Italy In WW2: an Honest Look

[@TrolleyDodger.]

My father-in-law was a fallschirmjäger with the Luftwaffe in World War II as he served in North Africa and elsewhere. He always said they Italians were decent soldiers but overall, had lousy equipment and leadership. He referred to the difference between the Fascist and Royalist officer… with Fascist having the better officers. He and brother also said from 1943 - 1945 they (RSI) fought very well. Most of the bad press was from the British.

[@tomgjgj]

By 1943 the guys who didn't really want to fight were either taken to Germany or joined the Resistance. Only the fanatical fascists were left. Also, the british had a lot of interest in presenting the italians as toothless in their propaganda, since Italy was their main rival for control of the mediterranean and had been for some time.

[@TrolleyDodger.]

@@tomgjgj Not all were fanatic Fascists… Many believed that the communists, masons and etc were a great danger to Europe. ,

[@tomgjgj]

@@TrolleyDodger. So they were fighting the US and Britain because...?

[@TrolleyDodger.]

@@tomgjgj Can’t you read my previous reply?

[@NoName-hg6cc]

I don't know about the fascist officers being better....

[@historyofitaly4364]

Important is also that Italy spent many things for Libya (1922-1932), Somalia(1922-1927), Ethiopia(1935-1936) , Spain(1936-1939) and Albania(1939) before ww2

[@elionetto1]

Credo che questo è il punto fondamentale, oltre al dispendio di risorse militari, dimostra come il soldato italiano non fosse secondo a nessuno in preparazione e disciplina militare, essendo quasi sempre "in leva".

[@historyofitaly4364]

@@elionetto1 esattamente, gli italiani come riconobbe Rommel stesso nelle sue memorie diedero il massimo al di sopra delle proprie possibilità. È questo che purtroppo gli stranieri non capiscono ed è eloquente

[@ryanseddon4800]

No one forced Italy to colonise so no tears will be shed for it suffering consequences for its own actions

[@marcobelli6856]

@@ryanseddon4800all other European Powers already had colonized half of the world (more really) and Italy was looked down upom for being without colonies by other European Leaders

[@nukekidontheblock8349]

@@ryanseddon4800always talk without knowing nothing Ryan, don’t stop

[@fredferd965]

Did the Italian soldiers have courage? Yes! For one thing, Rommel's Africa Corps could not have survived without them. For Reference: Research the Italian Folgore Division in the Africa Corps. Also two books: "Few Returned, Twenty-Eight Days on the Russian Front, Winter 1942-1943," by Eugenio Corti and "Last Soldiers of the King, Wartime Italy 1943," also by Eugenio Corti. After you read his books, you will never think of the Italians as cowards again.

[@Slowbiker1957]

The Germans sacrificed the Italians to cover their retreat So many Italian soldiers surrender Because they had no transport or equipment

[@fredferd965]

@@vincentromano187 This is true! Thank you for saying it!

[@mirkonavarra1517]

also Rommel in most Rommel victory the majority of his army was Italian

[@richardstephens5570]

You talked about the Italian rifles, but you didn't mention their other small arms. The Italian soldiers were issued the worst light machine gun of the war, the Breda 30. They also had defective hand grenades. In North Africa, the British would often find unexploded Italian grenades on the battlefield. The Italians did have a few good weapons, but they didn't have enough of them.

[@BountyFlamor]

The standard Italian smg was good, too.

[@dobridjordje]

​​@@BountyFlamor Sidearm was phenomenal as well, both Beretta M1934 and 1935, mostly Breda was the stinker but according to one Italian WW2 veteran, if oiled properly and taken care of, it could be a dangerous tool against the Allies.

[@dobridjordje]

@cesarretamoza5243 Doesn't matter, it's better to have a good one when shit hits the fan than to have a poopy Namby type 14 that jams on you. Italian small arms of WW2 except that Breda M1930 crap was pretty damn solid.

[@dobridjordje]

@cesarretamoza5243 Breda 1938 is one of the best SMGs of the war, pistols were solid, bolt actions.were solid, the weapons themselves were excellent for the most part, what wasn't was the Italian military (more so officers and high ranking official) of the war.

[@tomassarta]

@@dobridjordje le armi non erano adatte a tutti i terreni di combattimento un soldato impiegato nella campagna di Russia poteva ritenere una mitragliatrice efficiente ed uno nella campagna d'Africa ritenerla pessima perché si surriscaldava e deformandosi si inceppava.

[@mirtaaguinagalde8631]

Italia had a mix of not good units and extremely brave and well trained units as Rommel and others important officers stated clearly. i agree with you. Stop with stupid jokes. Outstanding video. Thanks

[@jonjonlewis9371]

Ĺ

[@ssss-e2m8s]

If Julius Caesar saw Italy during the Second World War, his face would fall with shame.

[@enoppp167]

​@@ssss-e2m8s well, romans too had pretty bad perfomances sometimes

[@aldolamberti3855]

Thanks for the honest narration. I think the best fighter in the world would have had some difficulty fighting the ''rest of the world'', I remember that the Axis was made up of only three countries - Germany - Japan - Italy, like Romania , Hungary etc. were of little weight) of which Italy was the poorest. It irritates me when I hear contemptuous comments like: ''hold my Brunello di Montalcino, I'll sort it out and come straight away'' To fight a ''world coalition the Carcano 91/38 musket or a few exploding hand grenades would never have been enough at 50% and the M13 tanks. Yet honest people like you did it. I wonder why previously there was so much ridicule for those who fought a war with courage ''with bare hands''! Sir Winston Churchill himself after the exploit in the port of Alexandria where six men (one vessel perished due to being crushed by depth charges) on board the well-known ''pigs'' forced what was considered the most ''UNCONQUERABLE'' of the World, he said: six Italians armed with means of negligible cost have jeopardized the security of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, ''taking out of action in one fell swoop two battleships, the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mary, the destroyer Jervis and the oil tanker Sagona! Thank you for the excellent and honest narration made by you aimed at reporting the facts for what they were with what I consider the best narration of those sad events of arms. I personally was baptized by an English Major in Asmara after the fall of Agordat who recognized my Father while walking along the main street of that city and remained a family friend of ours until his repatriation!

[@Trader7535]

@@ssss-e2m8s Tua madre tutto bene? Quanto prende a notte?

[@marcress]

Very well done. One of the great ironies of WWII is that the Axis were chronically short of fuel oil yet Italy possessed one of the largest crude oil reserves in the world, Libya. And the Italians had indications of its existence. A geological survey team from the University of Milan noted that oil was probably in the Libyan desert when they went there in 1920s looking for water. My favorite "what if" is how Italy would have been different had they explored and exploited this find. The government was actively looking for oil, working with the Sinclair oil company. Unfortunately they were looking around Sicily. Foreign investment in a North African oil industry would have brought in a lot of capital which could be used to build up Italian industry and allowed it to invest in a more modern military. Also, Germany would not have ignored them as an ally so much.

