sicily from the mainland of italy.utilizing every defensive advantage offered by the rugged terrain. italian forces offered little resistance. patterns seventh american army attacked from one side while general montgomery's eighth army pressed from the other. citizen soldier gi joe had fought and defeated the best the nazis had to offer in north africa and had taken the enemies position. now he was a veteran who had growing confidence in himself and his leadership. he was a soldier. whether he knew it or not, he was adding new glory to the perdition's of the american fighting man. the wars outcome, the word defeat, had never been written on the scrolls of that fine tradition. in many areas, there was nothing more than a rock for a road. so units of the seventh army did a little amphibious leapfrogging along the coast in their push for messina. while our seventh army pushed the nazis across sicily. in faraway new guinea, the 503rd parachute regiment made an airdrop. while american and australian ground forces continued

it would be 11 months after the invasion of sicily before we could build up and coordinate the massive ground, air and sea forces for the invasion of normandy. 11 months of bitter fighting in italy and the vast island chain of the pacific. ♪ ♪[dramatic music] >> the enemy had come far and fast, reaching out to conquer a world. [explosions] but his blitzkrieg offensives were a thing of the past. the united states army was by now very much in the war. with combat-experienced divisions in north africa, the jungle-covered islands of the pacific, the aleutians, where they had wiped out the japanese on attu. now, the bloodied veterans of the north african campaign had landed on sicily in a drive for the italian mainland. millions more were training in the united states. we were well on the road to the ultimate victory. ♪ ♪ [rousing music] in 1940, our army numbered a little more than a quarter of a million men. three years later in 1943, it numbered almost 7 million and would continue to grow grow to 8 million. but numbers alone do not make an efficient fighting force capable of winning the

the immediate target -- sicily. little time was lost.der of axis forces in north africa, patton's 7th army invaded sicily simultaneously with british and canadian troops under montgomery. some 3,000 craft were employed to land an initial force of 160,000 troops. almost 14,000 vehicles, about 600 tanks, nearly 2,000 guns. but sicily was held by more than 200,000 italian and german troops strongly entrenched on rugged terrain. it was to be a tough, hard-fought campaign. ♪ we invaded sicily just 18 months after pearl harbor. actually, an incredibly short period of time for a peaceful and unprepared nation to have accomplished so much. to have come so far. it was a brilliant reflection of our military planning and the energy and enterprise that implemented that planning. it was america at its dynamic best. the forces of agriculture, industry, labor and management, finance and manpower coordinated with the military. what the united states alone did in those first 18 months will live long in history. yes, we had come a long way, but we still h

sicily was held by more than 200,000 italian and german troops.entrenched on rugged terrain. it was to be a tough hard-fought campaign. >> we invaded sicily just 18 months after pearl harbor. actually, an incredibly short period of time for a peaceful and unprepared nation to have accomplished so much. to have come so far. it was a brilliant reflection of our military planning and the energy and enterprise that implemented that planning. it was america at its dynamic best. the forces of agriculture, industry, labor and management, finance and man power coordinated with the military. the united states and what it did alone in those 18 months will live long in history. yes we had come a long way but we still had far to go in europe. still farther in the pacific. it would be 11 months after the invasion of sicily before we could build up and coordinate the massive ground, air and sea forces for the invasion of normandy. 11 months of bitter fighting in italy and the vast island chain of the pacific. >> the enemy had come far and fast, reaching out to

north africa, sicily, italy. the air war was going on throughout 1942 to 1945, and it was the one part of the war where we were constantly trying to hit nazi germany. couldn't strike them from north africa or italy physically, but we could from the air. and you can see this on our maps where we are launching missions from out of north africa, and especially from great britain where the 8th air force was located. now, in this gallery with the air war, the air war went through several stages. you have some initial beginnings, and then, most importantly, by the end of 1943, we are basically losing the air war very badly. in raid that regions berg and places like polesti, we are losing disproportionate amounts of our bombers going up, trying to hit the heartland of nazi germany and other industrial facilities throughout europe that the nazis were using. the reason this is so problematic for us, if you think about it, for example, a b-17 bomber, which was the workhorse of the european bombing campaign, had trained per

