The Road to Rome

Encouraged by victories in North Africa and Sicily, the Allies sought to consolidate their gains by assaulting mainland Italy in September of 1943. The goal was to relieve the Russian Front and tie up elite German divisions prior to the D-Day landings. Commanders initially predicted Rome would fall in a month. Instead it took over a year of hard fighting at places like Anzio, San Pietro and Monte Cassino.

Featured on this DVD are four rare films, produced during WWII by the U.S. Army. They include a full color print of Edward Steichen's "Thunderbolt!", showing P-47s in action over Italy, "5th Army Report from the Beachhead" about the Anzio campaign, "The Fall of Rome", and famed director John Huston's immortal film "The Battle of San Pietro", showing all the grittiness of war and the courage and common decency exhibited by American troops.

Color and b&w films. Run time: over 100 minutes.

Thunderbolt! Fifth Army - Report from the Beachhead Battle for San Pietro Liberation of Rome