Chapter V: Section IV: Southern France

The offensive operation in southern France, originally scheduled to be executed simultaneously with the Normandy landings, was conceived with the aim of pushing northward from the southern coast, creating a diversion of enemy troops from the northern assault, and generally weakening the German Army in France. This operation was given the code name ANVIL.

A serious shortage of landing craft delayed the invasion until 15 August 1944. Meanwhile preparations for such a landing served as a threat and held a large number of German forces on the southern coast. Craft, used first for the Normandy landings, were then rushed to the Mediterranean for use in mounting ANVIL.

During June and July three divisions which formed the bulk of the U. S. VI Corps were withdrawn from the battle in Italy and sent to port areas for training and for participation in Operation ANVIL. At the same time all the French troops with U. S. Fifth Army were withdrawn to prepare for the invasion. The Allied strategic air forces began the process of neutralizing vital enemy communications and installations in southern France. As D Day approached, a large naval force was amassed in the Mediterranean, and the ground forces, American and French troops, were embarked from Italy, North Africa, and Corsica.

An airborne task force of American and British units, with the mission of preventing the enemy from reinforcing the coastal defense, successfully jumped astride the Argens River behind the German lines before H Hour. Landings took place on 15 August 1944 in the Cannes-Toulon sector against scattered and disorganized resistance from the enemy. The assault forces, assisted by members of the French Resistance forces, pressed their attack rapidly, defeated the enemy along the coast line, and pushed inland. The troops were met with enthusiasm by the French population.

Toulon and Marseille were captured by units of the French forces. By the end of August the combined American and French forces had broken German resistance in southern France, destroyed and put to flight the enemy, and advanced to Lyons. On 11 September 1944 they made junction with the Normandy forces west of Dijon, thereby sealing all of southwestern France.

SMOKE RISING FROM WATERFRONT INSTALLATIONS as Liberators bomb
Genoa, Italy, prior to the invasion of southern France. This
was part of a plan to keep the enemy guessing as to where the
assault would come. At the time of the Normandy landings most
of the Allied troops intended for the simultaneous invasion of
southern France were fighting in Italy.]

DOCKS AND U-BOAT PENS during an air attack at Toulon, a major
French naval base. Allied air attacks destroyed U-boats awaiting
repairs in their pens and crippled production facilities. By the
end of July 1944 the Mediterranean Sea was almost cleared of
German naval power.]

BOMBING OF RHÔNE RIVER BRIDGES at Tarascon by Allied planes.
Pre-D-Day bombardment wrecked all but one bridge across the
Rhône, which helped to hamper large-scale movement of enemy
troops. The Allied forces were to advance through the Rhône
River Valley which passes between two mountain masses, the
Massif Central and the Alps, and forms a great natural corridor
connecting the Mediterranean coast with the Paris basin.]

B-24 0VER THE GOLFE DE LA NAPOULE. Smoke rising in distance,
near village of Théoule-sur-Mer, is caused by bombing of
railroad, highway, and bridges. At right is Cannes. The air
offensive in support of the invasion actually began as early as
28 April 1944 when heavy bombers attacked Toulon. Between that
time and August, the Mediterranean Allied air force dropped
more than 12,500 tons of bombs on southern France. Beginning
on 10 August the offensive was continued by attacking coastal
batteries and radar stations, harassing coastal defense troops,
and isolating the target area by destroying bridges across the
Rhône.]

WATERPROOFED PRIEST undergoing test in preparation for the
invasion. The invasion training center at Salerno, Italy,
established a school of one week’s instruction in waterproofing
vehicles for the coming assault. The 105-mm. howitzer motor
carriage M7 was the principal artillery weapon of the U. S.
armored division.]

VEHICLES ASSEMBLED AT THE PORT OF NAPLES for the invasion of
southern France. The troop list of those landing during the
first four days included over 155,000 personnel and 20,000
vehicles of all types, including personnel and cargo carriers as
well as armored vehicles.]

LOADED LST’S IN NAPLES HARBOR in August 1944 before the
invasion. By this time the Germans had been pushed north of
Florence, their air force had been greatly reduced, and their
airfields in the Po Valley were under constant air attacks by
medium and heavy bombers.]

