower Dnieper
Italy
Armistice of Cassibile
Gilbert and Marshall Islands
Burma
Northern Burma and Western Yunnan
Changde
1944
Monte Cassino / Shingle
Narva
Korsun–Cherkassy
Tempest
Ichi-Go
Overlord
Neptune
Normandy
Mariana and Palau
Bagration
Western Ukraine
Tannenberg Line
Warsaw
Eastern Romania
Belgrade
Paris
Dragoon
Gothic Line
Market Garden
Estonia
Crossbow
Pointblank
Lapland
Hungary
Leyte
Ardennes
Bodenplatte
Philippines (1944–1945)
Burma (1944–45)
1945
Vistula–Oder
Iwo Jima
Western invasion of Germany
Okinawa
Italy (Spring 1945)
Borneo
Syrmian Front
Berlin
Czechoslovakia
Budapest
West Hunan
Guangxi
Surrender of Germany
Project Hula
Manchuria
Manila
Borneo
Taipei
Atomic bombings
Debate
Kuril Islands
Shumshu
Surrender of Japan
End of World War II in Asia
Aspects
General
Famines
Bengal famine of 1943
Chinese famine of 1942–43
Greek Famine of 1941-1944
Dutch famine of 1944–45
Vietnamese Famine of 1945
Air warfare of World War II
Blitzkrieg
Comparative military ranks
Cryptography
Diplomacy
Home front
United States
Australian
United Kingdom
Lend-Lease
Manhattan Project
Military awards
Military equipment
Military production
Nazi plunder
Opposition
Technology
Allied cooperation
Total war
Strategic bombing
Puppet states
Women
Art and World War II
Aftermath
Expulsion of Germans
Operation Paperclip
Operation Osoaviakhim
Operation Keelhaul
Occupation of Germany
Territorial changes of Germany
Soviet occupations
Romania
Poland
Hungary
Baltic States
Occupation of Japan
First Indochina War
Indonesian National Revolution
Cold War
Decolonization
Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany
Popular culture
War crimes
Allied war crimes
Soviet war crimes
British war crimes
United States war crimes
German (Forced labour) / Wehrmacht war crimes
Holocaust
Aftermath
Response
Prosecution
Italian war crimes
Japanese war crimes
Unit 731
Prosecution
Croatian war crimes
against the Serbs
against the Jews
Romanian war crimes
Wartime
sexual violence
German military brothels
Camp brothels
Rape during the occupation of Japan
Sook Ching
Comfort women
Rape of Nanking
Rape of Manila
Rape during the occupation of Germany
Rape during the liberation of France
Rape during the liberation of Poland
Prisoners
Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
German prisoners of war in the United States
Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
Japanese prisoners of war in World War II
German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war
Polish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union
Soviet prisoners of war in Finland
Bibliography
Category
Portal
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gothic_Line&oldid=832996922"
Categories:
Italian Campaign (World War II)
German World War II defensive lines
World War II sites in Italy
World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign
Hidden categories:
All pages needing factual verification
Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from December 2008
Articles containing German-language text
Articles containing Italian-language text
CS1 Italian-language sources (it)
Articles with Italian-language external links
CS1 errors: external links
Articles with Portuguese-language external links
Italy articles missing geocoordinate data
All articles needing coordinates
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Languages
Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
עברית
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Slovenčina
Српски / srpski
Suomi
Svenska
தமிழ்
Українська
中文
7 more
Edit links
This page was last edited on 29 March 2018, at 03:01.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

key: html

type: local

value: div

attrs: id class

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: a

attrs: id class lang

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

value: b

attrs: role class

values:
note
hatnote navigation-not-searchable

attrs: class colspan style

value: tr

value: td

attrs: colspan style

value: img

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: Ww2 europe map italy june until december 1944.jpg

attrs: href class

attrs: alt src width height class srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: Military history of Canada during World War II

values: Military history of Greece during World War II

values: Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis

values: nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: nowraplinks collapsible collapsed navbox-inner

values: Forced labour under German rule during World War II

values: width: 20px; vertical-align: top; border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 40px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: .6em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 10px;

values: vertical-align: top; border: none; padding: 4px 10px;

values: width: 20px; vertical-align: bottom; border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 40px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: .6em; text-align: right; padding: 10px 10px;

values: margin:auto; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; background-color: transparent; width: auto;

values:
/wiki/Cisterna,_Italy
mw-redirect
Cisterna, Italy

values:
/wiki/Foglia_River
mw-redirect
Foglia River

values:
/wiki/Frido_von_Senger_und_Etterlin
mw-redirect
Frido von Senger und Etterlin

values: 20th Luftwaffe Field Division (Germany) (page does not exist)

values: John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton

values: Edit section: Adriatic front (British Eighth Army)

values: Edit section: Eighth Army dispositions for Operation Olive

values: Edit section: German 10th Army dispositions

values: 51st Mountain Corps (page does not exist)

