European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 15, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse By John Krueger staff writer today it s a wondrous winding five Niile drive up memory Lane to historic Monte Cassino Abbey stately sacred and Serene again atop its Hilltop Retreat after being destroyed by Allied bombing on feb. 15, 1944. Your own Petty annoyance at the strict visiting hours25 years after its fourth and greatest destruction i Short lived when your Eye is hit by the sight of the surrounding military Ceme teries that vividly remind visitors of the High Price paid for this agonizing Allied Victory of world War ii the bit Ter five month Battle of Cassino. Visiting hours at the Abbey Are from7 . To 12 30 . And from 3 15 to Sunset. And Don t expect any mercy i that serpentine Uphill drive takes longer than the half hour you expected. It usually later than you think when you arrive. The doors swing shut right on schedule. Another warning no pictures Are supposed to be taken within the Walls looking up from surrounding valleys including the one through which the Autostrada Del sole now cuts or Down from the 1,700-foot Summit you fully appreciate the military advantages of controlling such strategic ground As did the German Gustav line Block ing the Allied northward Advance to , historians agree no event of the War caused More heated and Lin Gering controversy than the bombing. Of the Abbey of Monte in his Book the Battle of Cassino author Fred Majdalany writing from first hand experience As a British army officer who had served at Cassino declared Monte Cassino Abbey has been rebuilt but the cemeteries below it Ore q vivid reminder of the Cost of it capture the great red herring that has Bee drawn across the bombing has been the relating of it to the question whether or not the monastery was actually occupied by the germans. It was afterwards reasonably Well established that it was not. But this could not be known at the time. And in any Case the question is irrelevant. The simple inescapable fact is that the building was an integral part of a physical feature that was not Only occupied but to a High degree fortified. The fortified Mountain and the building to the Soldier dying at its feet the monastery had itself become in a sense the enemy.9 at its Summit were in military term a single piece of ground he observed further that the relation ship Between the Summit of Monte Cas sino and the important main rout which it commands is so exceptional that it invariably impresses military men As the finest observation Post they have Ever Feen aulie0 commanders called it a integral part of the German defensive system and added from the Vantage Point of the monastery the enemy can watch and bring Down fire on every movement on the Road or open country below. Feel certain that the monastery is at least the enemy s main observation Post. It is so perfectly situated for the purpose that no army could refrain from using it Majdalany pointed out even in peacetime Monte Cassino overwhelms even the least imaginative visitor gazing up at it from below. In the cold desolation of Winter and the fatiguing Travail f of unresolved Battle the spell fits monstrous Eminence was Page 12 the stars and Stripe Complete find haunt nov this was the psychological Crux of the mutter. To lip Soldier dying at its feet the Monas Tery had itself become in a sense the Allied division Headquarters Opin Ion As to whether the Abbey was occupied was divided. Personally recalled one general i thought the Point immaterial if not occupied today it might be tomorrow and it did not appear that it would be difficult for the enemy to bring reserves into it during the Progress of an attack or for troops to take shelter there i driven from positions according to . Intelligence sum Maries with reference to the Abbey behave had statements from civilian both for and against. Some have said that germans Are living there but this is not supported by others. It is very Dif so Tvrdy i gue rth m at 1cid As wok germs Tion the s in 13 by St Vonce cause stood Beonce might in a them
