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A comprehensive firsthand account of the final offensive of allied forces including the 442d, Japanese-Americans forces in the Italian theater during World War II, culminating in the complete collapse of German forces in Italy. Finito! Po Valley Campaign. Published by the 15th Army Group in Italy, 1945. 62 pages. Profusely illustrated with black-and-white photographs, battle maps, and diagrams, including two large fold-out campaign maps. A particularly significant section highlights the contributions of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the famed unit composed entirely of Japanese American soldiers, many of whom had families interned in U.S. camps. The text notes, "The 442d, formed of Americans of Japanese ancestry (Nisei), [was] being welcomed back to Italy from France by General Clark, just before their west coast attack was launched." This elite unit had previously distinguished itself in brutal combat in France but was redeployed to Italy for the Po Valley offensive. The 442nd advanced alongside the 473rd Infantry Regiment, pushing from Genoa to Alessandria and capturing the crucial Cisa Pass on April 29. Their role in clearing the rugged mountainous terrain was pivotal, allowing Allied forces to sweep into Turin and Savona, effectively sealing off the German retreat. This campaign history details the strategic and tactical operations of the Allied 15th Army Group, which included the U.S. Fifth Army and the British Eighth Army, as they launched their decisive push through the Po Valley in April 1945. The text describes how the Allies shattered 25 German divisions, forcing the enemy into disarray: "The country was entirely in our hands from Messina to the Brenner, from the French border to Trieste. The Germans, sliced, slashed, and battered into impotence, laid down their arms 2 May, adding 230,000 POWs to those already taken, and raising the total bag to between 600,000 and 900,000." The book emphasizes the complexity of the campaign, describing how different units played critical roles in a broad, coordinated assault that stretched across Italy. Covers exhibit mild wear and rubbing, minor creasing at spine, but overall a well-preserved copy. A vital historical document chronicling the Allied victory in Italy, with special attention to the remarkable contributions of the 442nd, one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history. Seller Inventory # 21405
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