Ch.8

Everyone was on edge as the time for battle approached once again. Then once the Germans were in eyesight everyone began firing at will. The Germans were quickly cut down but took cover behind their tanks and armor vehicles. The battle began, with me using a 50cal (12.7mm) machine gun and switching to my rifle while my new radio operator reloaded it. 

The Germans began firing back at us with everything they had, men screaming and dying. Explosions occurred every other second, after what felt like an hour of fighting, but maybe not even ten minutes. Our allied planes started coming, thankfully there were no German planes left in North Africa now. 

Our planes began raining hell on them giving us the opportunity to destroy more of their tanks and armored vehicles. Shortly after the planes arrived General Eisenhower and his men arrived behind the Germans keeping them from escaping. The battle ended within the next ten minutes after their arrival. 

Only a handful of Germans surrendered to us, while most of them died fighting or were currently dying on the field of battle. However, none of our medics moved to assist them out of spite letting them die slowly. Nor did Eisenhower or myself command anyone to assist them, leaving the men to die. 

"James! Glad you are still alive," Eisenhower says to me walking over and patting my shoulder as our men tend to our wounded. 

"Same to you," I say nodding my head, seeing he has made it through uninjured. 

"Now that the Germans are out of North Africa we can focus completely on Europe," Eisenhower says as we walk to my command tent in the recently fortified checkpoint. 

We then catch up for a few minutes as the men go around gathering the battle after report. Once they reported their findings, we saw we only suffered very few casualties overall. Then Eisenhower began informing his unit to begin breaking off into smaller units and reinforcing certain areas. Apparently, he would be staying with me and my unit for the time being. 

"So, the British and the upper echelon back home decided I'd be holding here keeping North Africa under our control. However, in the meantime, they need someone on our side to lead our men to invade Italy… Do you want that or should I give it to Colonel Millar?" Eisenhower says as we sit in the command tent later in the day.

"If I decline what would be my other mission?" I say curious what I'd be doing instead. 

"Helping me hold Africa, though I doubt the Germans will be giving us too much trouble to take it back considering they can't give us an opening in Europe. That and Russia is constantly harassing them from the west," Eisenhower says shrugging and lighting up another cigarette. 

"Who'd I be reporting to in the invasion of Italy?" I ask him while lighting up another cigarette too. 

"On paper, you'd be reporting to British Lieutenant General Morgan. In actuality, you'd be given full autonomy at my recommendation," Eisenhower says as I sigh nodding my head. We then go silent for a few minutes as I think about this.

"I heard about the battle and what it cost your Unit… Your unit deserves some rest, but after all the accomplishments you've all done. Command is going to fight hard to have you all participate in each major operation," Eisenhower says telling me what I already assumed. 

"Yeah… Let me talk with my men," I say as he nods his head. 

I then requested for the officers of my unit to report to me, once in the command tent they all seemed tense due to General Eisenhower being here. However, they knew Eisenhower are friends, but that didn't mean they were excited that the highest-ranking American General was in our camp. 

"I want you all to ask your men if they would be interested in following me to Sicily, as HQ wants us to take that next. If not I can fight for us all to be stationed here for the time being," I say to my officers as they all silently listen to me. 

"Go ask around and come back to me. We'll count the votes and go from there," I say as they nod and run off. 

Eisenhower and I wait for an hour while just talking. Then my officers finally came back with votes from my men. We stand up and nod our heads gesturing for them to tell us what my men voted for. Three out of the ten officers I had voted against going, while the others voted for it. 

"Well, it seems we have our option made. We are going to Italy… inform the men of the choice and be preparing for our journey," I say as they all salute us and begin relaying my orders. 

"I'll let HQ know about your choice," Eisenhower says giving me a serious look with some worry on his face, patting my shoulder. 

"We are going to storm the south, with my armor in the front," I say since air dropping behind enemy lines caused more casualties. 

"Ok," Eisenhower says nodding his head before walking off to let HQ know of our choice. 

Over the next few months, the new campaign is prepared, while I get my men ready for the coming battle. With my officers, we discussed the best way to land on the beach and the several ways we could expect it to go. Once we felt we had a solid plan and several backup plans, we began making the men simulate the plans. The main plan relied heavily on our armor lasting, and planes being able to take out most of their armor or anti-tank guns. 

The day came were we all boarded the several ships taking us there. Once we came a few miles off the coast the battle began with their land artillery shooting at us. While our ships shot back attempting to take them out so we could get closer. While our air force began bombing and strafing the lands. 

