(1943-45) the longest campaign by the Western Allies in World War II. Following Italy's surrender in July 1943, Josef Stalin demanded opening a second front in the west. Because a cross-Channel invasion of France was not possible, Italy was an attractive alternative for the British, who wanted to stall the movement of German troops from Italy to France or the eastern front. The campaign was long stalemated after the initial invasion of Salerno on September 9, 1943, before Rome was finally occupied on June 4, 1944. The final Allied offensive in Italy resulted in the surrender of all German forces on May 2, 1945. Allied casualties were 312, 000 in this 602-day campaign, while German losses have been estimated at 434, 646
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