sicily is going to prove a very quick campaign. only 38 days long but it was filled with a lot of drama that included -- georges paton and bernard montgomery, the british commander. something i wanted to point out that is of special significance in this gallery, we want our visitors to understand is that war is as a very messy, dirty and often unfair business. in those landings, at sicily we are going to see the worst fire incident that american forces suffer in world war ii. better than 300 american paratroopers are going to be shot down by allied forces as they approach southern italy early in the invasion. this is something that came about because of inexperience and green troops and fear. it is part of war. it is not an easy, glorious march to victory in world war ii, like a lot of people think it was today when we call it the good war. very bad things happened in that good war. here we have an airman's map of italy and tunisia, when our paratroopers and the war would drop into unknown territories and have these maps dive into

and so sicily is the next stop on the road to berlin. we're now entering the sicily gallery here at the national world war ii museum. here you can see on this map the initial landings where allied forces are going to drop parachutes and then also come in with amphibious landings in july of 1943. now sicily is going to prove to be a very quick campaign all told. only 38 days long. it was filled with a lot of drama that included the rivalry between general george s. patton and bernard law montgomery, the british commander. however, something that i want to point out that is of special significance, i think, in this gallery that we want our visitors to understand is that war is a very messy, dirty and often unfair business. and in those landings at sicily, we're going to see the worst friendly fire incident that american forces suffer in world war ii. better than 300 american parra troope parraparatroopers are going to be shot down as they approach southern italy early in the invasion. this is something that came about because of inexperien

sicily is captured on august 17. many germans escape to italy. it is just after this that eisenhower heard of patton slapping soldiers that he accused of cowardice. eisenhower simply glossed over this in his reports to marshall. he made the decision that having patton on his side and defeating the germans was more important than some of the other questions that might come up. he felt even more so that this was the right course of action, especially after patton apologized, not only to members of the hospital staff where the incidents took place, but also to the soldiers themselves. the allies meet in quebec in august of 1943 for the quadrant conference, where the question was what to do next. americans insisted on overlord going forward in 1944, while the british were arguing for the invasion of italy. this time marshall is willing to compromise. he would continue the invasion of italy as long as they didn't interfere with overlord. on that point he was firm, as was roosevelt. for 12 days at this quadrant conference, the americans and british are

so sicily is captured on august 17th. many of the germans escaped to italy, and it's just after this that eisenhower heard of soldiers that he accused of cowardice. eisenhower simply kind of glossed over this in his reports to marshall. he made the decision that having patton on his side and defeating the germans was more important than some of the other questions that might come up. in fact, he felt even more so that this was the right course of action that he apologized when the soldiers took police. >> so they met in kenec br the main question was what to do mix? >> they insist in 1944 while the british were arguing for the invasion of italy. this time marshall selling to compromise. he would continue the invasion of italy as long as they did not interfere about overlord. on that he was as firm as roosevelt. for 12 days that this quadrant conference, the americans and the british are working out to hammer out the details. finally, they agreed. the british wanted a full invasion of italy, and the americans said no. and

let's go to sicily followed by the invasion of italy. let's promote him out of the position and promote him into the stratosphere so that we can make it a whole lot easier to get what we want and it didn't help that they gave a number to british newspapers arguing that the americans didn't really do much in north africa. it was mostly a british campaign. so as you can understand that didn't go well. that didn't sit well with their allies, the americans. none was bolder than the decision to maintain the 90 division so that's an important number and 1941 and 1942 of divisions to win the war were high. the american army anticipated that they would need somewhere in the neighborhood of 2015 divisions which would take as you can imagine a whole lot of manpower. so these numbers were premised on a whole lot of offensive operations in europe and the probability and there's many other demands and people power and women power. and confusing as you can see. and but also, heavy industry and it becomes clear that the arsenal of democracy is going to

