In July 1943, the Allies launched a massive amphibious assault on Sicily. The invasion proved successful, bringing fame to American General George S Patton and British General Bernard Montgomery, whose ‘race’ to Messina was immortalised in the movie Patton . But according to Mitcham and Stauffenberg, the Allies lost a significant opportunity for total victory when the Germans mounted a brilliant defence. With only 4 divisions, the Germans held off the invaders for 38 days and then escaped, almost entirely intact, to mainland Italy, dooming the Allies to a prolonged battle of attrition up the Italian peninsula.