WORLD WAR II INVASION OF SICILY : KEY TO VICTORY 78164
Canada’s National War Finance Committee presents “Sicily: Key to Victory,” a black-and-white World War II-era film released following the July-August 1943 Sicilian Campaign. Filmed by the Canadian Army Film Unit and produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the picture is a partial record of the achievements of Canada’s First Division in that campaign.
A scroll at the start of the film explains, “The victory in Sicily began in the wheat fields and factories of Canada. Only by the ever-increasing stream of arms and supplies and with the full support of the men and women of Canada was this victory possible. In this unity of effort lies the key to victory, in war and in peace, over the enemies of freedom”
At mark 01:50, we are shown troops from the First Division as they prepare to set sail in June 1943. “Men, machines, and materials were going into history with this convoy,” we are told starting at mark 02:00, as battleships, corvettes, cruisers, and destroyers are shown at sea. “One thing’s for sure: this floating camp is headed for Zero Hour.”
“The Navy’s on the job all right,” we’re emphatically told at mark 02:50. “Ready to paste the U-Boats to kingdom come; blow the Jerry pilots into the drink.”
At mark 03:13, the troops are finally told where they are going: Sicily.
After a 2,000 mile journey, the convoy approaches its target: only to be met by rough seas and a raging storm. Waves crash over the bows of ships, as we see starting at mark 04:20, as they are buffeted by wind and rain.
By mark 04:53, the troops are ready to attack Axis powers on their home turf. Zero Hour, July 10, 1943. An illustration shows some of the seven landing points, including Licata, Gela, and Pachino, as the film switches to scenes of offshore bombardments in the dead of night and the eventual landing of troops on the beach. Facing little resistance, the Allied troops move forward, and beginning at mark 06:00 we see tanks and transports rolling through the sand, as we’re told vessels span 100 miles across the coastline.
British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery appears at mark 07:24 to salute the Allied fighters, as we then see troops move deeper into Sicily, toward Agrigento, Augusta, Caltagirone, and Syracuse, allowing Canadian forces to move toward Enna, in the center of Sicily. In only a week, Allied troops occupied a quarter of Sicily as they faced only week resistance.
The viewer is informed at mark 08:38, “The Italian soldiers act happy (after laying down their arms). Thousands of them anxious to surrender. It don’t look to me like their hearts are in it, fighting for Il Dulce and the Nazis. But this show hasn’t been easy. The enemy doesn’t give up easily everywhere. But we put the Nazis where they belonged. But some of our boys got it too…,” as the camera pans makeshift graves and covered bodies. “We’ve got a score to settle all over the world.”
Near mark 11:00, Allied troops are seen marching into Enna, after only two weeks of fighting, as the camera pans along building ruins and abandoned military equipment. Montgomery and Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds, who commanded the First Canadian Infantry Division and II Canadian Corps are shown reviewing battle plans at mark 12:00 as soldiers take a break from the battle, lying in shade, taking an impromptu bath, or enjoying a cigarette.
With more than two-thirds of Sicily under control of the Allies by mark 14:20, Canadian forces are shown moving on Nazi strongholds at Agira, as heavy artillery fires on German positions at mark 15:15. Canadians tool control of Agira on July 28, 1943.
With the fall of Randazzo and Messina at mark 18:52, the Allied sweep through Sicily was complete, ending the first round in the battle for Europe in 38 days.
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MY FAMILY VISIT The VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES - AGRGENTO TEMPLI - SICILIA , ITALIA ( summer time 2019)
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BC and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it Akragas.
Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia.[citation needed] It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus. At this point the city could have been as large as 100,000 to 200,000 people.[8][9] Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Didrachm, 490–483 BC.
The city was disputed between the Romans and the Carthaginians during the First Punic War. The Romans laid siege to the city in 262 BC and captured it after defeating a Carthaginian relief force in 261 BC and sold the population into slavery. Although the Carthaginians recaptured the city in 255 BC the final peace settlement gave Punic Sicily and with it Akragas to Rome. It suffered badly during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC) when both Rome and Carthage fought to control it. The Romans eventually captured Akragas in 210 BC and renamed it Agrigentum, although it remained a largely Greek-speaking community for centuries thereafter. It became prosperous again under Roman rule and its inhabitants received full Roman citizenship following the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city successively passed into the hands of the Vandalic Kingdom, the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy and then the Byzantine Empire. During this period the inhabitants of Agrigentum largely abandoned the lower parts of the city and moved to the former acropolis, at the top of the hill. The reasons for this move are unclear but were probably related to the destructive coastal raids of the Saracens and other peoples around this time. In 828 AD the Saracens captured the diminished remnant of the city; the Arabic form of its name became كِركَنت (Kirkant) or حِرحَنت (Jirjant).
