View source for Battle of Mont-Cenis

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Mont-Cenis ''(Operation Izard)''
| image             = Mont-Cenis,_Operation_Izard.jpg
| caption           = Column of [[L3/33]] tanks of the [[1st Armored Regiment (Italy)|1st Tank Infantry Regiment]] on the [[Mont-Cenis]] plain.
| partof            = [[Second Battle of the Alps]]
| date              = 5–12 April 1945
| place             = [[Mont-Cenis]]
| result            = Axis defensive victory
*French offensive becomes a failure
*The Americans stop support and aid to France
*See [[#Aftermath|$Aftermath]]
| combatant1        = {{flagcountry|Italian Social Republic|war}}<br>'''Supported by:'''<br />{{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}} <small>(7–12 April)</small>
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Provisional Government of the French Republic}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Italian Social Republic|war}} [[Edoardo Sala]]<ref>''Rassegna Stampa-Barbadillo-Al Comandante Sala-Folgore RSI-L'Onore Delle Armi Dagli Anglo Americani'' (Page in Italian)</ref>
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Provisional Government of the French Republic}} [[Alain Le Ray]]
| strength1         = 1,500 men
| strength2         = 3,000 men
| casualties1       = Unknown
| casualties2       = {{flagicon|France}} 61 killed<ref name="Maurienne"></ref>
| image_size        = 300
| territory         = Italian forces re-capture [[Mont-Cenis]], [[Pointe de Bellecombe]] and [[Mont-Froid]]
| units1            = {{flagicon|Italian Social Republic|war}} [[185th Paratroopers Division "Folgore"]]<br />{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} ''[[Gebirgsjäger]]''
| units2            = {{flagicon|France}} [[27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France)|27th Alpine Brigade]]<br />{{flagicon|France}} [[1st Free French Division]]
}}
{{Campaignbox Second Battle of the Alps}}
The '''Battle of Mont-Cenis''' (in [[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Battaglia del Moncenisio''), codenamed '''Operation Izard''' (in [[French language|French]]: ''Opération Izard''), was a battle fought over [[Mont-Cenis]] between Italian and French forces that started on 5 April 1945, as part of the [[Second Battle of the Alps]].

==Battle==
The attack on [[Mont-Cenis]] was carried out by the 3,000 men of the 7th Half-brigade of Chasseurs Alpins belonging to the 27th Alpine Brigade, led by Colonel [[Alain Le Ray]], reinforced by two batteries of heavy artillery from the 1st Free French Division. The position was defended by a battalion of the 5th ''[[Gebirgsjäger]]'' Division and another battalion from the Paratroop Regiment ''Folgore'' supported by German artillery: in total 1,500 men.{{sfn|Ring|2014|page=}}

The operation opened with an attack on the German observation post at the [[Pointe de Bellecombe]] (2750m), which was reached after a 600m night climb in difficult weather. The post was destroyed, but a counter-attack forced the Chasseurs off the feature later the same day. The main objective for the French was the old fort at [[Mont-Froid]] which commanded the surrounding areas. After gaining a foothold in the fort on the 5 April, French forces finally captured it after several days of confused fighting at close quarters. However, an attack against the [[Fort de la Turra]] was a failure, and the offensive stalled when the heavy artillery units were withdrawn for the operation against the {{ill|Authion massif|it|Massiccio dell'Authion}}. On the 12 April a perfectly executed counter-attack by the ''Gebirgsjäger'' and the troops of the ''Folgore'' recaptured the fort and evicted the French from the [[Mont-Cenis]] plateau.<ref name=":MilLyon">{{cite web |url=http://www.museemilitairelyon.com/spip.php?article103 |title=La Campagne des Alpes 1944-45 |access-date=2018-11-14 |date=2011-04-25 |publisher=Musée Militaire de Lyon et de la région Rhône-Alpes |archive-date=2015-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208055732/http://www.museemilitairelyon.com/spip.php?article103 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the operation, the french lost 61 men.<ref name="Maurienne"></ref>

==Aftermath==
The failure of Operation Izard had severe consequences for Doyen's force as it persuaded the Americans to withhold further supplies for the offensive. The Mont-Cenis pass was captured only on the 27 April after Axis forces had retreated from the area.{{sfn|Riccioli|1996}}<ref name="Maurienne">{{cite web |url=http://www.memoire-des-alpins.com/historique-des-troupes-alpines/1944-1945-2/bataille-des-alpes/maurienne/ |title=Bataille des Alpes: Maurienne |access-date=2018-11-13 |last= Demouzon |first=Laurent }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite journal|last=Riccioli|first=Jean-Louis|date=1996|title=La deuxième bataille des Alpes : printemps 1945|journal=Cahiers de la Méditerranée|language=fr-FR|volume=52|issue=1|pages=93–118|doi=10.3406/camed.1996.1161|issn=0395-9317}}
* {{cite book |title=Storming the Eagle's Nest: Hitler's War in the Alps |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A_xM-0W8SWEC&q=Mont+cenis&pg=PT252 |first=Jim |last=Ring |publisher=Faber & Faber |year=2014 |isbn=978-0571282395 }}

{{coord missing|France}}

[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving France|Alps]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Italy|Alps]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Germany|Alps]]
[[Category:Mountain warfare]]
[[Category:Charles de Gaulle in World War II]]