The invasion of Sicily in 1943, 80 years later

When it comes to World War II, many are familiar with D-Day, with stories of Allies storming the beaches of Normandy and gaining the beachhead against the Axis powers.

However, many are less aware of the invasion that took place in Sicily in July1943. The one that ousted Mussolini and helped weaken the Eastern Front. At the Library, we have the resources to help refresh that knowledge, or learn something new about one of the most documented wars in modern history.

Located at your local library are books, online resources and microfilm on the invasion, Sicily and Italy’s histories and travel guides, history of the war, or those veterans who served in the war.

This year, July 10 to Aug 17 will mark the 80th anniversary of one of the most important points in World War II. “Sicily ‘43: the First Assault of the Fortress Europe” by James Holland details the 38-day battle for Sicily. At the library, we have movies such as “A Walk in the Sun," about American soldiers in the Italian countryside.

There are documentaries such as “WWII Road to Victory." DVDs can be found on the shelves too. Stories of the Tuskegee Airmen’s dogfights over the Mediterranean can be found in the title “Black Knights” by Lynn M. Homan. The nurses who cared for the wounded throughout the war have their experiences told in “And if I Perish” by Evelyn M. Monahan can shed light on the horrors and traumas of the war.

Known as Operation Husky, the Sicily battle had an impact on the Eastern Front. The Germans had to redirect the new recruits out of France, who would have served as reserves in the offensive at the Battle of Kursk, to Sicily and Italy instead. For more on Kursk and the Eastern Front, we have “Armor and Blood: the Battle of Kursk” by Dennis E. Showalter. Through our online resources, “German Army on the Eastern Front: The Retreat 1943 - 1945” by Ian Baxter goes over more than the battle of Kursk, but what leaving that offensive cost the Germans.

On July 25th, 15 days after the invasion began, Benito Mussolini was removed from leadership in Italy. To learn more about the dictator and his Italy check out “Fascist Voices” by Christopher Duggan. Italian Front from titles like “The Liberator” by Alex Kershaw follows a soldier’s journey from Sicily into southern Germany to one of the concentration camps. There are even fictional titles that can put you in the everyday experiences of War-torn Italy, such as “Death’s Door” by James Benn.

At the library, we have titles about the history and the life of Italians and Sicilians for kids, too. Titles such as “Italy” by Robert Anderson take the reader on a journey of art, history, architecture, and culture of the Italian peninsula and the islands.

Besides the invasion, we have stories of the soldiers who made it home. In the book “Marching Home” by Kevin Coyne, six service members from New Jersey are followed as they go through training, endure the war and return home. We have biographies from the children about their parents who had served. Titles such “My Father’s War” by Julia Collins and “Our Father’s War” by Tom Mathews can be checked out here.

The downtown library has drawers of microfilm, with plenty of news from local papers as wells as Dallas and Fort Worth publications. Plenty of fictional stories too, in case the reality of the war is too much, such “Fearless Jones” by Walter Mosley.

There is plenty to explore about this invasion and the many facets of knowledge surrounding it. Come and learn about these experiences and more at the Abilene Public Library.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: The invasion of Sicily in 1943, 80 years later