MEN ON A BEACH NEAR NAPLES waiting for water transportation to
take them to near-by landing craft and transports in the Bay of
Naples. This was the final loading before the invasion. Although
the Germans were aware of the concentration of troops and
shipping and knew that the invasion was in preparation, no enemy
bombings interfered with the loading operations. The Allied air
forces had rendered most of their airfields within range of
Naples inoperative for all practical purposes.]

MEN RECEIVING CARTRIDGES OF CARBON DIOXIDE for their life
preservers, prior to boarding ships for the invasion. Rations
for the first days were also issued, each man receiving one K
ration, one D ration, one small bottle of Halazone tablets to
purify water, one bottle of salt tablets, and two packages of
cigarettes.]

FULLY EQUIPPED INFANTRY SOLDIER, armed with both a carbine and
a rocket launcher, boarding a transport. (2.36-inch rocket
launcher M1A1, known as the bazooka.)]

LST’S APPROACHING THE COAST OF FRANCE. Ships carrying men and
equipment for the invasion sailed from ports in Africa, Italy,
and Corsica, the most important loading port being Naples. In
all, 853 vessels from the Allied navies formed the task force
with an additional 1,267 small landing craft, deck-loaded.
Several hours prior to the main assault amphibious landings were
made on both flanks of the invasion area and airborne landings
were made in the rear in order to isolate the beachhead from the
enemy. French commandos landed at Cap Nègre and French marines
landed near Cannes.]

ON BOARD AN AMERICAN CRUISER men pass ammunition to gunners
firing on the beaches of southern France. Naval ships commenced
long-range bombardment of prearranged targets at 0530 on D Day.
Until 0800 this fire was almost continuous, lifting only when
Allied bombers were over the targets. In all, naval guns fired
over 15,900 projectiles into the beach area prior to the assault
landings.]

DROPPING SUPPLIES TO PARATROOPERS on D Day, 15 August 1944. An
Anglo-American airborne task force landed at various hours on D
Day beginning at 0430 near le Muy and le Luc to establish road
blocks, to prevent enemy movement toward the beaches, and to
help reduce the defenses in the Frejus area. No air opposition
was encountered and the paratroopers landed and came in contact
with the enemy immediately, but resistance was light, primarily
small arms fire. Preparations were made by the paratroopers for
the landing of the glider-borne elements.]

DUST RISING FROM FIELDS AS GLIDERS LAND. The tow planes and
gliders took off from airfields in the Rome area. No gliders
were lost from enemy action, but many were wrecked in landing,
causing some casualties. The first glider serial landed about
0930 on 15 August 1944, and by late afternoon the whole force
had landed. By nightfall four small villages had been occupied
and 103 prisoners taken. A protective screen was established
over the road net connecting the invasion coast with the
interior.]

WOUNDED AND INJURED AIRBORNE TROOPS in an aid station at la
Motte. The enemy opposition to the Anglo-American air drops
and glider landings was relatively slight but this method of
warfare, in itself dangerous, resulted in unavoidable accidents
such as broken arms and legs and, in some cases, more serious
injuries.]

ROCKET SHIP CONVERTED FROM AN LCT. Ahead of the first wave of
assault troops in landing craft were rocket ships mounting tiers
of rocket launchers. As these drew within range of the beach
defenses they discharged their rockets. The first troops landed
immediately afterward. Rocket ships were equipped with launchers
for up to 1,000 rockets.]

SOLDIERS DESCENDING A LADDER into waiting assault craft.
Climbing down along the high vertical side of a transport into
a heaving and swaying assault craft while loaded down with
ammunition, equipment, and rations was in itself a difficult
task. The ladder shown here, constructed of chains separated by
wooden pieces, was a great improvement over the old rope nets.
The latter tended to bunch and stretch, making the descent
extremely difficult and slow.]

INFANTRY MAN AND MEDICS in the LCVP nearing a beach. Advancing
at full speed, the assault craft approached the beaches in the
immediate wake of the rocket ships. Other landing craft can
be seen on the beach. At right is an LST. Overhead are three
barrage balloons.]

PART OF THE BEACH ON BAIE DE CAVALAIRE. On the left of the
invasion coast in the U. S. sector, one division was to assault
the beach area from Cap Cavalaire to the Cap de Saint-Tropez,
including the town of Saint-Tropez. One battalion landing on the
beach shown above advanced along the coastal road and cleared
the town of Cavalaire-sur-Mer (portion of town is at left in
photo), and by 1330 on D Day reached a road block, in the
vicinity of Cap Negre, held by the French.]