these days the mafia operates through clans mostly across italy's south in sicily it's sicily alone there are estimated to be 94 clans they use extortion drug trafficking and illegal gambling to amass wealth their activity can ruin people's lives. we had a sharp business in sicily and looking back i can see the mafia ruined their lives mobsters who come to us and ask for money the so-called racket practically attacks the mafia is ever present i can recall they would come 2 or 3 of them demanding money from me and my wife every month they would threaten us they would say if you don't pay up will rob you we will disrupt you and i honestly having little children i decided with my wife to pay them and then perhaps we would be left alone but that didn't happen they kept coming and it was a torture for us we worked and worked before $1.00 for nothing our hard won money went to them between the taxes and the crisis when the evening i turned to my wife and told her we're closing because i can't stand them anymore. they are going to go to sea i go arch to rub against the mafia i believe this is th

sicily and to establish themselves in the south of italy at the great italian airfield.this final volume picks up the story there. and once again, this was a learning experience. because just before d-day to be under the impression the strategy for the military conduct of world war ii by the allies in the west for europe was very much the strategy of winston spencer churchill. and then in volume two, i found out that churchill all through 1943 had opposed the notion of d-day on the cross channel landing and for understandable reasons and to launch an invasion against the english channel since 1066. not even hitler in the summer of 1940 in the evacuation of dunkirk. so twice that year, winston churchill had come on the queen mary to north america, to washington, to hyde park, to plead with the president not to launch today. it would be too much of a gambl gamble, too many men's lives at stake. the channel would be running red with blood. but the president had insisted, advised by his military staff, overruled them up to that point, but he said he declared that d-day must

. >>> the island of sicily wants to pay you to visit.tors' flight costs to bring tourists back post coronavirus to put yourself in the running, go to the visit sicily website soon after the country reopens >>> hundreds of leaders are taking part in the 24-hour live stream at 8:00 p.m. eastern time, you have big names like oprah winfrey, julia roberts and former president george w. bush who will join nearly 200 others on the call to unite it is a global live stream organized by chairman of the special olympics tim shriver to unify and support those who lost loved ones to the coronavirus. or those who feel overwhelmed. nd other mediabe streamed on platforms as well. >>> racing fans start your engines, nascar planning on returning in just over two weeks' time. nascar's return to the race ways will be made on may 17th at darlington race way in south carolina nascar's plan calls for seven races in a ten-day span at darlington and charlotte motor speedway fans will not be at any of the races and nascar say the races meet the guidelines establi

portugal but that is the one to watch because the science of it is particularly hot temperature in sicily polemicist 34 and we certainly above 30 most of southeastern europe were disappointingly if you're lucky in the middle teens for most of the rest likely the reason in spain in portugal is circulating crowd and rain that rain i think will become quite intense again in northeastern spain in the pyrenees and maybe the south of france and the line is rather weak to pick it up in ukraine across the border in russia but this is going to migrate through the pope valley again through the south of germany and austria has been at the system line of writing the last couple days in milan sits in its forecast is either went all sundry and went for the next 2 days a bit better on sunday as a consequence of course for what's happening overspread in portugal the consequences in morocco as you can see and the warmth is still very obvious it's the same draw through tripoli in tunis this made sicily so warm but for about it's cold wet and windy. there's the will find the correct time to make the learnin

they made sicily in italy at the first opportunity.nes and launch a armor offensive on germany, again preparing for a major offensive in the pacific, accepting nothing short of unconditional surrender as the basis to end the war. this was the kind of powerful, top-level determination the world had long awaited. there was swift response on all fighting fronts. british.ell to the