[@Charliesparks-mg7tt]

If they had developed a viable oil supply in Axis control, Hitler would probably not have launched Operation Blau in 1942 to capture the Caucauis oil fields.

[@gabriele3665]

Another problem was that the equipment needed was available only in the US

[@zacktong8105]

A heart warming story is told (perhaps fictional) in the Italian film "Mediterranao" produced in the early 1990s of a small group of Italian soldiers under a Lieutenant and Sergeant put ashore on a small Greek island where the residents have all gone into hiding after most of the men were called into the Greek army about 1940. The unit is a motley group from all over Italy which doesn't work well together. Eventually the find the women and children and over the course of the next several months they gradually go native as they are cut off from all communication with IT forces. At the end of the war British forces liberate the island and what men are still alive are brought home while the Italians are taken away back to Italy to attempt to rebuild their country. But not everything goes as hoped for over the next fifty years and as old men the Lieutenant and Sergeant return to what was a more idealic life on the island. It is very convincing and poignant.

[@joey243win]

Well to be fair they had the local puttana to keep the. Entertained as well

[@riccardomallardo7779]

Not that fictional, the movie is based on Lorenzo Biasion's autobiography who fought in greece during ww2, in real life he invaded greece by land from Albania, then he got deployed in Crete, after Italy surrendered tlto the allies the germans deported him in a camp in germany and he managed to escape and return to italy one year later, so the plot of the movie is fictional but the relationship between italian soldiers and locals is authentic, assuming that Biasion didn't lie in his book of course

[@Dock284]

Mussolini actually told Hitler that Italy wouldn't be ready for war until 1942

[@charliesargent6225]

And the betrayers never notified Mussolini they were invading Poland dragging an unprepared Italy into WW II which broke the Pact of Steel just 4 months after signing. A typical German thing to do whether to an ally or a foe.

[@gumdeo]

@@charliesargent6225 Italy wasn't dragged into WW2 at all. Germany went into Poland and Italy remained neutral. Only when France collapsed in 1940 did the Italians choose to take the gamble and enter the war.

[@TheRealCharlesMurray]

@@charliesargent6225 Well Hitler did notify Mussolini before he invaded, and moreover Italy didn't join the war until it chose to on it's own accord in 1940, so it didn't really matter if Hitler notified Mussolini or not

[@squaeman_2644]

Well if Germany didn't go when it did they would have faced a far scarier and mobilized USSR. And the Germans almost won in their Blitzkrieg if not for the US and UK sending $12Billion in the lend lease program. Both Zhukov and Stalin admit that saved their asses. Originally I think Hitler was really hoping for Poland to join the anti-commiterm pact, but Poland thought the UK would have their back... Lol

[@DrJ-hx7wv]

Yet, they invaded Egypt and were defeated by Greece. As much as I love Italians, 1943 was a benefit to Germany, not a defeat.

[@pcojedi]

I remember reading somewhere that Mussolini did not want to go to war with the allies until 1945 - 1946 because it would take Italy that long to gear up its manufacturing.

[@shrektheswampless6102]

Your right but Mussolini took the gamble and the rest is hystory

[@gumdeo]

When France was collapsing in 1940, many people thought the war was about to end anyway.

[@giovannidepetris6335]

And you are correct

[@risorgiitalia8622]

Exactly pcojed

[@gabriele3665]

I read it was 42-43, but the point is the same, the high command knew they weren't ready, but the incredible German victory in France convinced them that the war was about to end.

[@historyofitaly4364]

Reguarding the italian gains in the balkans they weren’t “useless”, they were important for the conception of “mare nostrum”

[@honis9254]

can you expand on what mare nostrum is?

[@minotaurus91]

...Erano importanti per controbilanciare la Germania più che altro. Albania e Grecia non erano un gran che come conquiste, molto meglio sarebbe stato invadere Malta e Suez, che ci avrebbero dato molti più vantaggi strategici.

[@lettumaino]

​@@honis9254 depending on who you asked, it was either the complete control of the Mediterranean sea or the conception of a new Roman empire.

[@NeuKrofta]

The Italians pioneered mobile warfare doctrine with "Guerra di Rapido Corso" in the interwar years however they often didn't have the equipment to execute it so they deferred on the side of trench warfare. One of their biggest handicaps wasn't lack of tanks or planes but rather their lack of radios that worked. Without the ability to communicate the command and tactics suffered. For example pilots would replace their radios with sandbags forcing them into less effective tight formations and poor coordination and on the ground they relied heavily on telephone wires and signal flags. If Italy had radios that at the very least worked in any sufficient numbers they would have performed so much better even with their outdated arms and vehicles.

[@richhowell6386]

Fascist Italy did field a large army in Soviet Russia. In fact Messe lead it for a time. They had very severe casualities at Stalingrad.

[@mariorossi3898]

The ARMIR (Armata Italiana in Russia) made up of approximately 200.000 men and 4 Alpini corps (alpine troops) was deployed along the Don river and did not participated at all at the battle of Stalingrad. Only a small unit of 70 Italian infantry soldiers were caught up in Stalingrad only by a mere chance. They were dispatched there to provide some supply and remained caught in Stalingrad.

[@richhowell6386]

I refer to the campaign not the city. The Russians broke through Itallian forces which significantly lead to the encirclement. They did suffer heavy casualties.

[@SergioSfondrini]

@@richhowell6386 Russians broke through Romanian forces not supported by adequated German reserves, than the whole front collapsed.

[@richhowell6386]

@@SergioSfondrini they also broke through the Italian lines in addition to the Romanian. The reason for the comment was to correct the record on Italian participation.

[@Antonio_DG]

@@richhowell6386 It was the Uranus operation that decreed the defeat of the axis, the Italian front was abandoned and not defended, it is not the only episode in which the Italians remained to defend the front despite the impossibility of winning.

[@lawsonj39]

Eloquently narrated, well written, and beautifully edited. This deserves a LOT more views!

[@historyofitaly4364]

Was Italy incompetent? not at all*, was the army coward? No*

[@richarddenny5340]

only stupid and totally ignorant people believe the cowards stuff

[@riccardomallardo7779]

8:22 another thing to note is that Italy was a monarchy unlike Germany, and as you said the King was the head of army, air force and navy. The german soldiers made an oath to Hitler, if he says to fight till the end they do it, italian soldiers made an oath to the King instead, if he says to stop fighting they stop fighting regardless wether Mussolini agrees or not. Italy being a monarchy prevented Mussolini from getting the absolute power Hitler had, he was head of the government but not head of state, the army was loyal to the King and the senate was full of antifascist senators who often prevented fascist laws to pass (the members of the chamber of deputies are elected, since the fascist party was the only legal party they were all fascist, the senators were nominated by the King instead, and he could nominate everyone a senator regardless political faith) This is exactly what led to the fall of the regime, after the allies landed in Sicily the grand council of fascism voted in favour of dismissing the ministry of war and giving the leadership of the army back to the King, this led to Mussolini realizing that the party wasn't trusting him anymore which made him resign, the King then appointed Badoglio as new prime minister who then surrendered to the allies a month and a half later

[@gumdeo]

Exactly, which is why Anglos make a mistake when they refer to Mussolini as a dictator.

