German propaganda seeks to divide the allies

2nd March 1944: A static front and close proximity at Anzio - so the Germans attempt to undermine Allied morale

Early propaganda leaflets from the Germans made a crude attempt to contrast the conditions faced by American soldiers with life back home.

The struggle at Anzio began to stabilise as the lines between the opposing armies became more established. Both the Americans and the British had suffered serious reverses and heavy casualties as they struggled to maintain their grip on the beachhead.

Other leaflets reinforced radio propaganda broadcast to Allied troops.

Not only were those caught on the beachhead exposed to intermittent shelling, but they also faced a determined propaganda campaign. The German radio stations, including ‘Jerry’s Front’ and 'Radio Roma', played popular music intermingled with subversive messages.

BBC War Correspondent Wynford Vaughan Thomas¹ collected the propaganda leaflets that burst over the beachhead from shellfire and littered the area: