The Germans , often helped by Fascists , committed several atrocities against Italian civilians in occupied zones , such as the Ardeatine massacre and the Sant ' Anna di Stazzema massacre . On 4 June 1944 , the German occupation of Rome came to an end as the Allies advanced . As the Allies advanced north , they encountered increasingly difficult terrain , as mountains offered excellent defensive position to Axis forces . The final Allied victory over the Axis in Italy did not come until the spring offensive of 1945 , after Allied troops had breached the Gothic Line , leading to the surrender of German and Fascist forces in Italy on 2 May shortly before Germany finally surrendered ending World War II in Europe on 8 May . It is estimated that between September 1943 and April 1945 some 60,000 Allied and 50,000 German soldiers died in Italy
Ardeatine massacre
Ardeatine massacre
History of Italy