BEACH ON THE ANSE DE PAMPELONE. All beach defenses were reduced
in forty minutes after landings were made. The engineers started
clearing the beaches of mines and laying beach pontons since the
gradient was too shallow for ships to come up to the beach. One
battalion attacked inland and seized the high ground north of
the town of Rainatuelle (upper left). Two battalions moved north
and northeast and seized the hills (upper right). Saint-Tropez
is just behind these hills.]

THE CAP SARDINEAU BEACHES. Another of the three assault
divisions landed here in the center of the corps invasion area
at H Hour (0800) on D Day. The three small beaches (shown above)
lay along a curving bay between Cap Sardineau and Pointe de
l’Arpillon. The divisional area extended inland 15 to 20 miles
to le Luc and le Muy where the airborne troops had previously
landed. After clearing the beaches, the division’s mission was
to contact the paratroopers to the north and the divisions on
each flank.]

POINTE D’ANTHÉOR BEACH. On the extreme right of the invasion
coast, this beach at an inlet near Pointe d’Anthéor was small
and not well suited for a major landing. The landings took place
on the beaches on both sides of the inlet which ends where
the highway runs beside the railroad bridge. Here the Germans
directed their fire upon the assault boats and made several
direct hits, causing casualties. The assault troops placed a
road block across the coastal highway and occupied the ground
northwest of Rade-d’Agay.]

CAP DRAMMONT BEACH. The third division of the three in the U.
S. assault area had the mission of securing the right of the
invasion beaches. The divisional area extended from Pointe de
Saint-Aygulf along the coast line to Théoulesur Mer on the Golfe
de la Napoule. The first assault was over this beach west of Cap
Drammont and was considered large enough only for the initial
operations. The beach consisted of narrow strips of rocky shale
between the water and steep embankments.]

DUPLEX-DRIVE TANK. Amphibian tanks were launched from LCT’s
about 2,000 yards offshore to support infantry on the
Saint-Tropez peninsula assault. By means of the duplex drive
a regular medium tank was converted into an amphibian. When
the canvas screen was raised and held in place by mechanical
means the tank floated. The DD tank was vulnerable to mines and
underwater obstacles. Offshore at right an amphibian 2½-ton
truck is bringing a 105-mm. howitzer to the beach.]

INFANTRYMEN LANDING ON BEACH FROM AN LCI. In the center of the
U. S. assault area troops landed under almost ideal amphibious
conditions, four battalions abreast with little hindrance by
mines and underwater obstacles and with light enemy resistance.]

A SMOKE SCREEN is laid to cover landing operations on the left
flank of the American assault area. While engineers, using a
mine detector (SCR 625), clear the beach of enemy mines, a DUKW
with a 105-mm. howitzer approaches the shore.]

EXPLODING MINE. On D Day morning no fire on ships or craft from
coast defense guns was reported, and on the beaches resistance
consisted mostly of small arms and mortar fire. Underwater
obstacles and land and marine mines were insufficient to delay
the landings materially. The first waves of assault troops
located and removed many of these obstacles. Note wire matting
in lower left used to form a roadbed over loose sand.]

ENEMY TRENCHES ON BEACH and two American casualties. A
waterproofed 2½-ton 6 x 6 truck offshore. Shortly after U. S.
troops landed the enemy came out of shelters and opened fire
with small arms and mortars. However, amphibian tanks, tank
destroyers, and howitzers which had landed from DUKW’s were
in position to meet this fire, and the infantry continued to
advance inland against scattered and light opposition. The first
enemy prisoners seemed dazed and well shaken by the preliminary
naval and aerial bombardment.]

AID MEN ADMINISTER PLASMA TO A FRENCH WOMAN wounded during the
invasion, using the rear of a DD tank for shelter. Men and women
of the French Forces of the Interior assisted the advancing
troops and made the countryside untenable for the isolated
enemy detachments. By midnight, the corps reported that 2,041
prisoners had been taken.]

LITTER BEARERS EVACUATING WOUNDED MAN. A medical battalion
attached to the beach group set up collecting, clearing, and aid
stations. The wounded were evacuated from the beach by Army and
Navy medical personnel to hospital ships by LCVP’s. The casualty
rates were low and the inland advance of troops rapid.]