Following the Norman conquest of Sicily, the city changed its name to the Norman version Girgenti.[10] In 1087, Norman Count Roger I established a Latin bishopric in the city. Normans built the Castello di Agrigento to control the area. The population declined during much of the medieval period but revived somewhat after the 18th century.
In 1860, as in the rest of Sicily, the inhabitants supported the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Expedition of the Thousand (one of the most dramatic events of the Unification of Italy) which marked the end of Bourbon rule.[11][12] In 1927, Benito Mussolini through the Decree Law n. 159, July 12, 1927[13] introduced the current Italianized version of the Latin name.[14] The decision remains controversial as a symbol of Fascism and the eradication of local history. Following the suggestion of Andrea Camilleri, a Sicilian writer of Agrigentine origin, the historic city centre was renamed to the Sicilian name Girgenti in 2016.[15] The city suffered a number of destructive bombing raids during World War II.
Sicily | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Sicily
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Sicily (Italian: Sicilia [siˈtʃiːlja]; Sicilian: Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana.
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Emirate of Sicily. The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily, which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen, the Capetian House of Anjou, Spain, and the House of Habsburg. It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite. Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region on 15th May 1946, 18 days before the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946. Albeit, much of the autonomy still remains unapplied, especially financial autonomy, because the autonomy-activating laws have been deferred to be approved by the parithetic committee (50% Italian State, 50% Regione Siciliana), since 1946.
Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice and Selinunte.
Sicily | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Sicily
00:02:21 1 Geography
00:05:47 1.1 Rivers
00:06:24 1.2 Climate
00:08:18 2 Flora and fauna
00:09:52 3 History
00:10:01 3.1 Ancient tribes
00:11:56 3.2 Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman period
00:15:23 3.3 Germanic and Byzantine periods (440–965)
00:15:36 3.3.1 Germanic (440–535)
00:16:36 3.3.2 Byzantine (535–965)
00:19:58 3.4 Arab Period (827–1091)
00:22:07 3.5 Norman Sicily (1038–1198)
00:24:19 3.6 Kingdom of Sicily
00:25:26 3.7 Hohenstaufen dynasty
00:27:06 3.8 Sicily under Aragonese rule
00:30:25 3.9 Italian unification
00:32:40 3.10 20th and 21st centuries
00:34:19 4 Demographics
00:35:49 4.1 Emigration
00:36:46 5 Politics
00:38:22 5.1 Administrative divisions
00:38:54 6 Economy
00:40:07 6.1 Agriculture
00:42:25 6.2 Industry and manufacturing
00:43:44 6.3 Statistics
00:43:52 6.3.1 GDP growth
00:44:08 6.3.2 Economic sectors
00:44:24 6.3.3 Unemployment rate
00:44:40 7 Transport
00:44:49 7.1 Roads
00:45:32 7.2 Railways
00:47:01 7.3 Airports
00:48:17 7.4 Ports
00:50:02 7.5 Planned bridge
00:51:03 8 Tourism
00:52:09 8.1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
00:54:16 8.1.1 Tentative Sites
00:54:37 8.2 Archeological sites
00:55:59 8.3 Castles
00:56:11 8.4 Coastal towers
00:57:26 9 Culture
00:58:11 9.1 Art and architecture
00:59:03 9.1.1 Sicilian Baroque
01:00:16 9.2 Music and film
01:01:14 9.3 Literature
01:02:48 9.4 Language
01:04:22 9.5 Science
01:06:18 9.6 Education
01:07:33 9.7 Religion
01:08:57 9.8 Cuisine
01:11:19 9.9 Sports
01:13:38 9.10 Popular culture
01:16:51 9.11 Regional symbols
01:19:34 10 Notable people
01:19:44 11 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Sicily (Italian: Sicilia [siˈtʃiːlja]; Sicilian: Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana.
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Emirate of Sicily. The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily, which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen, the Capetian House of Anjou, Spain, and the House of Habsburg. It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite. Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region on 15th May 1946, 18 days before the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946. Albeit, much of the autonomy still remains unapplied, especially financial autonomy, because the autonomy-activating laws have been deferred to be approved by the parithetic committee (50% Italian State, 50% Regione Siciliana), since 1946.
Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice and Selinunte.
Enna | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Enna
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Enna [ˈɛnna] listen (Sicilian: Castrugiuvanni; Greek: Ἔννα; Latin: Henna and less frequently Haenna) is a city and comune located roughly at the center of Sicily, southern Italy, in the province of Enna, towering above the surrounding countryside. It has earned the nicknames belvedere (panoramic viewpoint) and ombelico (navel) of Sicily.
At 931 m (3,054 ft) above sea level, Enna is the highest Italian provincial capital. Until 1926 the town was known as Castrogiovanni.
