Mussolini's Army against Greece: October 1940-April 1941

This book analyzes why the Italian army failed to defeat its Greek opponent between October 1940 and April 1941, examining the multiple forms of ineffectiveness that plagued the political leadership and military organization. It proposes that the operation against Greece was a military fiasco, saved only by the courage of its soldiers and German intervention.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 26 September 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the intricate reasons behind the Italian army's inability to defeat its Greek opponent between October 1940 and April 1941. It conducts a comprehensive analysis of the various forms of ineffectiveness that plagued both the political leadership and the military organization.

Mussolini's aggression against Greece, which commenced on October 28, 1940, stands as one of the most overlooked campaigns of the Second World War. Within just ten days, the offensive came to a premature end, and by mid-November, the Greek counter-offensive had forced the Italian armies into a defensive position, retreating back to Albania. From that point onward, a fatal interplay between failing command structures, inadequate weapons and equipment, unprepared and unmotivated combatants, and poor logistics significantly diminished the fighting power of the Italian combatants. This essay contends that, in comparison to the North African and Russian campaigns, where the Regio Esercito achieved a respectable level of military effectiveness, the operation against Greece can be classified as a military fiasco. It is only through the courage of its soldiers and the intervention of the German forces that the dictator's army managed to avoid complete disaster.

This book holds immense appeal to anyone with a deep interest in the history of World War II, as well as to scholars and researchers engaged in the study of military effectiveness and intrigued by the factors that lead armies to fail. Its comprehensive examination of the Italian army's shortcomings during this period provides valuable insights into the complexities of warfare and offers valuable lessons for future military endeavors.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367723767