The monastery at Monte Cassino

A view towards the ruins of the Benedictine monastery atop Monte Cassino in central Italy, after 250 Allied bombers had dropped tons of high explosive onto the building on 15 February 1944. Convinced that the Germans were using the monastery as an observation post, Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg ordered its destruction from the air. The decision, which remains controversial today, turned out to be counter-productive, as the monastery's ruins proved to be an even more effective fortress.

Reference:
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: DA-03751-F
Photographer: L. H. Ross
Further information and copies of this image may be obtained from the Library through its 'Timeframes' website, http://timeframes.natlib.govt.nz

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image

Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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