Sicily | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:03:09 1 Geography
00:07:42 1.1 Rivers
00:08:29 1.2 Climate
00:11:01 2 Flora and fauna
00:13:06 3 History
00:13:15 3.1 Ancient tribes
00:15:48 3.2 Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman period
00:20:25 3.3 Germanic and Byzantine periods (440–965)
00:20:41 3.3.1 Germanic (440–535)
00:21:59 3.3.2 Byzantine (535–965)
00:26:29 3.4 Arab Period (827–1091)
00:29:20 3.5 Norman Sicily (1038–1198)
00:32:18 3.6 Kingdom of Sicily
00:33:46 3.7 Hohenstaufen dynasty
00:35:58 3.8 Sicily under Aragonese rule
00:40:25 3.9 Italian unification
00:43:25 3.10 20th and 21st centuries
00:45:36 4 Demographics
00:47:34 4.1 Emigration
00:48:48 5 Politics
00:50:55 5.1 Administrative divisions
00:51:33 6 Economy
00:53:10 6.1 Agriculture
00:56:12 6.2 Industry and manufacturing
00:57:55 6.3 Statistics
00:58:04 6.3.1 GDP growth
00:58:24 6.3.2 Economic sectors
00:58:43 6.3.3 Unemployment rate
00:59:03 7 Transport
00:59:12 7.1 Roads
01:00:08 7.2 Railways
01:02:04 7.3 Airports
01:03:44 7.4 Ports
01:06:01 7.5 Planned bridge
01:07:21 8 Tourism
01:08:47 8.1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
01:11:35 8.1.1 Tentative Sites
01:12:00 8.2 Archeological sites
01:13:46 8.3 Castles
01:14:00 8.4 Coastal towers
01:15:39 9 Culture
01:16:37 9.1 Art and architecture
01:17:45 9.1.1 Sicilian Baroque
01:19:20 9.2 Music and film
01:20:34 9.3 Literature
01:22:38 9.4 Language
01:24:41 9.5 Science
01:27:15 9.6 Education
01:28:53 9.7 Religion
01:30:44 9.8 Cuisine
01:33:53 9.9 Sports
01:36:59 9.10 Popular culture
01:41:15 9.11 Regional symbols
01:44:54 10 Notable people
01:45:04 11 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.7696115890205697
Voice name: en-US-Wavenet-C
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Sicily (Italian: Sicilia [siˈtʃiːlja]; Sicilian: Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana.
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Emirate of Sicily. The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily, which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen, the Capetian House of Anjou, Spain, and the House of Habsburg. It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite. Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region on 15th May 1946, 18 days before the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946. Albeit, much of the autonomy still remains unapplied, especially financial autonomy, because the autonomy-activating laws have been deferred to be approved by the parithetic committee (50% Italian State, 50% Regione Siciliana), since 1946.
Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice and Selinunte.
Allied invasion of Sicily | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Allied invasion of Sicily
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II, in which the Allies took the island of Sicily from the Axis powers ( the Kingdom of Italy and Nazi Germany). It began with a large amphibious and airborne operation, followed by a six-week land campaign, and initiated the Italian Campaign.
Husky began on the night of 9–10 July 1943, and ended on 17 August. Strategically, Husky achieved the goals set out for it by Allied planners; the Allies drove Axis air, land and naval forces from the island and the Mediterranean sea lanes were opened for Allied merchant ships for the first time since 1941. The Italian leader, Benito Mussolini, was toppled from power in Italy and the way was opened for the Allied invasion of Italy. The German leader, Adolf Hitler, canceled a major offensive at Kursk after only a week, in part to divert forces to Italy, resulting in a reduction of German strength on the Eastern Front. The collapse of Italy necessitated German troops replacing the Italians in Italy and to a lesser extent the Balkans, resulting in one fifth of the entire German army being diverted from the east to southern Europe, a proportion that would remain until near the end of the war.
Catania | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:01:53 1 Etymology
00:04:24 2 Geography
00:05:16 2.1 Climate
00:07:05 3 Demographics
00:09:02 4 History
00:09:11 4.1 Foundation
00:10:06 4.2 Greek Catania
00:15:07 4.3 Roman rule
00:18:33 4.4 Middle Ages
00:20:34 4.5 Early Modern times
00:21:24 4.6 Unified Italy
00:23:00 5 Metropolitan area
00:24:08 5.1 Catania administrative divisions
00:24:38 6 Main sights
00:26:44 6.1 Classical buildings
00:27:54 6.2 Roman thermal structures
00:28:29 6.3 Baroque and historical churches
00:35:33 6.4 Other
00:37:09 7 Economy
00:40:29 8 Education
00:41:39 9 Culture
00:44:30 10 Food and cuisine
00:47:29 11 Transport
00:49:10 11.1 Catania Public Transportation Statistics
00:50:00 12 Notable residents
00:51:45 13 International relations
00:51:55 13.1 Twin towns – sister cities
00:52:26 13.2 Influence on the planning of Adelaide, Australia
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.9515365776991219
Voice name: en-GB-Wavenet-D
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Catania (UK: , US: , Sicilian and Italian: [kaˈtaːnja] (listen)) is the second largest city of Sicily after Palermo; it is located on the east coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is the capital of the Metropolitan City of Catania, one of the ten biggest cities in Italy, and the seventh largest metropolitan area in Italy. The population of the city proper is 320,000 while the population of the city's metropolitan area, Metropolitan City of Catania, stood at 1,116,168 inhabitants.