[@Antonio_DG]

Why does no one talk about the ineptitude of France and the UK who have declared war on Germany without the slightest possibility of facing it? No one explains that Italy up to 1935 was in fact allied with France and the UK and their political wizards excluded Italy, if there hadn't been the American troops overseas, Europe would now be different from today.

[@ChrisCrossClash]

WRONG, it was the Soviets overall that saved Europe.

[@Antonio_DG]

@@ChrisCrossClash Stop trying to make me laugh. Do you know what saved Europe? The fact that the Axis powers were a few nations against practically the whole world. They ran out of fuel for their vehicles and were faced with an overwhelmingly large number of enemies, with a huge difference in resources. It makes you wonder how stupid the leaders and commanders who got swept up in it all must have been in the end.

[@Rodrigohmachado]

You need to study the big picture.. the invasion of the east (barbarossa and stalingrad) and then battle of berlin. Then you will understand how the war was lost. The americans didnt even wanted to go for berlin as the russian had won it already. They just chopped germany to not start another war right away. Yes the US saved europe like hollywood portraits it, but not really from germany, actually from russias hegemony, as the territory was occupied and rebuilt by western forces.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@ChrisCrossClash Americans too

[@ChrisCrossClash]

@@NoName-hg6cc Nope, Britain did more to save Europe in the Battle of Britain.

[@slimwilson]

Keep in mind that all armies entered WW2 using the same basic rifle they used in WW1(or that era). Only the US Army came in with a different rifle, and that was only the Army. The USMC was still using 1903s at the outset. That being said, the Carcano is still a better rifle than Mosins and Arisakas.

[@richardstephens5570]

The Japanese were more successful than the Italians with supplying troops with a new rifle. Beginning in 1939 the Japanese started producing the Type 99 rifle that fired a 7.7mm cartridge. By the end of the war they had produced about 3.5 million.

[@Azoria4]

Was the British Enfield used in WW1?

[@tomchirillo1663]

The Carcano Mannlicher was brutally savaged by just about all so called experts after the assassination of President Kennedy. There was on expert whose name I do not recall who wrote a large article in an American magazine on Rifles who stated that the Carcano was a very descent weapon,.

[@grant9939]

@@Azoria4yes, different version of the enfield, no1mk3, vs no 4mk 1 enfields

[@Azoria4]

@@grant9939 thanks

[@ginetto7433]

The battle of El Alamein caused the death of 13,500 British, 17,000 Italians, 9,000 Germans and was one of the most decisive of the Second World War: it put an end to the Italian-German threat on the Suez Canal, handing over absolute domination of the Mediterranean to the British . By erasing an entire front from the chessboard, in perspective it paved the way for the second front, i.e. the landing in Sicily intended to bring the allies back to Europe. The last to surrender at El Alamein were the Folgore paratroopers. Clinging to the edge of the El Qattara depression, they faced the 13th Army Corps which, according to the English version, had to engage only to give life to a false purpose, while in reality it had to fight one of the toughest and most exhausting local battles breakthrough of the entire front. Folgore's men resisted for 13 days without yielding a meter. Upon surrender they had the honor of arms and the name of their division has remained legendary ever since. The English BBC on November 11, after the battle, commented: "the remains of the Folgore division have resisted beyond all limits of human possibilities". The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in the aftermath of the battle, said: "we must bow down before the remains of those who were the lions of the Folgore". A sacrifice well summarized by the words of the Gold Medal, Ten. Col. Alberto Bechi Luserna: "among the sands that are no longer deserted, the boys of the Folgore are here for eternity, the flower of a people and an army in arms . Fallen for an idea, without regrets, honored by the memory of the same enemy".

[@uffa00001]

The phrase that is attributed to Churchill was actually pronounced by a British MP to, if memory serves, an American journalist. It was not published during the war.

[@brambillafumagalli9535]

@@uffa00001chiunque l’abbia detto non ha mentito……

[@Animiel1]

this was quite interesting and I think pretty spot on, but I am Italian, so probably a bit biased. My grandfather fought in Africa and was surprised to see some German common soldiers to have university grades. He came from a rural area and had only 3 years of basic education (after the war he runned a successful small business, so he was not stupid) but in the italian army all people with superior education were officials. Italy wasn't prepared, did not want and was pretty fed up with Fascism. We had an active Resistance group that is remembered as a big deal by Italians today, but maybe it was not, it's easy to be biased here. I did not find almost anything in English on the Italian Partisans, it would be great in you do a video about that, from a more distant prospectI've than an Italian

[@johnfleming7879]

Read my comment.The father of a high school friend was somehow granted VA benifits after the war because of his position with the their military who changed sides- maybe hejined us after the War or something

[@HenriHattar]

Did you mean "RUINED " a successful small business?

[@gunner678]

There were some extremely effective Italian forces in ww2. They were a very real and credible threat for the two to three initial years of the war. The later massed conscripted forces were not of a high calibre however.

[@richardstephens5570]

Their best troops were still hampered by poor logistics and outdated equipment. The Italian Army had some bad officers too. Many had been promoted through bribery and favoritism instead of ability.

[@johnkilmartin5101]

The Italians did take British Somalia, whereas the Germans captured? Oh yeah the Channel Islands.

[@KickoffDeuce]

Hell of a look at Italy's situation; would love to see more from you!

[@marcomambretti5922]

Very interesting video, thank you. My father told me that everybody in Italy was supporting the war when it started. The public opinion was not informed at all about the disaster of the armed forces and, on the opposite, believed that everything was fine. Defeat after defeat, with the colonies lost and the cities destroyed it was clear that the war was lost.

[@lucaorlandi289]

The principal problem we weren't ready ,and we did the same 2 campaigns in Etiopia and Spain ,so when we started WW 2 we had less resources .Another problem we didn't have radar in the Royal Navy and bad coordination with the Regia Aeronautica

[@BountyFlamor]

Wasn't it Mussolini himself who said that Italy would just be ready for war in the mid-1940s?

[@charliesargent6225]

2.Pact of Steel...another betrayal by the Germans when they promised Italy 3 more years to prepare, instead they broke it just 4 months later invading Poland without ever notifying Mussolini and dragged an unprepared Italy into WW. Germany broke every Pact with friends and foes alike. It is a Germanic DNA trait. THIS is the reason Italy was so under supplied AND the Spanish Civil War, of which Italy was the main contributor to the Nationalist victory but greatly depleted Italian forces leading to Italy's eventual downfall.

[@Jin-uu5he]

Not really, Mussolini asked Hitler to postpone the war in 42, he also sent Germany an infinite list of very rare materials necessary for Italy to enter the war promptly (molybdenum list) however Hitler did not wait

[@palmergriffiths1952]

My Grandfather was here in World War II. He was a Canadian member of The U.S./Canada First Special Service Force (The Black Devil's). He landed on the Anzio beach head and was in the battle of Monte La Difensa , Monte Summucro, The Mussolini Canal and the drive to Rome.

