Allied invasion of Sicily

In July 1943 the Allies mounted Operation Husky, the largest amphibious assault yet attempted, landing on Sicily with a vast armada of ships and airborne troops. British and American armies pushed inland against stubborn German resistance and Italian formations that often surrendered. The fighting was hard, but the island fall in mid-August had political consequences far beyond the battlefield: it helped topple Mussolini, and Italy new government began secret talks that would lead to an armistice in September. The campaign opened the Italian front, tied down German divisions that were needed elsewhere, and gave the Western Allies vital experience in large-scale amphibious operations that they would apply in Normandy a year later. It also exposed the limits of the alliance coordination, as the two armies raced for the prize of Messina. Airborne drops and seaborne landings were closely coordinated for the first time, and the sheer weight of Allied air and naval power made resupply of the island almost impossible for the Axis.