Catania was destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes in 1169 and 1693, and by several volcanic eruptions from the neighbouring Mount Etna, the most violent of which was in 1669.Catania was founded in the 8th century BC by Chalcidians. In 1434, the first university in Sicily was founded in the city. In the 14th century and into the Renaissance period, Catania was one of Italy's most important cultural, artistic and political centres.The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy. Its old town, besides being one of the biggest examples of baroque architecture in Italy, is a World Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO.
Catania has been a native or adoptive homeland of some of Italy's most famous artists and writers, including composers Vincenzo Bellini and Giovanni Pacini, and writers Giovanni Verga, Luigi Capuana, Federico De Roberto and Nino Martoglio.
The city is the main industrial, logistical and commercial center of Sicily. It is the home of the Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, the largest in Southern Italy.
Catania | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Catania
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Catania (Italian: [kaˈtaːnja] (listen)) is the second largest city of Sicily after Palermo located on the east coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is the capital of the Metropolitan City of Catania, one of the ten biggest cities in Italy, and the seventh largest metropolitan area in Italy. The population of the city proper is 320,000 while the population of the city's metropolitan area, Metropolitan City of Catania, stood at 1,116,168 inhabitants.
Catania was destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes in 1169 and 1693, and by several volcanic eruptions from the neighbouring Mount Etna, the most violent of which was in 1669.Catania was founded in the 8th century BC by Chalcidians. In 1434, the first university in Sicily was founded in the city. In the 14th century and into the Renaissance period, Catania was one of Italy's most important cultural, artistic and political centres.The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy. Its old town, besides being one of the biggest examples of baroque architecture in Italy, is a World Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO.
Catania has been a native or adoptive homeland of some of Italy's most famous artists and writers, including composers Vincenzo Bellini and Giovanni Pacini, and writers Giovanni Verga, Luigi Capuana, Federico De Roberto and Nino Martoglio.
The city is the main industrial, logistical and commercial center of Sicily. It is the home of the Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, the largest in Southern Italy.
Italian Campaign (World War II) | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Italian Campaign (World War II)
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Italian Campaign of World War II consisted of the Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, followed shortly thereafter in September by the invasion of the Italian mainland and the campaign on Italian soil until the surrender of the German Armed Forces in Italy in May 1945.
It is estimated that between September 1943 and April 1945, some 60,000–70,000 Allied and 38,805-150,660 German soldiers died in Italy. Overall Allied casualties during the campaign totaled about 320,000 and the corresponding German figure (excluding those involved in the final surrender) was over 330,000. Fascist Italy, prior to its collapse, suffered about 200,000 casualties, mostly POWs taken in the Allied invasion of Sicily, including more than 40,000 killed or missing. Besides them, over 150,000 Italian civilians died, as did 35,828 anti-Fascist partisans and some 35,000 troops of the Italian Social Republic.In the West, no other campaign cost more than Italy in terms of lives lost and wounds suffered by infantry forces of both sides, during bitter small-scale fighting around strongpoints at the Winter Line, the Anzio beachhead and the Gothic Line. The campaign ended when Army Group C surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on May 2, 1945, one week before the formal German Instrument of Surrender. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican, both surrounded by Italian territory, also suffered damage during the campaign.
~| Lego WW2 | Operation Charnwood | Normandy, France | July 8 10th 1944 | Ship Raider |~
This scene depicts Canadian troops attacking the outskirts of the Norman city of Caen, where the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend defend. Now for some history. Hope you enjoy, please be sure to leave a comment!
