The first part of Italy liberated by the Allies during World War II was this island invaded in July 1943
The stepping stone to its 
mainland would be the island of Sicily, in part because the Allies could depend 
on fighter cover ... On July 25, the day after Mussolini's arrest, the first Italian 
troops began... [DOC] [TLE] Italian Campaign - World War II - HISTORY.com [PAR] Beyond their goal of crushing Italian Axis forces, the Allies wanted to draw 
German troops away ...