Kruska
Diamond Member
No it's isn't partially true - neither is it a half truth. - no need to split hairsPartially true.
The German army did indeed occupy it in January, but pulled out about a week prior to the bombing. Then after the bombing they returned and took up positions there again.
That is known as the "First Battle of Monte Cassino", and was initially attacked on 17 January. That battle went on for almost three weeks, with the Germans withdrawing when they realized they were about to be cut off. And at the same time the badly mauled Allied units also withdrew. It was only after that that the Air Corps bombed it.
So that is a half-truth. It was empty at the time of the bombing, the Allies had no way of knowing that the German forces had already withdrawn. But it was indeed occupied prior to the bombing.
It's the truth - simple as that. You can check any verified source you want. Or feel free to come up with an own source.
e.g. Cassino | Italy
or e.g. The Bombing of Monte Cassino
It gives an excellent account about what and how it happened - try and read it up.
Quote: A civilian who had been in the abbey during the bombardment and who came into the American lines on the following day confirmed that the Germans had never had weapons inside the abbey and had never used it as an observation post. Numerous emplacements, he added, were no more than two hundred yards from the outside wall, and one position was about fifty yards away.
Quote: Ten days after the bombardment, Fifth Army counterintelligence agents verified the fact that no German troops had occupied the abbey before the bombardment. But the information was given no dissemination. The Allied forces never officially announced whether German troops had been in the monastery.
The German military had formally declared that their troops would not use the building, if the Allies would believe them or not was solely the Allies decision.
The only German military within the monastery where those who had evacuated most of the Monks, civilians and it's treasure 2-3 month earlier.
The Germans were in and around the town of Monte Casino - as stated before: no German troops where within the monastery prior to the bombing, or any kind of fortification efforts were made.
The Monastery was not bombed during the first battle ((January 17 to February 12) as you stated, but after. Three days after for the Allies disastrous 1st battle outcome, namely on February 15th and 16th, 3/4 days after the first battle, but in conjunction with the first day of the second battle - (February 15 to 18) Due to the second battle being conducted by British troops (NZ and Indian troops) the British divisional commanders demanded that the monastery be destroyed.
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