Monday, July 13 at 3 a.m. ET
Hosted by Oliver North
By May of 1943, Adolf Hitler and his Axis ally Benito Mussolini controlled most of the European continent. In England, a defiant Winston Churchill was convinced that knocking Italy out of the war would cause a chill of loneliness over the German people, and bring the beginning of their doom.
From the July 1943 invasion of Sicily to the battles of Monte Cassino to the German surrender in May 1945, the 608-day struggle would cost 312,000 Allied casualties — more than any other campaign in Western Europe.
In this riveting episode, "War Stories with Oliver North" returns to the battlefield and travels the roads taken by those who fought to liberate Italy. Join American soldier Herman Chanowitz as he retraces his steps during the bitter battle for San Pietro.
Find out how Carl Strom and Frank Hardie had to contend with flooded rivers, machine gun fire and German mines during their assaults on the impenetrable Gustav Line.
And, you'll meet a veteran of the Italian army, Nello Nardini, who wound up fighting on both sides and witnessed how Mussolini's alliance with Hitler brought carnage to his countrymen and led to the dictator’s own execution.
Come along with these heroes to witness "The Bloody Battle for the Boot: Italy in World War II."
Staff for this episode:
Executive Producer: Pamela K. Browne
Produced and written by: Kelly Guernica
Producer: Ayse M. Wieting
Editor: Andy Tolbert