
An American observation point on the island of Sicily near Troina - August 1943
Photo by Robert Capa
By 18 August, the German High Command estimated around 60,000 Wehrmacht troops had been evacuated via the heavily guarded port city of Messina on Sicily to mainland Italy. Around 75,000 troops of the Italian Army had also been evacuated. The evacuation of Axis forces on the island were deemed successful because the Allies were unable to gain substantial naval and air control of the Strait of Messina.