The Abbey of Monte Cassino was bombed by Allied forces in Italy on February 15, 1944. The bombing was part of the Battle of Monte Cassino, a series of four assaults by the Allies against the Winter Line in Italy held by Axis forces. The Allies believed the abbey was being used by German troops as a strategic stronghold, though it was later determined that the Germans were not occupying the abbey at the time of the bombing. After the bombing, German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger) occupied the rui