‘NO OTHER CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE PULLED IN THE SAME RANGE OF NATIONALITIES AND CULTURES AS THAT IN ITALY. THE BRUTALITY AND NATURE OF THE FIGHTING AT TIMES REACHED THE WORST EXTREMES OF THE RUSSIAN FRONT, WHILE ATTRITION RATES OFTEN EXCEEDED THOSE ON THE WESTERN FRONT. FROM THE FIRST LANDINGS OF 3 SEPTEMBER 1943 TO THE GERMAN SURRENDER WHICH TOOK EFFECT ON 2 MAY 1945, THE CASUALTIES IN ITALY WERE EXCESSIVE. THE ALLIES SUFFERED 312,000 KILLED, WOUNDED OR MISSING; OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THE GERMANS LOST 435,000, AN AVERAGE LOSS TO BOTH SIDES OF 1,233 PERSONNEL EVERY DAY. THIS ATTRITION WAS MOST PRONOUNCED AT MONTE CASSINO, WHERE SOME 200,000 CASUALTIES WERE INFLICTED ON GERMANS, ITALIANS, FRENCH, AMERICANS, BRITISH, INDIANS, NEW ZEALANDERS, POLES, CANADIANS AND SOUTH AFRICANS.’