ENEMY PILLBOX. On the morning of 16 August 1944 troops moved
through Saint-Raphaël clearing most of the resistance. There
was considerable improvisation on the part of the enemy, such
as the mounting of tank turrets on concrete to form pillboxes.
(Schmeiser machine gun and 20-mm. cannon mounted in pillbox.)]

THE FIRST FRENCH PARTISANS (French Forces of the Interior) to
meet the invading U. S. troops at the beach in the Saint-Tropez
area. The partisans had been given a list of priority targets
to be attacked on and after D Day. They were to intensify
their activities in the rear of the enemy forces, with special
emphasis on the destruction of bridges, cutting and blocking
highways and railroads, and seizing or controlling telephone and
telegraph centers.]

FRENCH TROOPS TAKE OVER A GERMAN GUN IN TOULON. At 2000
on D plus 1 a French army, consisting of seven divisions,
began landing on the beaches in the Saint-Tropez area, with
the initial mission of capturing the port cities of Toulon
and Marseille. The divisions assigned the taking of Toulon
began the encirclement of the city on 20 August. Because of
formidable enemy defenses, the combined efforts of the French
army, the tactical air command, and the Allied naval task
force were required before complete occupation of the city was
accomplished. The German garrison surrendered to the French army
on 28 August 1944. (German gun, 7.5-cm. Pak. 40.)]

THE FRENCH BATTLESHIP STRASBOURG. This ship was scuttled and
then damaged by Allied bombing on D plus 3, 18 August 1944,
in Toulon harbor. The enemy made maximum use of artillery for
coastal defense purposes. Batteries included railway guns, heavy
coast artillery, German field pieces, old French and Italian
equipment, and even naval guns transferred from French warships
scuttled in Toulon harbor.]

DAMAGED DOCKS AT MARSEILLE, the second largest city in
France, the most important port on the Mediterranean, and one
of the three cities in southern France with facilities for
handling 10,000-ton Liberty ships. (The others are Toulon and
Nice.) Marseille capitulated to the French army on 28 August
1944, particular emphasis being placed on preserving port
installations which the Germans had hoped to render useless by
large-scale demolitions.]

INFANTRY AND TANKS ADVANCE ALONG A COASTAL HIGHWAY. Failure
of the defending forces to hold the invaders in the immediate
coastal area was due to several facts: the enemy had disposed
his divisions too far west; additional troops were committed
in a piecemeal fashion; coastal units in general were weak,
and lacked air support, armor, and heavy artillery. It is
also estimated that about half the enemy troops were Russian,
Czech, Turkish, Polish, and other non-Germanic people who were
not inclined to put up a determined stand. The German corps
headquarters, near Draguignan, became isolated from its command.
The French Forces of the Interior constantly harassed the
defending troops from the rear.]

INFANTRYMEN PATROL NORTH OF MONTELIMAR (top). An American tank
passes wrecked German equipment north of Montelimar (bottom).
American troops advanced on Montelimar from the south and
northeast in an attempt to cut off and destroy the German army
in that area. After eight days of hard fighting the town was
taken, but a large portion of the enemy troops had succeeded in
escaping north from the triangle formed by the Rhone, Drome, and
Roubion Rivers, along Highway 86 west of the Rhone River and
Highway 7 east of the river.]

GERMAN EQUIPMENT BURNING IN THE MONTELIMAR AREA as U. S.
artillery shells enemy convoys attempting to withdraw to the
north (top). Wreckage of enemy vehicles after being hit by
artillery fire (bottom). By the end of August the Germans had
succeeded in withdrawing the greater part of their personnel
north of the Drome River, but left behind were destroyed
vehicles, guns, and heavy equipment, which reflected the eight
days of heavy fighting. American destruction of enemy equipment
included between 2,000 and 3,000 vehicles, over 80 artillery
pieces, and 5 large-caliber railway guns.]

A LITTLE FRENCH GIRL giving a soldier a bottle of wine as a
gesture of welcome as U. S. troops march through the streets of
a liberated French town.]

SOLDIERS OF THE SOUTHERN INVADING ARMY meeting soldiers from
the northern invading army. At 1500, 11 September, elements
of a French armored division of the southern forces made
junction with a French armored division near Sombernon, 150
miles southeast of Paris. The two invasion forces thus joined
to form a continuous Allied front from the North Sea to the
Mediterranean.]

ITALY

(5 June 1944–2 May 1945)