Cassino to the Alps - US Army Center Of Military History

STRATEGIES AND PLANS
had done in the case of Leese on the
eve of the Gothic Line offensive in
August. :0
On 12 February Clark presented to
his commanders his own operational
concept for the offensive with instructions
to prepare plans for its implementation.
The army group commander's
plan essentially followed the same pattern
that Alexander had outlined for
the fall offensive. The main axis of the
15th Army Group's offensive would be
along a line extending from Bologna to
20 Clark Diary, 19 Jan 45.
THE LAST HEIGHTS BEFORE BOLOGNA
447
Verona in order to cut in two the
German forces north of the Apennines.
The offensive was to be divided into
three phases: the first to capture the
area in and around Bologna; the second
to advance to the Po and prepare a
set-piece attack against that enemy line;
and the third to cross the Po and
advance on Verona, the capture of
which was expected to seal the main
escape route out of Italy to the northeast
for those enemy forces still in
northwestern Italy. At the same time, a
so-called Venetian Line along the Adige
River was to be attacked. If the enemy