Operation Strangle
Time Frame - March 1944
"Operation Strangle" was conceived by Allied
commanders to reduce the flow of enemy supplies
in Italy below requirements by attacking their
supply system.
It was determined that the enemy's abilities
to supply, reinforce, and shift forces could be
so weakened that the Gustav Line could neither
withstand determined ground attacks nor
withdraw in order.
Beginning in March, Allied Medium and Fighter
Bombers struck targets from the Gustav Line to the
Swiss frontier. While the Medium bombers wrecked
marshaling yards and repair facilities, the Fighters
and Fighter Bombers of the XII Air Support Command
cut rail lines and bridges. The Fighter Bombers
in particular, proved surprisingly successful
as bridge busters.Heavy Bombers borrowed from
the air war over Germany hit distant rail centers
in the northern Italian cities. This scrambled enemy
troops and supplies from beyond the Alps, as trains
stacked up north and south of Rome. No trains were
able to run from the Po Valley, and substantially
all supplies had to be moved by truck south of
Florence.
Allied Planeset
B-25H
B-26B
P-38J
P-47D-25
P-51B
Spit IX
Typhoon
Jeep
M3
M16
M8
M4(75)
M4(76)
Axis Planeset
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 110G-2
Fw 190A-5
Fw 190A-8
Fw 190F-8
Ju 88A-4
C.205
C-47(JU-52 sub)
Jeep
SDk-251
PanzerIV
Panther(?)
Ostwind