. ♪ 11 days after the fall of sicily, allied headquarters in the pacific announced the end of all japaneseesistance on new georgia island. general mcarthur's forces were starting on the road back. we had already begun our island hopping in the central solomons. but, the battle for nazi held italy was only beginning. on the 3rd of september, two british divisions crossed the straits of messina to land on the toe of the italian boot. six days later, american forces struck the beach at solar no, 30 miles south of naples. ♪ four days after the landings, the enemy launched a strong counterattack pouring in some of its best troops. for a time, our foot hold was precarious. supported by a concentration of combined firepower from aircraft, naval guns and artillery, the allies held the beach head. the heavy pounding by land sea and air was too much for the nazis. they fell back as our own forces pushed on towards naples. by then, italy had surrendered unconditionally, now officially out of the war. ♪ october 1st, 1943, elements of general clark's army entered the city of naples. they were greeted n

it was on the soft him for the whole sicily the space is very interesting with a bond of course the figure of luther as well but the space is very interesting because it isn't a conventional theater but sailor this is not picture frame theater it's a very special architect it was clear from the start that it would be staged here so the whole concept was developed with this in mind came from the basic idea is an empty theater that brought the greek element into the production so one thing led to another. wilson and the choir chose this space deliberately for its unusual shape but also for its a purpose sticks. for the pierre boulez hall opened in the spring of 2017 designed by franco geary and built at the back of the daughter open one of her limbs 3 opera houses it's the home turf of daniel barenboim saeed academy. the berlin radio choir is used to performing in unusual venues with interdisciplinary projects in new york tokyo and other cultural capitals it's earned itself an international reputation the singers are used to performing with large orchestras and famous conductors. tying in a

headlines around the world today the italian coast guard has impounded the rescue ship island cordie in sicily saying it has found technical irregularities the ship with picks which picks up migrants in the mediterranean will be held by authorities until sorties say the issues have been thinks. china's exports unexpectedly rose by 3.5 percent in april despite the ongoing covert 19 pandemic and its destructive effect on the global economy but the outlook for china's exports remains bleak as the health crisis around the world sparks fear of a global recession. and economic activity in russia has plunged by 3rd because of the lockdown which was imposed in late march president vladimir putin has warned could be more restrictions as the growth of buyers continues to spread. in the midst of a pandemic couples around the globe are still trying to make their weddings memorable in a positive way in one german city the mayor is offering a helping hand a drive in ceremony that's quite a production for this wedding is going hollywood sort of janine in philip schultz tie the knot at a dislike to drive in t

neil: i don't know, sicily is beautiful. that is tempting. they got it all under control i say.the majors to practice, that's a tempting offer. >> i know. i agree. neil: okay. christina, thank you very, very much. i think he might take up an upper like that, maybe si half-price. >> i'd like to go everywhere but midtown manhattan right now. neil: i hear you. >> we have everything, thank you, sir, neil cavuto, we have a white house briefing, were waiting on right now. i am cheryl and for charles payne. this is making money and breaking right now, stocks are lower today, the dow is variably up session lows, this is the first trading day of the month of may but we are still on track for a weekly gain and were coming up in a strong month, april was a very strong month for stocks, it does not feel like it but it was, earnings and measure enter major names showing us how the coronavirus is impacting their

there have already been arrests in palermo on the island of sicily all over italy organized crime groups have been exploiting the downturn in the economy to invest money earned from selling drugs and extortion in legitimate businesses. the mafia is not bureaucratic maze the state needs months to make good on its promises of help organized crime groups have the advantage of liquid assets and can step into the vacuum with the warble the bread that an affair rather has been giving out to people today comes from a pizzeria that was the target of the camorra just over a year ago. some armed members of a commodity clan fired through the store shutters 9 times nobody was hurt they were warning shots. to get the amount of the dog before they would come to his every month sometimes every week to ask for pain meds. telling us to pay so we wouldn't have any problems as an insurance in the end the klan members were arrested and salvatore demetrio has not had any problem since but he's aware of the risks that the camara poses at the moment that very soon most of the men. are getting in through poison