- Glider Assault: Paratrooper drops were ruled out due to high altitude, thin air, and the risk of scattering troops. Instead, Skorzeny’s team used silent gliders (DFS 230), which allowed them to land as a concentrated force right next to the hotel, maximizing surprise and overwhelming the guards quickly.[1][2][3][4]
- Reconnaissance and Mapping: Aerial photographs and reconnaissance flights allowed Skorzeny and planners to identify what appeared to be a landing site near the hotel. The terrain was misjudged as flatter than it actually was, yet the glider pilots successfully landed—some crash-landed—close enough to the target to execute their mission before Italian defenders could react.[5][2][6]
- Psychological Tactics: Skorzeny brought Italian General Fernando Soleti along so, upon bursting into the hotel, Soleti could order the Carabinieri not to shoot or resist. This led to nearly all of Mussolini’s guards surrendering without a fight, reducing potential casualties.[2]
- Multi-Pronged Approach: While Skorzeny's team landed at the hotel, other German forces secured the cable car station at the base of the mountain, severed communications, and prevented reinforcements, further minimizing the risk of drawn-out combat.[7][8][2]
Despite these measures, there were a few injuries among the German troops due to rough landings, and two Italians died during related actions. However, the main assault on the hotel was accomplished with minimal casualties due to the combination of surprise, psychological persuasion, and rapid execution.[9][6][3][2]
⁂
- https://www.thecollector.com/what-was-gran-sasso-raid/
- https://www.history.co.uk/article/operation-eiche-the-rescue-of-benito-mussolini
- https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-audacious-gran-sasso-raid-the-combat-debut-of-the-fg42/
- https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/the-rescue-of-benito-mussolini.html
- http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2024/7/31/rescuing-mussolini-the-fallschirmjger-gran-sasso-raid
- https://3sqnraafasn.net/subpages/sasso.htm
- https://arsof-history.org/articles/pdf/v11n1_eiche.pdf
- https://www.beachesofnormandy.com/articles/Rescuing_Mussolini/?id=18dace3d8b
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMzruvZ7RNU
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Sasso_raid
- https://arsof-history.org/articles/v11n1_eiche_page_1_v1.html
- https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2023/09/the-rescue-of-benito-mussolini-the-real-story-and-its-swiss-connection/
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