[@marcomanzone3535]

Thanks to the Channel for to give justice to our Grandparents. Grazie!

[@giancarlogarlaschi4388]

- Disaster at Dunkirk - Sinking of Repulse and Prince of Wales. - Operations Crusader and Battle Axe. - PQ 17 Convoy Disaster. - Surrender of Singapore. - Surrender of Tobruk. - Dieppe Disaster - Disaster at Crete - Disaster at Greece ... shall we continue ?

[@joey8062]

Operation harpoon and vigorous plus the Italian attack on Alexandria harbor

[@ChrisCrossClash]

😂😂 Should we list you're Italian defeats, your country was a joke in both world wars, we beat your ass Italian boy, shall I continue?

[@Sotsufferer]

Compass, EL Alemain, burma, sicily, anzio, crossing the rhine, sinking 70% of all U-boats produced in ww2, caen, taranto and mattapan, normandy? shall we continue? it was italy that was invaded not britain

[@NoName-hg6cc]

​​@@Sotsufferer It was USA who did the invasion. Without them English would be at El Alamein still Ps: Disaster of Hong Kong? LOL😂

[@Sotsufferer]

more americans surrendered in the Philippines than british did in hong kong and the british won al-alemain without the americans. You know there was an equal number of british and american troops in italy dont you? and that the theatre commander was british? .@@NoName-hg6cc

[@coryhatch1687]

Loved this, amazing work!

[@paologambacorta192]

Carcano stripper clips, since XIX century, held 6 rounds, not 5!

[@rifleman4005]

Let's be clear about this alliance. Italy nearly went to war with Germany when Hitler first proposed the take over of Austria. Germany sent arms to Ethiopia when Italy was invading them. Germany was also aidding the Chinese against the Japanese. There are pictures of Chinese soldiers with German style helmets. Lastly the Germans talked about the "German" master race. How do you think the Italians snd Japanese thought about that? The only reason they got together is all three were isolated by the other European countries & US.

[@ssss-e2m8s]

excuses, the approach should have been total war, investigations and the use of every piece of metal and massive construction of factories to have a decent and well-trained army and executions for the cowards, decimating as the Romans did, they were a shame for Rome and should not consider themselves Romans, to this day they make money from Roman memories and they only showed that they are garbage in the first and second world wars, the real Romans died when Rome fell

[@matteomaffei5519]

Well, this is only partially true: the main reason for which Italy drifted towards isolation was because of Mussolini's choices.

[@rifleman4005]

@@matteomaffei5519 true. But the worst consequences of that alliance was that the italian fascists were forced to adopt the nazis nutty racial policies.

[@ulrichbehnke9656]

The Nazis studied the Italian warcrimes in Lybia and Ethiopia. Massacres Ethnic cleansing, Concentration Camps, Poison Gas Attacks, starvation, bombing red cross facilities, rape. 80.000 Lybian Civilians dead. 380.000 Ethiopian victims. Marshallo Badoglio and Graziani were responsible. The „Brave Gento“- mythos saved them after 45. The Nazis took this as a model for their horrific atrocities.

[@patrickcloutier6801]

The book, "MUSSOLINI'S WAR IN THE EAST 1941-1943" covers the Italian war effort in Ukraine and Russia. General Messe led the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia, during 1941-1942. The Italians fought quite well under Messe, and his successor, General Gariboldi (commander of Italian 8th Army). Many units were proficient, elite formations, such as the Blackshirts, the cavalry regiments, the Alpine divisions, and the semi-motorized infantry. The Italians also sent a flotilla of mini-submarines and motor torpedo boats that operated effectively in the Black Sea.

[@MrMenefrego1]

This is an engaging, if succinct, look at Fascist Italy in WWII. Mussolini was an extremely effective politician and writer; we must remember that Hitler emulated him in nearly every aspect. However, he wasn't the most efficacious general. His personal credo of, "Mussolini is never wrong," says it all. General Armellini was accurate; Mussolini had little idea of the adversities or logistics of military campaigns. You stated, "The combined arms doctrine used to such devastating effect by the Germans could not have been pulled off by (the Italians.)" Italian military doctrine, developed without German intervention, was almost identical to that of Nazi Germany. My grandfather was an early member of the Italian Blackshirts; MVSN, (Camicie Nere, CCNN). Among others, he fought in the Ethiopian and Greek campaigns, was wounded, and won several decorations some awarded by Mussolini himself. Until his death, he was a genuine and passionate Fascist; many an evening was spent listening to his memories of the war and how Italy could have won.

[@vennonetes4805]

Very well done! I'm Italian and I appreciated your quick yet comprehensive outlook that goes beyond is usually covered in such a short timeframe. Subbed and looking forward to seeing you climb up from 76 subs to a thousand and beyond!

[@historysheartbeat3085]

Hello all! I've been away for various reasons for some time, but now plan to get back into the channel. Thanks so much for the support!

[@emregungor7853]

You didn't!

[@RinoBellissimo]

A very informative and exceptional book relating to Italian wars between 1935-1943 is: “Regio Esercito: The Italian Royal Army in Mussolini’s Wars 1935-1943” by Patrick Cloutier.

[@edukijk8668]

Three comments: the Mannlicher-Carcano 1891 holds six instead five rounds and the map of Italy in the beginning of the video doesn't include the Istrian peninsula. The latter became part of Italy after World War I and they lost it again after World War II. Thirdly, the main reason why Mussolini came to power in 1922 because of "Bienno Rosso" (Two Red Years) between 1919 and 1920. A series of social and political unrest in the aftermath of World War I. Italy's ruling classes became afraid of a socialist takeover and used the fascists to counter the thread. The movie Novecento (1976) gives a inside - although it is fiction - how the rural society of Nothern Italy functioned between 1900 and 1945. A large part of the movie pays attention to the fascists. Besides that: great content and thanks very much! Poor Italian men who were draft into the army. An army led by incompent men and a chronically lack of basic materials and supplies.

[@gumdeo]

The Italian navy didn't do that badly and held their own against the British.

[@mirkonavarra1517]

Italian sunk to the british the same quantity of navy that the british sunk to the Italian !

[@illuminancecrt8930]

Battle of Taranto has entered the chat.

[@gumdeo]

@@illuminancecrt8930 Raid on Alexandria has entered also.

[@mirkonavarra1517]

@@illuminancecrt8930 Alexandria Raid ended the chat

[@historyofitaly4364]

if we actually looked at japan, they were no better off than us. they have received more defeats and mostly clashed with colonial armies. As soon as they entered the US they could not do anything more. the only thing that kept them going was the extreme value and sacrifice

[@Antonio_DG]

Alla loro entrata in guerra l'A6 Zero era il miglior caccia del conflitto e avevano una flotta capace di scontrarsi con quella americana, hanno commesso grandissimi errori è vero, come l'attacco a Pearl Harbour in cui la paura di subire un contrattacco ha reso il loro attacco simbolico più che reale.

