Italy in the War:
Pre - War:
Although Italy emerged victorious from the First World War, it suffered tremendous losses and gained little territory. More than 600,000 Italians were killed, and much of Italy's promised territorial gains were not realized. Back in 1915, the British and French promised to give Italy all Italian - speaking parts of Austria - Hungary if Italy joins the war on the Entente side. However, the British, French, and Americans later decided against it in 1919, and in the end only a small part of what was once Austria - Hungary was given to Italy. This made the Italian people feel like they were cheated; the war was seen as a "mutilated victory".
In October 1922, Mussolini's National Fascist Party lead a coup against the Italian government. This is known as the March on Rome. King Victor Emmanuel III, who did not wish to put down the coup with force, agreed to allow Mussolini to form a new government. Note that the king still had absolute powers over the government and military, in fact, many of Mussolini's supporters were also fiercely loyal to the king. However, the king was unwilling (some argue unable) to prevent Mussolini from assuming dictatorial powers. Gradually, Mussolini stripped civil freedoms from Italians and established a fascist regime. He also appointed his son - in - law, Galeazzo Ciano, as the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mussolini's blackshirts were able to install fear among the populace by violently attacking anyone who spoke or acted against him.
In order to expand its empire, Italy invaded Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in late 1935. The League of Nations was unable to effectively thwart Mussolini's imperial ambitions. Although some economic sanctions were placed on Italy during the war, they were quickly lifted because it seemed to do little against the Italians. This is an early example of appeasement.
Although Italy emerged victorious from the First World War, it suffered tremendous losses and gained little territory. More than 600,000 Italians were killed, and much of Italy's promised territorial gains were not realized. Back in 1915, the British and French promised to give Italy all Italian - speaking parts of Austria - Hungary if Italy joins the war on the Entente side. However, the British, French, and Americans later decided against it in 1919, and in the end only a small part of what was once Austria - Hungary was given to Italy. This made the Italian people feel like they were cheated; the war was seen as a "mutilated victory".
In October 1922, Mussolini's National Fascist Party lead a coup against the Italian government. This is known as the March on Rome. King Victor Emmanuel III, who did not wish to put down the coup with force, agreed to allow Mussolini to form a new government. Note that the king still had absolute powers over the government and military, in fact, many of Mussolini's supporters were also fiercely loyal to the king. However, the king was unwilling (some argue unable) to prevent Mussolini from assuming dictatorial powers. Gradually, Mussolini stripped civil freedoms from Italians and established a fascist regime. He also appointed his son - in - law, Galeazzo Ciano, as the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mussolini's blackshirts were able to install fear among the populace by violently attacking anyone who spoke or acted against him.
In order to expand its empire, Italy invaded Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in late 1935. The League of Nations was unable to effectively thwart Mussolini's imperial ambitions. Although some economic sanctions were placed on Italy during the war, they were quickly lifted because it seemed to do little against the Italians. This is an early example of appeasement.
In 1936 Italy and Germany entered a non - aggression pact. This was followed by the Pact of Steel in May 1939, when Italy and Germany became formal allies. Although Italy and Germany informally agreed that neither would wage war until much later, Germany invaded Poland on September 1st, 1939, within four months of the signing of the pact. At this time, Italy was not ready for war. In 1939 the Italian economy was still poor. The economy was mostly based on agriculture; Italy's industrial strength was significantly weaker than that of Britain, France, Germany, and the Soviet Union. In addition, Italy relied heavily on imports of raw materials. For example, it produced very little oil, which had devastating consequences on Italy's war capacity once its oil imports were strangled off. Most importantly, the Italian army was small, unmodernized, and poorly trained. Most of the army's obsolete equipment and tactics were inherited from the First World War. Moreover, there were insufficient funding to properly train troops. Therefore, Italy as a whole, was not ready for war in 1939.
Due to the overall unclearness of the strategical position, Italy did not immediately declare war on Britain and France when they declared war on Germany. This was similar to what it did during the First World War.
Italian Invasion of France:
On June 10th, 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and France. This was because Germany recently scored spectacular successes against the French; the Allies were in disorganized retreat. Mussolini wanted to declare war now because he believed that the war would be soon over and the British and French would be defeated. Additionally, the Germans were becoming impatient with the Italians' neutrality. Hitler did not wish to see Italy change sides again, as it did in the First World War. Thus Italy declared war under both external and internal pressure.
The Italian invasion of France was small in scale. The strategical situation on the Western Front was rather unaffected by the Italian invasion. Nevertheless, Germany forced France to surrender on June 22nd, 1940. Italy received a small slice of France for its minor contribution.
Due to the overall unclearness of the strategical position, Italy did not immediately declare war on Britain and France when they declared war on Germany. This was similar to what it did during the First World War.
