MUSSOLINI'S WAR: Fascist Italy's Military Struggles from Africa and Western Europe to the Mediterranean and Soviet Union 1935-45
This is the best new book on World War II that I've read in the last year...don't miss it! ---Military Advisor MagazineThis book is one of BEST books which attempts to delineate the mussolini phenomenon. much is written about special units (uomini gamma, Decima MAS, Folgore, italian SS, etc.) and how they fought with exceptional tenacity. it dispels the myths and british propaganda regarding the italian soldier. (for example it quotes british admirals and generals amongst others (rommel, kesselring) praising the exceptional italian soldier in contrast to what the british media was reporting) it dispels the british propaganda about the italian intervention in the battle of britain. the author goes in great detail about the 1000+ sorties flown with minimal losses and the damage inflicted on british ports (italian bombing ports+facilities while germans bombing cities) furthermore it explains the mediterranean war, for all extents the Regia Marina did extremely well 90% of troops ferried to libya, 98% of supplies and that's without radar !!! it explains how halle salasse (1935) was armed by the brits and french, how ethiopia hired the pasha (in charge of defending gallipoli in ww1 where australians were slaughtered by the turks) in charge of defending from the italians, he also has swiss artillery experts.. far from the idea i had of tribesmen running around with spears. it explains why italy invaded albania (they stopped paying their international loan when italy needed it most - after ethiopian war, spanish civil war) how britain embargoed italian coal imports from germany (by sea) when italy was neutral. The book is well researched and cross referenced. a MUST read for anyone interested in italy but also ww2 in general as many other historical events and people are investigated. --By Andre1973 (australia)Well, the book is of course very interesting reading and good and easy readable, instead of most historical and "like historical" books on the subject. It is not a usually wide formulating cliché about stupid and funny toy-soldier Duce, his weak army and unwillingness to fight between all Italian soldiers, most of them surely antifascist orientated, etc,etc,etc... It is one of the books, from which You will know that Italians really fought in WW2 with bravery and real courage, and they too had their great battles and victories. And Italian army and navy were between the real major forces involved in the greatest military conflict in history. For me personally were very interesting to know what really Mussolini have made for Italy as a state, before the beginning of WW2, and about a tight moral connection in case of Italy and Italians, between their Ethiopian/Eritrean campaign and than fight in Spanish Civil war to the entering in the WW2 on Axis side. From the first look You will understand the author`s personal sympathy to Italians and their leader in WW2. Nevertheless author tried to base his point of view on some historical facts and proved documents, sometimes looking at them from very fresh and interesting point. (For example the connection Eritrea-Spain-Italy in WW2, really awful situation in Allied-occupied Italy from 1943 to 1945, the pivotal role of radar in naval battles in Mediterranian sea, Malta question, etc ) The second thing You will understand very soon, that author is surely not a professional, or at least, skilled military historian at all - there are some mistakes in case of technic, units description etc. The chapters and described operations coming not in straight chronological order and it makes some discomfort in understanding the situation as a whole, especially if the reader know at least briefly Italian WW2 history. From my personal point of view , the better name for the book could be something like "Mussolini`s war in Mediterranian theatre 1936-1943", because there are a lot of detailed information about some naval battles and operations (and some only planned, but never made), North African, Greece and South French episodes. But (to my great and not pleasant surprise) You find nearly nothing about 2 whole years of heroic and bitter fighting of 220 000 Italian soldiers in awful conditions on the Eastern front against Soviet Union, from which only half came back to their Motherland, and You find nearly nothing too about the 2 years of desperate fighting of most of existed then Italian units, often together with Germans, on Balkans and in Italy against so called partisans in times of R.S.I. or Salo Republic 1943-45 ... Very little maps and photos. So: really not bad point of view, fresh and easy reading, a lot of good things about Italy and Italians, if You are interesting in military history and like to see the "well known" facts from different sides to make Your own opinion - it is Your book; when You want to find thoroughly complete historical and documental information about Italian participating in World War 2, so better try somewhere else.... --By Alexej Pishenkov -