[@historyofitaly4364]

@@Antonio_DG in realtà il Fiat g55 era considerato l’aereo più forte dell’asse. E l’unica cosa che mandava avanti i giapponesi era il fanatismo e non certo la loro capacità bellica visto che da quando sono entrati in guerra hanno praticamente perso ogni battaglia

[@Antonio_DG]

@@historyofitaly4364 Fatto quando l'Italia ha firmato l'armistizio e in cifre irrisorie, io ho detto all'inizio del conflitto, il Giappone effettivamente in aria e in mare era davvero forte, però già a Pearl Harbour commise il primo errore con un attacco più simbolico, poteva distruggere l'isola senza temere conseguenze e invece ebbero paura. Comunque il giudizio sommario è che l'asse di fatto era composta da 7 nazioni e di certo l'Italia non era l'ultima di queste, anche se dal profilo terrestre era pietosa, poteva avere delle unità di fanteria di pregio, ma la fanteria da subito si dimostrò superata, a questo si aggiunse la corruzione del fascismo che attaccava le plutocrazie ma Mussolini prendeva soldi dai principali industriali italiani per acquistare pattume e solo alla fine e copiando gli altri (eccetto la Germania non so perché) iniziarono a creare armamenti migliori. L'asse non ha mai avuto la minima possibilità di vittoria, eppure l'incapacità delle principali potenze coloniali di allora che si dimostrarono un fuoco di paglia permise che la guerra invece di finire in pochi mesi durasse anni e fu chiusa con uno dei peggiori crimini contro l'umanità, le bombe atomiche su civili inermi. Francia e GB furono pietose nella seconda guerra mondiale nonostante fossero degli imperi, poi gli inglesi avevano una valanga di uomini che arrivavano da tutto il Commonwealth, la loro vittoria fu determinata dalle fabbriche d'armi negli USA.

[@historyofitaly4364]

@@Antonio_DG detto schiettamente l’unica superpotenza dell’asse (almeno fino al 1943) era la germania. L’Italia e il Giappone avevano armamenti pressoché pietosi per la fanteria, magari l’Italia si salvava per delle eccezioni rispetto ai giapponesi, ma la casta militare era indecente e corrotta in quanto solo coloro che mostravano fedeltà al fascismo potevano essere generali importanti. Fatto sta che comunque appena entrarono gli usa la situazione cambiò da così a così e già da li si doveva capire che la guerra era cambiata letteralmente.

[@Antonio_DG]

@@historyofitaly4364 La Germania aveva l'industria creata proprio per fare guerre, tale industria fu superata da URSS e USA che avevano pure le risorse per sostenere una produzione elevata, poi il modo di fare guerra, magari gli italiani (non sempre) risultarono più umani perché in vari teatri di guerra furono comandati da alti ufficiali che ancora seguivano il codice di cavalleria e questo ha determinato che furono meno crudeli dei loro alleati che invece facevano una guerra d'annientamento, ma è anche vettore del luogo comune del italiano scarso combattente, oltre al tradizione anti-italianismo sia di alleati che di nemici, eppure nel mediterraneo anche aiutato dalla Germania hanno tenuto testa a una decina di nazioni e si può dire vinta la battaglia dei convogli, non considerando la qualità di quello che mandavano, sono convinto che se avessero scoperto il petrolio in Libia avrebbero fatto dura la guerra molto di più e addirittura credo che Hitler non avrebbe dichiarato guerra all'unione sovietica con la quale si stava indebitando troppo, come la GB ha fatto con gli USA diventandone subordinata.

[@MJFarre]

My ex wife's uncle was South African infantry (later MP) in 8th Army, North Africa. I posed this very question to him. He stated that they fought bravely until supplies ran out, only then surrendering. He had the highest regard and respect for their artillery men. He stated they would keep on firing until their positions were overrun, often refusing to surrender and keep manning their guns until killed at close range.

[@carlogardella5808]

My father (class 1920) was a partisan commander in northern Italy from September 1943 till the April 1945. They fought with bravery the nazi fascist forces in a very bloody civil war. Unlike Germany, in Italy many soldiers were against Mussolini and his desire for conquest

[@gemini730lory8]

My father ,an Infantryman in the U.S. Fifth Army was a P.O.W. in Northern Italy in early 1945.The place where he and his fellow P.O.W's were being held was liberated by Italian Partisans.God Bless the Partisans for their bravery and service.💙🙏

[@vanishingfolklore]

Well done- Great video editing on this underrated topic .

[@larsforchini4556]

Yeah my great grand farher fought in el alamein and he was parchuist. He had so many cool stories but he died 1 yr ago

[@roccosfondo8748]

The main mistake was pursuing the quantitative superiority when the Country didn't have the resources to do so. I believe that a relatively small but properly trained and equipped army, with a clear strategy could, with the support of the other armed force take control of the Mediterranean theater. Unfortunately the people who was supposed to prepare such a strategy were Badoglio and Cavagnari who, beside having others priorities, didn't possess the necessary skill to do so.

[@rickmarquis1646]

Never forget with 6,5 mm of the carcano, 3 shots in 10 seconds to a mobile target, italy would have won the war. J. F. K.

[@micoolkidfilms3270]

You need to upload more vids like this

[@bentobarreirinhas5702]

Unfortunately this video was disapointing and the interpretations on wwii events remain as lame as always, and as biased as always, with weak social economic development of the study

[@kurtwillig4230]

The Italians were not eager to fight for Mussolini much less die for him. As soon as the casualties mounted they would retreat or surrender. And who could blame them. Hitler's cause was not their cause.

[@HenriHattar]

Some of the equipment the Italians had was pretty good, they made LOTS of new stuff too, planes, ships and innovative weapons but the soldiers DID NO believe in the war and performed accordingly.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

MorePROPAGANDA/BS...Italy conquered 5 countries, was awarded the territory they won in France, and won the Spanish civil war vs. the Communist. Aside from Russia and Germany no other European country performed better, or stated another way, Italy was the 3rd best performing European country of the war. An Empire larger than Germany's.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

12th Bersaglieri Regiment destroys 70 British tanks!!! 2nd Alamein During the Battle of Tebourba in December, the 10th Bersaglieri Regiment and a company of Italian Marines from the San Marco Regiment company―supported by Semovente tank destroyers from 557th Grupo Asalto of the Superga Division―captured 300 British and American “Red Berets” from Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost's 2nd (British) Parachute Battalion and Colonel Edson Raff''s 2nd (US) Paratroop Battalion.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

10th Bersaglieri Regiment defeats US & British Paras (Defeat of British & American Paratroopers captured on film) Italian troops were the main participants in the Tunisian Campaign and there were a number of experienced Bersaglieri battalions amongst the Afrika Korps assault formations during the Battle of Kasserine Pass. The 5th and 7th Bersaglieri Regiments were literally the Axis spearhead and along with the Centuaro Armoured Division obtained Rommel's last victory in driving back the US infantry (under Colonel Anderson Moore) and tanks (under Colonel Louis Hightower) along the mountain pass and Highway 13, with the Italians capturing 2,450 American soldiers in this action.