Italian Invasion of France:
On June 10th, 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and France. This was because Germany recently scored spectacular successes against the French; the Allies were in disorganized retreat. Mussolini wanted to declare war now because he believed that the war would be soon over and the British and French would be defeated. Additionally, the Germans were becoming impatient with the Italians' neutrality. Hitler did not wish to see Italy change sides again, as it did in the First World War. Thus Italy declared war under both external and internal pressure.
The Italian invasion of France was small in scale. The strategical situation on the Western Front was rather unaffected by the Italian invasion. Nevertheless, Germany forced France to surrender on June 22nd, 1940. Italy received a small slice of France for its minor contribution.
North African Campaign:
The British attacked the Italians in Libya soon after the Italian declaration of war (Libya was then a part of Italy). The Italians counterattacked over the summer of 1940, eventually reaching Sidi Barrani in Egypt (although not nominally a part of Britain, the British used Egypt as a base of operations). The Italians then proceeded to build a defensive line. However, the British counterattacked once again in December 1940 and defeated the Italians. The latter was driven back into Libya. In fact, the Italian forces in western Libya were almost completely destroyed.
Seeing the incompetence of Italy, Germany sent over its Afrika Korps to aid Italy. The Axis and the Allies then proceeded to engage in a series of see - saw operations across Libya and Egypt, finally culminating in the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, where Axis forces were decisively defeated and pushed back to Tunisia. In May 1943 Axis forces in Africa surrendered.
Balkan Theatre:
In October 1940 Italy invaded Greece. The invasion was poorly prepared and was nothing short of a disaster. The British, Bulgarians, and Germans soon intervened. In the end the Italians, Bulgarians, and Germans emerged victorious, and Greece was occupied by these three powers.
In April 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia. Italy played a minor assisting role in this invasion and received most of the coastal regions of Yugoslavia when the latter surrendered.
Note that all Italian territorial gains in the Balkans were occupied by Germany after the Italian surrender to the Allies.
The British attacked the Italians in Libya soon after the Italian declaration of war (Libya was then a part of Italy). The Italians counterattacked over the summer of 1940, eventually reaching Sidi Barrani in Egypt (although not nominally a part of Britain, the British used Egypt as a base of operations). The Italians then proceeded to build a defensive line. However, the British counterattacked once again in December 1940 and defeated the Italians. The latter was driven back into Libya. In fact, the Italian forces in western Libya were almost completely destroyed.
Seeing the incompetence of Italy, Germany sent over its Afrika Korps to aid Italy. The Axis and the Allies then proceeded to engage in a series of see - saw operations across Libya and Egypt, finally culminating in the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, where Axis forces were decisively defeated and pushed back to Tunisia. In May 1943 Axis forces in Africa surrendered.
Balkan Theatre:
In October 1940 Italy invaded Greece. The invasion was poorly prepared and was nothing short of a disaster. The British, Bulgarians, and Germans soon intervened. In the end the Italians, Bulgarians, and Germans emerged victorious, and Greece was occupied by these three powers.
In April 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia. Italy played a minor assisting role in this invasion and received most of the coastal regions of Yugoslavia when the latter surrendered.
Note that all Italian territorial gains in the Balkans were occupied by Germany after the Italian surrender to the Allies.
Surrender:
Following their victory in North Africa, the Allies landed in Sicily (an Italian Island) in July 1943. The military situation of Italy was already in shambles. The Italian people no longer wanted war, neither did the king. On July 25th, Mussolini was dismissed as prime minister and subsequently arrested. His replacement was Badoglio. Italy signed a secret armistice with the Allies on September 3rd, and the armistice was announced on September 8th. However, the Germans were long aware of the Italian defection and immediately disarmed Italian units and occupied much of Italy. Following the German occupation, the Italian government under Prime Minister Badoglio and the king fled to southern Italy, where they raised a co - belligerent army that fought alongside Allied forces. In late 1943, Mussolini was rescued from imprisonment by the Germans and set up the new Italian Social Republic in northern Italy. However, Mussolini's new fascist state was essentially a puppet of Germany's. Soon Italy became a battlefield between the American / Commonwealth forces and the German forces. Italian forces loyal to the king sided with the Allies while those loyal to the fascist republic sided with the Germans. In both cases, the Italian forces played a co - belligerent role under their occupation forces. Moreover, a resistance movement in northern Italy fought against the occupying Germans. The Allies managed to push the Axis forces back from the boot of Italy until their advance was stalled in winter 1943 / 1944. In spring 1944 the Allies broke through the Axis defensive lines around Rome. Later in spring 1945 the Allies successfully overran the last Axis defensive lines in Italy. German forces in Italy surrendered on May 2. |