~
Caen is the capital of Normandy. Being the largest center for connecting roadways, it was easily the most important goal of the Allies to achieve early in the Normandy campaign to gain the advantage. Unfortunately, this took much longer than the Allies predicted. This task fell to the moderately infamous General Bernard Montgomery, commanding the British 2nd army in Normandy. Monty, as he was called, was respected by his men, but was a much slower commander compared to General Patton, the future commander of the American 3rd Army later in the campaign. Monty preferred slower and much more gradual advances, and this would cost the British and Canadians many casualties. To take Caen, Monty provided a multiple stage plan, the first being Operation Perch (10-14th June), where the British 30th Corps would capture key road junctions and key points to threaten a breakout on the German forces. This was eventually successful, with high casualties on both sides. To secure their left flank, Monty would then launch Operation Epsom (26-30 June), the main objective being to take four small towns just miles from Caen. The Allied troops faced bitter resistance and dug in German soldiers, both SS and reinforcements from the dreaded Panzer Lehr. Taking further large amounts of casualties (as well as German forces) the troops were able to capture all centers and secure their flank. The next move, Operation Charnwood (8-11 July), which is what this build is based on, was a direct, slow moving assault at the city, composed mainly of the British I Corps, VIII Corps, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry division. This would also be the first time a large bomber force would be used in the Normandy campaign, although it was largely incompetent and did little damage to defending forces, who were actually outside the city. Remnants of the Hitlerjugend were defending the city outskirts, and were met by Canadian troops covering the flanks of the main armored thrusts to the city made by British tanks. The Allies would eventually capture Caen and the vital routes it provided; but not without a massive loss of life.
Song: Le Castle Vania (from John Wick)
Agrigento | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:00:37 1 History
00:04:46 2 Economy
00:05:30 3 Government
00:05:39 4 Main sights
00:09:08 5 People
00:10:29 6 International relations
00:10:51 7 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
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I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Agrigento (Italian: [aɡriˈdʒɛnto] (listen); Sicilian: Girgenti [dʒɪɾˈdʒɛndɪ] or Giurgenti [dʒʊɾˈdʒɛndɪ]; Ancient Greek: Ἀκράγας, romanized: Akragas;
Latin: Agrigentum or Acragas; Arabic: Kirkent or Jirjent) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. It was one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden age of Ancient Greece with population estimates in the range of 200,000 to 800,000 before 406 BC.
Words at War: Apartment in Athens / They Left the Back Door Open / Brave Men
Greece entered World War II on 28 October 1940, when the Italian army invaded from Albania, beginning the Greco-Italian War. The Greek army was able to stop the invasion and even push back the Italians into Albania, thereby winning one of the first victories for the Allies. The Greek successes and the inability of the Italians to reverse the situation forced Nazi Germany to intervene in order to protect her main Axis partner's prestige. The Germans invaded Greece and Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, and overran both countries within a month, despite British aid to Greece in the form of an expeditionary corps. The conquest of Greece was completed in May with the capture of Crete from the air, although the Fallschirmjäger suffered such extensive casualties in this operation that the Germans abandoned large-scale airborne operations for the remainder of the war. The German diversion of resources in the Balkans is also considered by some historians to have delayed the launch of the invasion of the Soviet Union by a critical month, which proved disastrous when the German army failed to take Moscow.[citation needed]
Greece itself was occupied and divided between Germany, Italy and Bulgaria, while the King and the government fled into exile in Egypt. First attempts at armed resistance in summer 1941 were crushed by the Axis, but the Resistance movement began again in 1942 and grew enormously in 1943 and 1944, liberating large parts of the country's mountainous interior and tying down considerable Axis forces. However, political tensions between the Resistance groups resulted in the outbreak of a civil conflict among them in late 1943, which continued until the spring of 1944. The exiled Greek government also formed armed forces of its own, which served and fought alongside the British in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy. The contribution of the Greek war and the merchant navies in particular was of special importance to the Allied cause.
Mainland Greece was liberated in October 1944 with the German withdrawal in the face of the advancing Red Army, while German garrisons continued to hold out in the Aegean Islands until after the war's end. The country was devastated by war and occupation, and its economy and infrastructure lay in ruins. Greece suffered more than 400,000 casualties during the occupation, and the country's Jewish community was almost completely exterminated in the Holocaust. By 1946, however, a vicious civil war erupted between the British and American-sponsored conservative government and leftist guerrillas, which would last until 1949.
Words at War: Der Fuehrer / A Bell For Adano / Wild River
The town of Adano is a fictional Sicilian port town modeled after the real town of Licata, one of the disembarkation town of the Allied Occupation of Italy. Just like Adano, the town of Licata has a shipping and sulfur industry, a fishing port, and its largest church is the Church of Sant'Angelo. Additionally, Benito Mussolini did have Licata's 700 year old bell melted to make ammunition.[5] Major Joppolo is based on the American military governor of Licata named Frank E. Toscani. John Hersey visited Toscani for four or five days during the war and created Victor Joppolo from him, even noting that he held a job as a civilian clerk in the New York City Sanitation Department.[6] General Marvin is an obvious depiction of the World War II General Patton, who was known for his bitterness and cruelty, but also his effectiveness.
Führer was the unique name granted by Hitler to himself, and this in his function as Vorsitzender (chairman) of the Nazi Party. It was at the time common to refer to party leaders as Führer, yet only with an addition to indicate the leader of which party was meant. Hitler's adoption of the title was partly inspired by its earlier use by the Austro-German nationalist Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also commonly referred to as the Führer without qualification, and who also used the Sieg Heil-salute.[3] Hitler's choice for this political epithet was unprecedented in German. Like much of the early symbolism of Nazi Germany, it was modeled after Benito Mussolini's Italian Fascism. Mussolini's chosen epithet il Duce or Dux if Latin ('the Leader') was widely used, though unlike Hitler he never made it his official title. The Italian word Duce (unlike the German word Führer) is no longer used as a generic term for a leader, but almost always refers to Mussolini himself.
