The Germans were now backing into the Italian mountain defenses where they expected to make a major stand. Temporarily, at least, they had slowed their pursuers to a walk.
The Allies were advancing at a rate of less than ten miles a week (at one time the rate was 15 miles a day). The Germans forced them to fight to the last house; at one point alone the Nazis absorbed 21,477 rounds of artillery fire in 24 hours before pulling out.
As Allied strategists saw it, the Germans would fall back to the Arno River as soon as they lost two...
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