Italy's terrain and the limits of the 'soft underbelly'

Churchill's promotion of the 'soft underbelly' approach in 1942 is placed alongside his support for a Europe-first Allied strategy, with the attack following in 1943. Italy's hills, mountains and restricted routes are central to the criticism of that description. Even the flatter Po valley is surrounded by mountains. Scarce roads and limited open ground offered poor conditions for sweeping armoured advances. Foot soldiers and horse-mounted troops could traverse ground that vehicles found difficult. Removing Italy from the war could have political value, but the German presence meant that an Italian change of sides would not remove the military obstacle. The discussion notes the government that changed sides and the Mussolini regime sustained by Germany. Churchill's cavalry background is suggested as one possible influence on his expectations: terrain accessible to horses could encourage a different assessment from terrain suitable for armoured formations.