Cataclysms: Montecassino

If you have ever longed to visit Normandy to pay your respects to the dead of World War II, as I have, consider a visit to Montecassino as well. The Commonwealth Memorial at this location is deeply moving, and I wept without shame as I walked among the grave markers, reading the names and regiments of the soldiers resting here where they fell.

I was not familiar with the history of the battles at Montecassino, but it seems tens of thousand of Allied troops died in the attempt to wrest this critical area from Hitler's grasp. Blunders were undoubtedly made, but it is a testament to the strength of the Axis forces that it was not until the Allies were triple the strength of the Nazis that the battle was finally won.

See the bottom of this post for some additional information I gleaned from another website.

The Monastery of Montecassino is visible on the hilltop

The memories are still fresh

From the website Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour:

The Commonwealth Cemetery of Cassino is the largest WWII Cemetery in Italy. The cemetery contains 4265 grave markers of soldiers. They died in battles against the German army. In the middle of the cemetery there is a tall white monument. There are fifteen tall granite slabs located on both sides of the monument. On the slabs are the names of over 4000 missing soldiers who died in Italy and Sicily. In the centre of the beautifully landscaped cemetery is a lovely pool surrounded by a mosaic tiled walkway. Between September, 1943 and May, 1944 the town was occupied by the Germans. The Germans had a great strategic position - on the mountain - and were able to see the entire area. The Allied Forces made many unsuccessful attempts to conquer Monte Cassino.