After Hitlers' appointment as Reichskanzler (Chancellor of the Reich) the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act which allowed Hitler's cabinet to promulgate laws by decree. One day before the death of Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg Hitler and his cabinet issued a decree, that dissolved the office of the president and made Hitler Hindenburg's successor. However this move was in breach of the Enabling Act. Hitler adopted Führer und Reichskanzler, combining his positions in party and government, as his title.[1][2] Ostensibly Hitler did not use the title president out of respect for Hindenburg's achievements as a heroic figure in World War I (though the decree, rather impiously, was already passed before Hindenburg's death on August 2, 1934).
In popular reception, the title of Führer and Chancellor was soon understood to mean Head of State and Head of Government -- a view that becomes even more accurate[citation needed] seeing that he was given by propaganda the title of Führer des deutschen Reiches und Volkes (Leader of the German Reich and People), the name the soldiers had to swear to. However, it keeps some meaning as Leader of Party and Head of Government with reference to the confusing relationship of party and state, including posts in personal union as well as offices with the same portfolio Hitler wanted to fight for his favour. The style of the Head of State was changed on July 28, 1942 to Führer des Großdeutschen Reiches (Leader of the Greater German Reich). In his political testament, Hitler also refers to himself as Führer der Nation.[4]
Nazi Germany cultivated the Führerprinzip (leader principle),[5] and Hitler was generally known as just der Führer (the Leader). One of the Nazis' most-repeated political slogans was Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer — One People, One Nation, One Leader.
According to the Constitution of Weimar, the President was Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Unlike President, Hitler did take this title (Oberbefehlshaber) for himself. When conscription was reintroduced in 1935, Hitler had himself promoted to the new title Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht (Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces), which meant then a presidential position over the Wehrmacht in fact led by another (newly instituted) Commander-in-chief, the Minister for War. Following the Blomberg--Fritsch Affair in 1938, Hitler took the responsibilities of this commander-in-chief for himself, though he kept on using the older formally higher title of Supreme Commander, which was thus filled with a somewhat new meaning. Combining it with Führer, he used the style Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht (Leader and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht), yet a simple Führer since May 1942.
Agrigento | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Agrigento
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Agrigento (Italian: [aɡriˈdʒɛnto] listen ; Sicilian: Girgenti or Giurgenti) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. It is renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas (Ἀκράγας; also known as Agrigentum or Acragas in Latin and Kirkent or Jirjent in Arabic), one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden age of Ancient Greece with population estimates in the range of 200,000 to 800,000 before 406 BC.
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Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - Mission 4: Behind Enemy Lines [3/3] (2002) [WINDOWS]
The third installment of Medal of Honor Games, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, is a World War II First Person Shooter based on a modified Quake III Engine that was used for the game Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.². This game is about an OSS operative named Mike Powell in the North African and European Theatres of Operation. This game was developed by 2015, inc. and published by EA Electronic Arts. It was released January 22, 2002 in North America on the Windows and Linux PC, and the Apple MAC OS. It was rated by the ESRB T for Teen and 15+ by ELSPA. It was also rated 12+ by PEGI. The original version was banned in Germany due to the portrayal of Swastikas, a censored version was rated 16+ by USK.
The game has received extremely positive reviews from game critics. Critics praised the game for smart AI, smooth gameplay, atmospheric sound work, detailed graphics, and the sense of realism in the game.
On Metacritic, the game has a score of 91 out of 100.
Lieutenant Mike Powell was an American soldier and OSS operative originally from the 1st Ranger Battalion, although he's transferred to the 2nd Ranger Battalion shortly before Operation Overlord.
You play as Lieutenant Powell throughout six different missions during which you're either assigned to the 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions or an undercover operative of the Office of Strategic Services behind enemy lines. You get to participate in historical events such as the Allied landings in Africa and the invasion of Normandy.
Behind Enemy Lines (June 22, 1944): Powell, back as a lone OSS agent, goes behind enemy lines to gather intelligence on German infantry movements and gain information on the German's rumored King Tiger Tank. He must first rescue a reconnaissance pilot and escort him to the safe house. Upon arrival, he meets Manon Batiste, an undercover agent who assists Powell in his objectives. He must infiltrate a mansion complex and gather various information and documents. This is one of the few points of open-ended gameplay in MoHAA where any of the objectives regarding to the mansion can be done in any order.
