To the gateways of Florence : New Zealand forces in Tuscany, 1944

ANZAC MILITARY
From 21 July to 4 August 1944, New Zealand soldiers were at the front line as Allied forces pushed forward across the heartland of Tuscany to wrest Florence from German hands. First published in Italy in 2009, To the Gateways of Florence preserves the core of the Italian book, with the addition of new material and photographs. It balances expert accounts by military historians on topics from tank warfare in Chianti to the contribution of Maori soldiers with personal testimonies of New Zealand soldiers and Italian civilians. A rich selection of photographs and memorabilia from archives in New Zealand and Italy illustrates the work.
“From 21 July to 4 August 1944, the Chianti area of Tuscany was the scene of bloody fighting as Allied forces waged a bitter battle to wrest Florence from German hands. At the heart of the struggle were soldiers of teh 2nd New Zealand Division, many of whom would not live to see their homeland again. For 50 years after the end of hostilities, collective memory held that the liberation of towns like Tavarnelle Val di Pesa had been the work of American troops. But research by then mayor of Tavarnelle, Stefano Fusi, and his wife Jill Gabriel, herself a New Zealander, confirmed that it had been soldiers of the 28th Maori Battalion and the 23rd Infantry Battalion who had led the offensive through much of Chianti. And while debate persists over whether thay or South African forces were the first to reach Florence, it is beyond doubt that New Zealanders played a pivotal role in freeing the great city. First published in Italy in 2009 as ‘I giorni della liberazione’, this book pays homage to the men who traversed the globe to free this beautiful corner of Tuscany, and the civilians who survived occupation and aided the Allies. ‘To the gateways of Florence’ is a translation that preserves the structure of the original book, with the addition of new material and photographs. It balances expert accounts from Italian and New Zealand historians – on topics from the course of the tank battles in Chianti to the contribution of Maori soldiers – with the personal testimonies of the New Zealand soldiers and Italian civilians who lived through the battles that decided the war. A rich selection of photographs and memorabilia from archives in New Zealand and Italy illustrates the work.”
275 p. : (some col.) ill., maps, ports ; 24 x 25 cm. #180323
Includes bibliographical references (p. 273-275)
World War, 1939-1945 — New Zealand. | World War, 1939-1945 — Campaigns — Italy — Tuscany. | New Zealand — History — 1918-1945.