I just finished "The Day of Battle" by Atkinson, the WWII campaign for Italy. After breaking through the heavily fortified German lines at Cassino and Anzio and taking thousands of casualties in frontal assaults the U.S. Army faced another uphill fight against a well dug in enemy before Rome. Called upon to attack this front was the U.S. 36th Infantry, a Texas outfit, led by Major General Fred Walker. A "hard-luck" outfit, the 36th had been decimated at during the assaults of the Rapido River earlier. General Walker was tired of the frontal assault he was ordered to do again and the loses he was sure to take. After reading "Lee's Lieutenants" by Freeman, Walker studied the maps and wonder "is this how Lee would have fought the battle?"

From this he decided to take a different course. He took a recon plane and did his own scouting of the mountain terrain he was ordered to assault and then took a jeep and examined a trail he saw from the air. It was not on the maps and it was determined it was a old logging road. It cut between two German lines of defense, with a two mile gap between, the area was considered impassable and not defended. Walker thought it was enough of a road to get his assault forces, infantry, tanks and artillery but his commanders thought it too great a risk. He fought for his plan and finally won. Long story short...the 36th Infantry, with bulldozers leading the way cut a road up the mountain, and took the Germans from the rear, killing and taking thousands of prisoners...routing the German army and allowing the Allies to take Rome. The 36th Infantry lost eleven men in this operation... a lopsided victory. Thank you General Lee.

David Upton