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Words at War: The Ship / From the Land of the Silent People / Prisoner of the Japs
The Yugoslav Front, also known as the National Liberation War, was a complex conflict that took place during World War II (1941--1945) in occupied Yugoslavia. The war began after the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was overrun by Axis forces and partitioned between Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and client regimes. Primarily it was a guerilla liberation war fought by the communist-led, republican Yugoslav Partisans against the Axis occupying forces and their locally-established puppet regimes, such as the Independent State of Croatia and the Nedić government. At the same time, it was a civil war between the Yugoslav Partisans and anti-communist paramilitaries, such as the Serbian royalist Chetniks and the Slovene Home Guard, whose level of collaboration and coordination with the Axis occupiers varied.
Both the Yugoslav Partisans and the Chetnik movement initially resisted the occupation. However, after 1941, the Chetniks adopted a policy of collaboration. They collaborated extensively and systematically with the Italian occupation forces until the Italian capitulation, and thereon also with German and Ustaše forces.[13][14] The Axis mounted a series of offensives intended to destroy the Partisans, coming close to doing so in winter and spring of 1943. Despite the setbacks, the Partisans remained a credible fighting force, gaining recognition from the Western Allies and laying the foundations for the post-war Yugoslav state. With support in logistics, equipment, training, and air power from the Western Allies, and Soviet ground troops in the Belgrade Offensive, the Partisans eventually gained control of the entire country and of border regions of Italy and Austria.
The human cost of the war was enormous. The number of war victims is still in dispute, but is generally agreed to have been at least one million. Non-combat victims included the majority of the country's Jewish population, many of whom perished in concentration and extermination camps (e.g. Jasenovac, Banjica) run by the client regimes. In addition, the Croatian Ustaše regime committed genocide against local Serbs and Roma, the Chetniks pursued ethnic cleansing against the Muslim and Croat population, and Italian occupation authorities against Slovenes. German troops also carried out mass executions of civilians in retaliation for resistance activity (Kragujevac massacre). Finally, during and after the final stages of the war, Yugoslav authorities and Partisan troops carried out reprisals, including the deportation of the Danube Swabian population, forced marches and executions of thousands of captured collaborators and civilians fleeing their advance (Bleiburg massacre), and atrocities against the Italian population in Istria (Foibe killings).
Life of a Career Criminal: Bureau of Prisons Psychology Documentary Film
The American Mafia (or simply the Mafia or Mob in the United States), is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra (Italian for our thing). The press has also coined the name National Crime Syndicate to refer to the entirety of U.S. organized crime, including the Mafia. The Mafia emerged in New York's Lower East Side and other areas of the East Coast of the United States during the late 19th century following waves of Italian immigration, especially from Sicily. It has its roots in the Sicilian Mafia, but is a separate organization in the United States. Neapolitan, Calabrian, and other Italian criminal groups, as well as independent Italian-American criminals, eventually merged with the Sicilians to create the modern pan-Italian Mafia in North America. Today, the American Mafia cooperates in various criminal activities with the Sicilian Mafia and other Italian organized crime groups, such as Camorra, 'Ndrangheta, and Sacra Corona Unita.
The Mafia is currently most active in New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, New England, Detroit and Chicago, with smaller families, associates, and crews in places such as Los Angeles, Texas, Florida and Las Vegas. There have been at least 26 cities around the United States with Cosa Nostra families, with many more offshoots, splinter groups and associates in other cities. There are five main New York City Mafia families, known as the Five Families: the Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno and Colombo families. At its peak, the Mafia dominated organized crime in the U.S. While each crime family operates independently, nationwide coordination is provided by the Commission, which consists of the bosses of each of the strongest families.
Law enforcement still considers the Mafia the largest organized crime group in the United States. It has maintained control over much of the organized crime activity in the United States and certain parts of Canada. Today most of the Mafia's activities are contained to the Northeastern United States and Chicago where they continue to dominate organized crime despite the increasing numbers of street gangs and other organizations that are not of Italian origin.
Early gangster films depicting organized crime in America include The Public Enemy (1931), Little Caesar (1931), and Scarface (1932), the latter loosely based on the story of Al Capone.
Arguably the most popular and most praised Mafia films are The Godfather (1972) and its sequel The Godfather Part II (1974). Both films were based on Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather (1969). Since their release, many other films have been produced, like Martin Scorsese's films Goodfellas (1990) and Casino (1995), which were based on true stories. Other such films include The Untouchables (1987), Mobsters (1991), Donnie Brasco (1997) and the made-for-TV film Gotti (1996).
Other films portraying the Mafia include Once Upon a Time in America (1984), A Bronx Tale (1993) and comedies like Analyze This (1999). American Mafiosi also appear in supporting roles in other films, such as True Romance (1993), Carlito's Way (1993), The Departed (2006), and American Gangster (2007).