[@HenriHattar]

@@spaniardsrmoors6817 Absolutge total TRIPE. By all means keep wandering in the abyss of complete ignorance but once in a while pick a hgistory book, check out official records and documents that are in the public domain and do some basic research. Your comments, in light of italian success , or lack there of is just stupid.

[@HenriHattar]

@@spaniardsrmoors6817 The Tunisian campaign resulted in 360,000 German/ Italian casualties V 76,000 for the Allies, can't see how you can portray this as anything other than a dam good thrashing.

[@robjus1601]

You should have reviewed the performance of the troops from the province of Trentino Alto-Adige.

[@SolarimperiumXXIVV]

🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

[@tavoquesadaify]

Great job! Keep going!

[@Perun_1]

I love, that you actually used ww2 italian music in the video

[@robertcoates8230]

Interesting, but this video doesn't recognise one fundamental aspect, which all Italians even today recognise and which is reflected in Italian politics today. The conflict which lead to WW2 for Italy was a civil war right from the Fascist takeover in the 1920's. A majority of Italians didn't want to fight for Mussolini. When there was an alternative motive to fight (espirit de corps with Messe in Tunisia, the Alpini of the AMIR in Russia and (against the Germans) the Acqui Division in Cefalonia), they were willing to fight against terrible odds. This is lost in the British/US idea of WW2 as 'the good war' but (unfortunately) this civil strife has not ended even today

[@MrMenefrego1]

Why have you only made one video?

[@jerryudonneedtoknow3903]

Nice video

[@bretbarnett6024]

To have solved the economic and logistics issue, Mussolini would have had to understand these issues. The people in charge obviously never tried to solve them. An army with an incompetent logistics system can't do war professionally. Japan updated its service rifle to a heavier cartridge. They were able to do this. Italy by using a bigger cartridge was changing it but could not distribute the rifle throughout the Empire: Italy, Tripolitania, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and their small units stationed in China. They stopped the production of the new rifle with the updated caliber. As the distance of the Empire expanded into Egypt, Greece, Yugoslavia and Soviet Russia, the supply lines couldn't be maintained and declined to such an extent that the Italian soldier was partially demoralized through the missing supplies. The supply system not functioning in times of Colonial wars was rife to move into dysfunction in the 2nd world war. Without a functioning supply system an Army becomes ineffective. Book reference: The World Conquerors by Louise Marshalko.

[@charliesargent6225]

2.Pact of Steel...another betrayal by the Germans when they promised Italy 3 more years to prepare, instead they broke it just 4 months later invading Poland without ever notifying Mussolini and dragged an unprepared Italy into WW. Germany broke every Pact with friends and foes alike. It is a Germanic DNA trait. THIS is the reason Italy was so under supplied AND the Spanish Civil War, of which Italy was the main contributor to the Nationalist victory but greatly depleted Italian forces leading to Italy's eventual downfall.

[@TheEnchantedElements]

thank you for this video , u thaught me a lot about this interesting topic ,I hope u will continue in this u have a great potential and good voice. (y)

[@vsauce4992]

I agree but you are missing the main point, Italy fought in terrain that was highly unfavorable, try to think about a single war that italy fought in since the 1870 that DIDN'T have terrible terrain, not ethiopia, not libya, not the alps, not greece. Italy preformed quite well in yugoslavia or the eastern front mainly due to the not terrible supply.

[@Andrea_Miu]

Great content and quality

[@Warriorblood96]

Nice video!!

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

No love for the Navy or Air Force?

[@uffa00001]

The conquest of the Ethiopian empire was not slow, neither easy. The British had estimated that Italy would have taken two to three years. Ethiopia was conquered in seven months. Yet, that war, and even more the participation in the Spanish civil war, which engaged entire division and costed millions of artillery ammunition, and generally speaking a lot of money, retarded all the necessary modernization of the Italian military apparatus. In 1940 Italy lacked oil reserves, electronics on submarines, radars on ships, and the planes were mostly obsolete, without radio, without pressurization system. Italy had a great Navy in 1935 (100 submarines! Modern ships) and the best planes by 1935, but technology made great progresses in aviation and electronics and Italy had an obsolete defence by 1940, having spent all the money in Ethiopia and Spain rather than in modernization.

[@dominiquecharriere1285]

My grand fathers one fought the Italians in the Alps, the other the Germans in Narvik. Both used to say that both Italians and Germans were good tough soldiers but the Germans were much better lead and equipped, the Italians were brave but missing munitions, food and having a worse management. Corruption is what killed the Italians army.

[@tancreddehauteville764]

Italy was very badly prepared for war - and this is directly the fault of Mussolini. In 1939 and 1940 Italy spent only 6% of its relatively modest GDP on the military, while Britain and Germany was spending a much bigger proportion of their much higher GDPs. Italy's manufacturing capacity was hampered by lack of raw materials and large, production line factories. Also, factory operatives were still working one shift of 8 to 5 when Germany and Britain had 24 hour production in factories.

[@venetiansailor]

Say the always surrender enjoyer* 🤣🤣🤣

[@charliesargent6225]

2.Pact of Steel...another betrayal by the Germans when they promised Italy 3 more years to prepare, instead they broke it just 4 months later invading Poland without ever notifying Mussolini and dragged an unprepared Italy into WW. Germany broke every Pact with friends and foes alike. It is a Germanic DNA trait. THIS is the reason Italy was so under supplied AND the Spanish Civil War, of which Italy was the main contributor to the Nationalist victory but greatly depleted Italian forces leading to Italy's eventual downfall.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

@@venetiansailor Always surrendered? WHERE, be specific...Italians always fought to the end until they had no food, water, munitions and totally outnumbered.

[@SamuelLanghorn]

Nice my friend. My only criticism goes for your Italian pronunciation. Please check the basics before butchering the beautiful words. .... hint: you need to understand the role of the "'i" and "h" after following g and c! The "gli" also needs a little bit of practice but is not insurmountable for an English speaker.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

From Hitler’s own words: “Others among the German leadership were less critical, most notably Adolf Hitler. In his address to the Reichstag following the conclusion of the Balkan Campaign, Hitler was complimentary to the Greeks for their "extremely brave resistance", but stated that given the Greek logistical situation, German involvement was not decisive in the Greco-Italian conflict: "The Duce... was convinced that a quick decision would be arrived at one way or another in the forthcoming season. I was of the same opinion." He stated that he had no quarrel with Greece (which he had acknowledged as part of the Italian sphere anyway) and that his intervention was aimed solely at the British as he suspected that they planned to set up a threat to his rear in the vein of the Salonika Front of the First World War: "the German forces, therefore, represented no assistance to Italy against Greece, but a preventive measure against the British." He further noted that by the beginning of April the Albanian campaign against the Italians "had so weakened [Greece] that its collapse had already become inevitable", and credited the Italians with having "engaged the greater part of the Greek Army." [251] In his private correspondence in April 1942, Hitler said: "It is equally impossible to imagine what might have happened if the Italian front had not been stabilized in Albania, thanks to Mussolini; the whole of the Balkans would have been set alight at a moment when our advance towards the southeast was still in its early stages."

