Cleaver, Thomas McKelvey/Polychronis, Anastasios (Illustr.) Gothic Line 1944-45. The USAAF starves out the German Army

By late 1944, the Italian Campaign was secondary to the campaigns in France, and Allied forces were not strong enough to break the Germans' mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, with trains arriving hourly and delivering 600000 tons of supplies a month, enough to keep the German Army going forever.
But in the bitter winter of 1944-45, the mighty Gothic Line would be defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. It would not be a direct assault; instead Operation Bingo would ruthlessly cut the Germans' supply lines and leave them starved. However, it would not be easy. The rail routes were defended by a formidable array of heavy flak, and every raid was expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in electric flying suits, men suffered both hypoxia and frostbite.
By the end of February, the previous eight-hour rail journey took the Germans 3-4 days on the wrecked railroad, and soon supplies were barely enough to keep the army alive. On April 12, the Allied ground attack began, and within ten days the German command in Northern Italy sued for surrender, the first German force in Europe to do so.
Packed with first-hand accounts and expert analysis, this book is a fascinating history of the most successful US battlefield interdiction campaign in history.

It was not to be a direct attack, but Operation Bingo was to ruthlessly cut the Germans' supply lines and let them "starve". But this would not be easy. The railway lines were defended by a huge number of heavy anti-aircraft guns and any attack was to be expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in their electrically heated flying suits, the men suffered from oxygen deprivation and frostbite.
By the end of February, the Germans needed three to four days on the destroyed railway line for the previous eight-hour journey, and soon there were barely enough supplies to keep the army alive. On 12 April, the Allied ground attack began, and within ten days the German command in northern Italy asked for surrender, the first German force in Europe to do so.
Packed with first-hand accounts and expert analysis, this book is a fascinating history of the most successful US battlefield offensive in history.