values: 162nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) (page does not exist)

values: 90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

values: Edit section: Battles for Gemmano and Croce

values: Edit section: Coriano taken and the advance to Rimini and San Marino

values: South-East Asian Theatre of World War II

values: Edit section: Central Front (Fifth Army)

values: Edit section: German formation in the central Apennines

values: German 20th Luftwaffe Field Division (page does not exist)

values: 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS

values: 356th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) (page does not exist)

values: 29th Panzer Grenadier Division (Wehrmacht) (page does not exist)

values: 356th Infantry Regiment (United States) (page does not exist)

values: Edit section: Time runs out for the Allied offensive

values:
/wiki/Lucca_(province)
mw-redirect
Lucca (province)

values:
/wiki/Senio_River
mw-redirect
Senio River

values:
/wiki/European_Theatre_of_World_War_II
mw-redirect
European Theatre of World War II

values:
reflist mw-references-wrap
list-style-type: decimal;

values: The material near this tag needs to be fact-checked with the cited source(s). (December 2008)

values: -moz-column-width: 20em; -webkit-column-width: 20em; column-width: 20em; list-style-type: decimal;

values:
/wiki/Mark_Wayne_Clark
mw-redirect
Mark Wayne Clark

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/oclc/29051302

values:
/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler
mw-redirect
James Ramsay Montagu Butler

values: United States Army Center of Military History

values:
/wiki/Mascarenhas_de_Moraes
mw-redirect
Mascarenhas de Moraes

values:
nofollow
http://www.lacittainvisibile.it/
external text

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.wwii.ca/page79.html

values:
nofollow
http://www.goticatoscana.eu/EN/
external text

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.progettolineagotica.eu

values:
nofollow
http://www.portalfeb.com.br/
external text

values: South-East Asian theatre of World War II

values: South West Pacific theatre of World War II

values: List of military engagements of World War II

values: Military history of Australia during World War II

values: Military history of the Netherlands during World War II

values: Military history of New Zealand during World War II

values: Military history of the Philippines during World War II

values: Military history of South Africa during World War II

values: Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II

values: Military history of the United States during World War II

values: Military history of Bulgaria during World War II

values: Military history of Finland during World War II

values: Military history of Italy during World War II

values:
/wiki/Armed_neutrality
mw-redirect
Armed neutrality

values: Bulgarian resistance movement during World War II

values: Resistance in German-occupied Czechoslovakia

values: Estonian anti-German resistance movement 1941–44

values: Japanese dissidence during the early Shōwa period

values: Jewish resistance in German-occupied Europe

values: Latvian anti-Nazi resistance movement 1941–45

values: Resistance in Lithuania during World War II

values: Polish resistance movement in World War II

values: Romanian anti-communist resistance movement

values: Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina

values: Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan

values:
/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1945)
mw-redirect
Timeline of World War II (1945)

values:
/wiki/Raid_on_Taihoku
mw-redirect
Raid on Taihoku

values: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

values: Debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

values: Comparative officer ranks of World War II

values: United States home front during World War II

values: Australian home front during World War II

values: Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II

values: Lists of World War II military equipment

values: Allied technological cooperation during World War II

values: Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–50)

values: Military occupations by the Soviet Union

values: International Military Tribunal for the Far East

values: The Holocaust in the Independent State of Croatia

values: German military brothels in World War II

values:
/wiki/Rape_of_Manila
mw-redirect
Rape of Manila

values: Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

values: German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

values: German prisoners of war in the United States

values: Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

values: Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

values: Japanese prisoners of war in World War II

values: German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war

values: Polish prisoners-of-war in the Soviet Union after 1939

values: Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible collapsed navbox-inner

values: Category:Italian Campaign (World War II)

values: Category:German World War II defensive lines

values: Category:World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign

values: Category:All pages needing factual verification

values: Category:Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from December 2008

values: Category:Articles containing German-language text

values: Category:Articles containing Italian-language text

values: Category:CS1 Italian-language sources (it)

values: Category:Articles with Italian-language external links

values: Category:Articles with Portuguese-language external links

values: Category:Italy articles missing geocoordinate data

values: Category:All articles needing coordinates

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Gothic_Line
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values: portal navigation p-wikibase-otherprojects p-wikibase-otherprojects-label

values: interlanguage-link interwiki-es badge-Q17437798 badge-goodarticle

values: interlanguage-link interwiki-it badge-Q17437798 badge-goodarticle

values: הקו הגותי – Hebrew

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-he
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-nl
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-pl
display: none;

values: Готская линия – Russian

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-sk
display: none;

values: Готска линија – Serbian

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-sr
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-fi
display: none;

values: காத்திக் கோடு – Tamil

values: Готська лінія – Ukrainian

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-uk
display: none;

values: All languages (initial selection from common choices by you and others)

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Gothic_Line rootpage-Gothic_Line skin-vector action-view