[@nickphillips4559]

GOD BLESS You bro!!!!!!!

[@MrCrosby.s_lunch]

Bro your content is good but the music is so annoying, I am Italian and hearing two languages I can fully understand at once makes it so hard to follow, besides you shouldn't be playing fascist songs PS: I'm sorry I can't genuinely watch it even if I try, the music is an earrape.

[@thegael1996]

Italy's small arms were pretty good and competitive with most of its WW2 opponents (Except the US), however it's biggest let down and most important small arm was its LMG the Breda Model 30.

[@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mh]

Second, Italy was really on the winning side after the Great war, 1914 to 1918. Post-war Germany will say that Italy betrayed Reich in WW1, like in WW2 . But, that was just partially correct. Italy wanted after unification, after 1870, turned back all Latin territories on the east coast of the Adriatic sea. That included Istria, all Adriatic islands and Dalmatia. Problem for them was in that time much stronger Austrian Empire and that was not feasible before 1914 in just one single war with much stronger opponent. That's a reason why Italy was chosen opposite side of Austria, Hungary, Turkey and Germany. But, after WW1 Italy was not satisfied with territories what it got after 1919. When Benito Mussolini come on the power in Italy, on 31st of October, 1922, he wanted immediately back for Italy all eastern Adriatic coast, but that was not possible before 1939. So, he decided to join Germany with Alliance in 1936 and later when was the Axis powers founded on November, 1940. Situation, in that time, in Italy, was different. On the North, Mussolini was very popular. On the South was different. Situation like that stayed even during WW2 and later. That is a reason why the Civil war ( 1943 - 1945 ) was happened on Italian peninsula. South stayed pro-Royalist and pro-Allies and North stayed pro-Fascist and pro-German. Later, North lost Civil war and King abdicated in 1946. But, defeat got a price for Italy. They lost Istria, Fiume, Zara and rest of the interwar territories. At the end, why Italy lost WW2? Italy was really bad prepared for WW2 with bad planning and a lots of not realistic ambitions. But, can Italy passed better in that war if it better collaborated with Germans? Yes! Because, if Italy proved to Germany that the Mediterranean strategy is the best option for all Axis powers, in Europa, that they could win WW2 with minimally casualties and fast movements. But, for that Italy needed Germany in the Mediterranean sea, the North Africa and the Middle East too. So, that was crucial for Italy and all the Axis powers. And, war must be over before Christmas, 1942. Be saluted!

[@2serveand2protect]

Greece and Metàxas were Italy's allies ffsakes, and Mussolini still attacked them - got his teeth bashed in and - WORST THING OF ALL - it meant the Germans had to postpone "Barbarossa" by at least a couple of months to secure the Balkans, which infuriated Hitler so much he went speechless for a couple of days. That was possibly the most important strategic blunder of the War by the Axis powers. Had they started "Barbarossa" in May, they quite probably wold have taken both Moscow and st. Petersburg.

[@BXMKE]

I just watched the scarlet and the black in 1943 Rome. Highly recommend

[@AhmetYildirim-b5w]

imma subscribe

[@uffa00001]

Mostly right, but some things should be noted. The campaign of Greece was undertaken, initially, under the agreement with Bulgaria that Bulgaria would have invaded Greece simultaneously. Italy had her army already engaged in Libya and Somalia, and could send to Greece only six divisions or so, but Bulgaria would have sent more than ten. Turkey warned Bulgaria that if Bulgaria had invaded Greece - to reclaim a territory which was also claimed by Turkey - Turkey would have entered the war against Bulgaria (by the Greek side!). Bulgaria decided to not enter the war. Italy invaded nonetheless with the few divisions she had (I don't know whether they knew already about the decision by Bulgaria). Initially the Italian army advanced, but then Greece moved all the divisions she had on the Bulgarian front - being certain there would have been no invasion there - and could place 18 divisions against the 6 Italian divisions. Italy found a 3:1 Greek division ratio, in favour of Greece. Also, as a testimony of the total loss of common sense by Mussolini, Italy invaded Greece in November, imagine waging an offensive war, in a mountain theatre, in November! While the Greeks were retreating (initially) there were bridges that were destroyed by the floods rather than by the Greek themselves. Mussolini decision - even in this case - was totally wrong, both for the choice of time and the risk of invading a Country with a small army. Also, considering that Italy had already the control of Albania, i.e. of the Valona harbour, Italy was not in the necessity to control the Aegean Sea to block access to the Adriatic Sea. Valona was necessary, Greece was not.

[@pierrefraisse8610]

Can we say that the Italian army was as useful to the German army as the English army was to the French army? Is it bad for Italians?.

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

No. The difference is that the Italians were abandoned in Egypt, Tunisia and in Southern Russia by the Germans when, in all 3 occasions, the Wermacht retreated to fight another day. In Tunisia the Italians held the Allied off for months before eventually surrendering, delaying the Invasion of the Mother country. Same in El Alamein. The British just escaped from Dunkirk abandoning their allies and then the French, after the Collapse of their own State, were relegated to a minor role for the rest of the war.

[@pierrefraisse8610]

@@giulianoilfilosofo7927 You are right!.

[@ChrisCrossClash]

@@pierrefraisse8610 No you guys are both wrong, Britain never had a large army, there strength was their Navy, you said "England" which should be "Britain" by the way, another mistake you made, abandoned them? what was an army of 300,000 going to change against an army of 3.5 million, you French made the mistake of not attacking Germany in the Saar offensive in 39, you had more troops and tanks compared to the Germans, then when the Allies were losing the battle, you looked for a scapegoat, anything to blame on but yourselves.

[@matteomaffei5519]

@@ChrisCrossClash 80 years plus after the war and yous till are caught in propaganda, up with such a silly and simplistic arguing? The British saw France was lost, and it would have been pointless to stay there and be destroyed. Facing the choice between being destroyed for the glory or backing up to continue the fight, they obviously chose the latter. Blaming the French for not having started a war in 1939 is somewhat stupid. What for? And Why did not Britain? Should i remind you Chamberlain's appeasing policy, to the detriment of the Austrian an Chzeck people? As for the French Army, their soldiers were not coward nor their weapons were inferior, as allegedly reported. they lost because of outdatet doctrines and high command unpreparedness. As for Italy, any country bearing the same troubles - weak industrial base, lack of materials, poor equipment and abysmal leadership - would have not performed any better.