While many TV shows like The Untouchables (1959--1963), Crime Story (1986--1988), and Wiseguy (1987--1990) have told fictional accounts of the Mafia, by far the most popular TV series has been HBO's The Sopranos (1999--2007). The show, set in Northern New Jersey, portrays fictional New Jersey Mafia boss Tony Soprano, the Soprano crime family he heads, and its close affiliation with the Brooklyn branch of the New York Mafia. HBO followed up this hit series with the 1920s-setting period drama Boardwalk Empire, based in Atlantic City. Based on the life of Enoch L. Johnson, it features several early-era Mafia characters in supporting roles.
The American Mafia has also been popularized in video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series, The Godfather: The Game, The Godfather II, and the Mafia series.
The Mafia is also the topic of many popular novels, most notably in the work of author Mario Puzo, which include The Godfather, The Sicilian (1984), The Last Don (1997), and Omertà (2000), as well as James Ellroy's L.A. Quartet (first editions published 1987-1992) and Underworld USA Trilogy (first editions published 1995-2009).
Words at War: Who Dare To Live / Here Is Your War / To All Hands
USS Ancon (AGC-4) was an ocean liner acquired by the United States Navy during World War II and converted to a combined headquarters and communications command ship.
Ancon anchored off Fedhala, French Morocco on November 8 and began lowering her boats at 0533. The first troops were debarked an hour later. During the course of the assault, men on the ship witnessed the sinking of four other transports, and Ancon sent out boats to rescue their survivors. On November 12 the transport headed out and, three days later, put into Casablanca harbor. She got underway on the 15th with a convoy bound for Norfolk.
After a brief pause there, Ancon traveled to Brooklyn, New York for voyage repairs. A brief period of sea trials preceded the ship's loading cargo and troops for transportation to Algeria. She sailed on January 14, 1943 as a member of the Naval Transport Service. The ship reached Oran on the 26th and spent five days discharging her cargo before heading back toward New York City, where she arrived on February 13. On that day, the vessel was reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces. On the 16th, Ancon entered the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, to undergo conversion to a combined headquarters and communications command ship. She was redesignated AGC-4 on February 26.
Following the completion of the yard work on April 21, Ancon held trials and exercises in the Chesapeake Bay through May and into early June when she was designated the flagship of the Commander of the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces. The ship got underway for Oran on June 8 with Task Force (TF) 85. The ship had been selected to participate in the invasion of Sicily, and her preparations continued after her arrival at Oran on June 22.
Carrying Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, Commander, TF 85, and Lieutenant General Omar Bradley on board, Ancon sailed on July 5 for the waters off Sicily. She reached the transport area off Scoglitti on the 10th and lowered her boats early that morning. Despite enemy fire, the ship remained off Scoglitti providing communications services through the 12th and then got underway to return to North Africa. At the end of a fortnight there, she shifted to Mostaganem, Algeria, on July 29. In mid-August, the vessel moved to Algiers. During her periods in port, she prepared for the upcoming invasion of mainland Italy for which she had been designated flagship for the Commander of the 8th Fleet Amphibious Forces in Northwest African Waters.
On September 6, Ancon got underway for Salerno. During the operation, the ship carried Lieutenant General Mark Wayne Clark who commanded the 5th Army. At 0330 on September 9, the first wave of Allied troops hit the beach. Thereafter, she remained in the transport area, undergoing nearly continuous enemy air harassment, until she moved to Palermo, Sicily, to pick up ammunition to replenish her sister ships. She returned to the area off Salerno on the 15th but, the next day, arrived back in Palermo.
After two weeks in that Sicilian port, Ancon shaped a course for Algiers. She reached that port on October 2 and spent almost six weeks undergoing repairs and replenishment. In mid-November, she set sail for the United Kingdom and, on November 25, arrived in Devonport, England, where she was designated the flagship of the 11th Amphibious Force. An extended period of repairs and preparations for the impending invasion of France kept Ancon occupied through the winter and much of the spring participating in numerous training exercises with other Allied warships. On May 25, King George VI of the United Kingdom and Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery visited the ship.
The preparations culminated on June 5, when Ancon got underway for Baie de la Seine, France. She served as flagship for the assault forces that landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Throughout the invasion, the ship provided instructions for forces both afloat and ashore. She transferred various units of the Army command to headquarters ashore and made her small boats available to other ships to carry personnel and materials to the beachhead. On June 27, she got underway to return to England and, the next day, arrived at Portland.
Ancon remained in British waters through late September, when she sailed in a convoy bound for the East Coast of the United States. She reached Charleston, South Carolina on October 9 and was then assigned to the Amphibious Training Command. At the completion of repairs at the Charleston Navy Yard on December 21, the ship got underway for sea trials. Five days later, she shaped a course for the Pacific. On the last day of 1944, the ship transited the Panama Canal and joined the Pacific Fleet. She continued on to San Diego, California, where she arrived on January 9, 1945.