The Battle of Garfagnana (Italian: Battaglia della Garfagnana) was known to the Germans as Operation Winter Storm (Unternehmen Wintergewitter) and nicknamed the "Christmas Offensive" (Italian: Offensiva di Natale).
It was an attack of Axis forces on the western sector of the Gothic Line during World War II. It happened in December 1944 in the north Tuscan Apennines, near Massa and Lucca.
In late December 1944 the German 14th Army under General Kurt von Tippelskirch attacked the left side of the U.S. Fifth Army in the Serchio valley. He wanted to make the U.S. forces stay there.
The Allies had ordered two brigades from Indian 8th Infantry Division to be moved to help the U.S. 92nd Infantry Division. By the time they had arrived the Germans and Italians had captured Barga. U.S. soldiers had intended to retreat to Lucca. The German / Italian force stopped the attack and withdrew.
Barga was recaptured one week later by the New Year. The western Gothic Line remained in place until late March 1945.