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Article: Tempting providence: the bombing of Monte Cassino. (Italy, 1944) (The World at War)
- Article from:
- History Today
- Article date:
- February 1, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 History Today Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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February 15th, 1944. The feastday of the Saints Faustinus and Giovita of Brescia. At 5.45am the 96th Bombardment Group based at Foggia were delivered the following brief in an underground cave:
The target is a huge ancient monastery which the Germans have chosen as a key defence and have loaded with heavy guns... Those crew members who have served through the African campaign will remember how we did not bomb mosques because of the religious and humanitarian training all of us have received... Because of that and because the Krauts and the Eyeties know this they lived in these mosques. They knew we would not bomb these places. The Germans are still capitalising on ...