The battle scenes were filmed in Itay where actual fighting took place during WWII.
This film was a hit for MGM, earning a profit of $421,000 ($4.1M in 2017) according to studio records. It was one of the few American films at the time that garnered more revenue in Europe than the US and Canada.
The Italian town of Scascali, population 350 at the time, had been rebuilt following WWII, so the studio had the townspeople deface it again and paid many to be extras in the film.
Forty ex-U.S. soldiers who were studying in Italy were hired for minor roles and to be extras.