[@Noname-xi7xi]

@@matteomaffei5519 Bravo, well said.......😏

[@midnightchannel111]

Culture. Dramatic cultural differences are the bedrock reason behind all the differences between the Germans and Italians as fighters.

[@richarddenny5340]

an honest assessment of Italy's forces can be had from books by Brian K. Sullivan, Ian Walker and Walter Zapotoczny

[@christopherault5706]

One image showing US paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division in Sainte-Marie du Mont, near Utah Beach in Normandy, France is captioned as Italian people supposedly meeting allied soldiers, sorry but this is the wrong spot, Normandy isn't in Italy although the Normans invaded Sicily in the 11th & 12th Century !

[@Giovanni-xy4qb]

the music 🥲👹👹

[@derin111]

Very interesting and well presented. One wonders how different things may have been without the same degree of huff, bluster and imperialist chest-beating that was Mussolini? What if Italy has had someone more canny and clever, like Franco in Spain and therefore managed not to allow itself to get suck into the war?

[@matteomaffei5519]

Alas, that's the main problem for us. We often choose abysmal leadership.

[@mahmoudcdrom]

Attention: the Italian military general's.. greeting...I am from Egypt Alexandria city, I am your neighborhood..on 1956 I and my large family were living at Ras El teen bahary Alexandria, suddenly war 1956 started,that time I was almost 5 years old I get very scary because of the missiles and the bomb Please pay close attention to the USA military bases near and around the Mediterranean sea, a lot of US military bases near there please watch very closely.. good luck!!!

[@giorgiosnello4167]

Very good analysis, but you're forgetting something: 1) The Germans attempted at Hitler life a few times. Had they succeded they would have asked for peace as well. Otherwise what was the point? They just were unlucky. 2) Italians didn't have the Soviet, true. they actually had the nazi occupation which was brutal. In facts Italians kept fighting in Italy until 1945 and Italian resistance was one of the fiercest with Rome being the European capital that gave the Germans the hardest time.

[@ralphraffles1394]

Italians had built good fighter planes and battleships. Effective military machines.

[@eduardomaldonado1647]

Why join a war with such lousy equipment? Germany should have helped them modernize the infantry. They went to go fight with a rifle that was way out of date.

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

Because the war in 1940 was technically over. Mussolini had No idea Hitler wanted to invade the USSR, so he took a political gamble. Still, the Germans had already Broken the pact of steel by invading Poland in 1939 knowing perfectly well that Italy would have been ready for a war by 1943. The Italian army had been fighting in Spain, Libya, Ethiopia and sent tons of equipment to Finland to fight off the Soviets. All these efforts delayed the Italian rearmament program.

[@ChrisCrossClash]

@@giulianoilfilosofo7927 No the war was far from over, did he think Britain would sue for piece? more the fool him if he thought that.

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

@@ChrisCrossClash Except that Halifax was already suing for peace and guess who was mediating in exchange of some African territories? Mussolini。

[@si_vis_amari_ama]

06:50 "The Italians were a *miasma* of opinions..." Perhaps you meant "a myriad of opinions..." Surely their opinions cannot have been that odious?🙂

[@kaloryfer99999]

THE MUSIC IS TOO LOUD!

[@THEMAN-ru8ek]

Poor Italy during WW2.😥😥😥

[@brunoballico5990]

Rommel once said "the German stormtroopers shocked the world, the Italian soldier shocked the stormtroopers"

[@piter6076]

È una stronzata...mai detto!

[@chm5750]

You should clearify that the Italian army did not defeat Greece, on the contrary the Greek forces routed the Italians and enterrd Albania. It's only when the Germans come in that Greece is finally defeated.

[@mirkonavarra1517]

Desppide the Italian Inferiority the "mediterranean War" war tattically a draw, Italian sunk to the british the same quantity of navy that the british sunk to the Italian ! In north africa Rommel army was mostley Italian. In russia the latest army to retreet from the Don were the Alpini and they retreat because the Russian were already on their back .

[@issstari954]

Carcanos hold 6 rounds not 5

[@SamuelLanghorn]

A bad German joke I should mention in this context: what does the Italian war flag look like? white cross on white background Otherwise I recommend reading the Goebbles diaries, he has plenty of comments to make on his southern axis partner.

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

Here's your joke...just one of many examples: "Not only should Tunisia have exploded the myth of Hitler's military acumen, it should have discredited the idea that Germans fought better than the Italians, since Messe's 1st Italian Army held out longer than Arnim's 5th German Army and the DAK, even both groups had about six divisions and faced roughly equal Anglo-American forces. Indeed, Hermann Goring division was the first to be scattered on 7 May, DAK the next to break and surrender on 9 May, with the Italian Spezia division closing the gap created by the German collapse and watching still combat-efficient German units march off into captivity on 11 May. Whether it is significant that the German 90th Light division was the first to collapse in Messe's 'Italian' Army, there is no doubt that the Italians fought well and held out longest in Tunisia." (The Second World War: The German War 1939-1942, Jeremy Black, Page 265, Ashgate, 2007)”

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

2.Pact of Steel...another betrayal by the Germans when they promised Italy 3 more years to prepare, instead they broke it just 4 months later invading Poland without ever notifying Mussolini and dragged an unprepared Italy into WW. Germany broke every Pact with friends and foes alike. It is a Germanic DNA trait. THIS is the reason Italy was so under supplied AND the Spanish Civil War, of which Italy was the main contributor to the Nationalist victory but greatly depleted Italian forces leading to Italy's eventual downfall.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

Here's a joke "Germans win some battles but they cannot win wars"

[@Noname-xi7xi]

@@spaniardsrmoors6817 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@opo736]

I came to goon, to Mussolini.

[@Garnansoa]

The biggest mistake, militarily speaking, committed by Italy post-WW1, was not restructuring the leadership with WW1 veterans. This is part of why Germany was so effective I think, many of their best generals and really the foundation of the whole Nazi movement was the veterans of WW1 who had learned to adapt in the trenches.

[@Slowbiker1957]

Don't believe everything you read in the History books History is written by the winners who overhyped their victory and belittled their opponent's

[@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mh]

First, your map of Italy from WW2 is wrong. That is a map of Italy after 1947 and 1954. Because, Italy on that map don't got Istria, Fiume, Zara, ect. For example, my Grandad was Italian soldier, during WW2 ( 1940 - 1943 ) and he was served in North Africa. I am from Istria and even i am now technically Croat in that time my peninsula was Italian territory and that army ( Italian forces ) were technically army of my Grandad and me today. So, about that map, my Grandad was never served like Italian soldier and he was never in Libya, Tunis and Egypt by you?! So, now do you understand how that map is so wrong? Be saluted!

[@Slowbiker1957]

not of Italy surrender or changed sides

[@susanlablanc3699]

Italy 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@NoName-hg6cc]

uk and france=🤡

[@Rennonetus]

Dio porco how this is a honest look ?

[@JulianLopez-h1z]

⛑️🥼🧵🪡