Over the next hour, we slowly pushed to the landing zone, with decent casualties appearing on our side. A few smaller ships were sunk with the sounds of men screaming as they drowned. Along with fiery burning planes falling from the sky being engulfed by the ocean or exploding on the land. 

Once we were in the landing zone, I met with my men who were a part of the first wave. There I would be officially in charge with Master Sergeant Collier as my second. Then we landed on the beach, immediately met by machine gun fire, enemy armor, and anti-tank guns. 

Our first few tanks were taken down, but thankfully several of the rounds ricoched off our armor. Then our armor began opening fire back on them, along with our bombers finally leveling the area making debris scatter in all directions. With a few body parts in the mix, as most became vaporized from the blast. 

In the next few hours, all my men were able to get onto the land successfully, with minimal casualties. We then secured the landing area and took the few prisoners we came across. Once the area was secure, the planes pushed further into the lands and we could see an aerial battle happening a few hundred miles ahead of us. 

"Secure the city! I don't want anyone fucking us from behind!" I shout as my men begin pushing deeper into the city we landed near. 

Shortly after the order, small firefights could be heard across the city. While I was with the tank Fury pushing through the center. Reaching the center of the city we came across their largest final resistance to us. As soon as both sides made eye contact fighting ensued. 

I sat behind the turret again with my radio operator shooting back at them. While my infantry with us was pushing through the allies and buildings to cut them off. While Fury and our two other tanks pushed down the main road slowly. By the end of the day the city was completely secured and we began fortifying it for the reinforcements meant to hold it permanently. 

The following morning the permanent allied soldiers came and took over the area, as we pushed further into Sicily. Over the course of several weeks Sicily was slowly but surely being taken over. By the time we met up with Lt General Morgan, there was little to no resistance left in the last city. 

Finally, on 9 July 1943, Sicily officially surrendered and openly joined us against the Axis. However, the rest of Italy was still under Axis control, which is where I, Lt. General Morgan, and several other officers began discussing the invasion of the mainland. 

We spent another month in Sicily waiting for more men and resources. While also finalizing our plans. I would be leading my Unit which got bolstered to just over three thousand men and three hundred tanks. We would be tasked with arriving in Otranto taking Italy from the west and slowly moving North. 

We all will be slowly make our way to Rome from the south up, and then we all meet together to take Rome. As once Rome was taken the rest of Italy should either fall quickly or surrender right after. 

Then me and my Unit boarded our new ships taking us to Otranto. However, with our intelligence of the city this time, we'd be letting our ship bombard certain areas before pushing forward. 

Arriving at the city during midday, we let our ships and several dozen planes bombard the city. By the next morning, the landing zone was unrecognizable as it was just a ruin. I was against bombing the city due to the citizens inside, but the outskirts were fair game since they should have stockaded those places for our arrival.

We all then landed with almost no resistance, as only a handful shot at us, but most surrendered on our arrival. The citizens looked at us with mixed emotions, some had hatred in their eyes, others had happiness, or fear and nervousness. My men kept a close eye as I told them to not let their guard down as any could attack us at a moment's notice. 

"Vaffanculo!" (Fuck you!) someone shouts while throwing a stone at us. It hits me square in the face making my head bleed a bit. 

"Mother fuckers!! Who did that?!" one of Master Sergeant Collier's men shouts while waving his gun at the crowd making people panic. 

"Calm down, I'm fine. They are just tense… Not every day does the city get bombarded and then invaded. They are just nervous and scared of us, especially for those who believe the rumors from the fascist party," I say placing my hand on the man making him grunt while glaring at the scattering crowd. 

"Fuckin bastards…," the man mumbles while watching them. 

Like most of the men who've been in my unit from the beginning, he is on edge having witnessed the true horrors of war. The newer members are not as on edge, still having hope in humanity. My veteran members have lost all hope and view anyone who isn't us as an enemy waiting to kill us. 

"Have everyone begin securing the city. Once it is considered safe, we will move on," I say to my radio operator who nods and begins relaying the order. 

"Sir, think the Krauts will push into here giving us a hard time as we move up?" M/Sgt. Colliers asks me as we ride through the city, with my infantry doing door-to-door checks. 

"Doubt it, though who knows with them. They might be gathering more shit for Rome and we may have a bad time there. However, I don't think we'd be running into any Germans until then," I say shrugging since who knows what German command might be considering.