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Question: Second world war!?
I'm italian and i am passionate about this historical period, so i would like to ask you what is your opinion about Italy in that period and what an english knows about this
thanks
P!.S Sorry for grammatical errors!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
italy did what ever other nation did, what it thought was best for itself!.
it did change sides and end up fighting on the allied side, but that hardly excuses fighting for fascism!.
it can be argued that italian foreign policy was as bad if not worse than german in the run up to ww2 (im not saying during ww2)!. germany had some legitimate gripes, whereas italy was just imperialist, invading abyssinia, helping the fascists in spain, sabotaging soviet supply ships bound for the republicans in spain, claiming bits of france etc!.
during ww2 italian troops had a fairly poor fighting reputation among the allies, particularly in north africa!. that is unfair though, as individuals are as brave as each other on all sides of a war!.
ultimately italy fought against germany, though only when it had no choice!. italy's conduct was morally dubious, but so was the conduct of every other nation including my own!.

your english is good by the way!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Allen555 mentioned that Italy sent troops into Greece after Hitler had invaded it, however that is incorrect!. Mussolini wanted a chance to show that the Italian army was capable of performing a blitzkreig just like the Nazis!. The Italian army invaded Greece (from Albania, which was an Italian colony) without letting Hitler know ahead of time!. The Greek army proved to be more than a match for the poorly led (though brave) Italian army and pushed them back into Albania!.
It was at this point that Hitler decided that he had to send an army south to save Mussolini and prevent the fascist axis from looking weak!.
Interestingly, the campaign in Greece and Crete (and Yugoslavia) moved the timetable for the German invasion of the USSR back by several months!. In light of how close the Germans came to defeating the USSR before the winter stopped them, it is possible that Mussolini's grab for Greece cost the Axis the war!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Good English!.

Mussolini was an asset for Italy, until he threw his lot in with Adolf!. His empire building in Africa was brutal and caused a lot of ill feeling amongst 'western' nations!. He drew the nation together, though not everyone was a Fascist!. Unfortunately the economy could not support his ambitions and a lot of equipment was obsolete!. He declared war on France and Britain when France was about to capitulate to the Germans!.

His Army in Africa was no match for the British Army, however, when Hitler invaded Greece, a large part of the desert Army was sent to Greece and later Crete, where there were heavy losses!. Rommel arrived and the balance of power shifted!.

Captain Correllli's Mandolin in book form gives a good account of Italian adventures in the Mediterranean!. The film does not do the book justice!.



He sent poorly equipped troops to the Eastern Front and it was their partial collapse at Stalingrad that caused the bigger German collapse!. There were other nations on the Stalingrad Front, none were equal to the Germans in their ability to wage war!.

He died a pretty grim death and was strung up on a lamp post with one of his mistresses!. Hitler had arranged his rescue once but couldn't help him a 2nd time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Italy was percieved as playing a more minor part than Germany!.
Mussolini did not attack France until he was certain that the Germans were winning!.
The Italian armed forces were not as well equipped as the Germans and the soldiers were not as well trained !.The British did not fear the Italians as much as the Germans!.
The invasion of Sicily and Italy was much easier against the Italian Forces and it was only the Germans who managed to stop the advance of the Allies!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't know if this answers your question but no offense i don't really agree about what Italy did during WW2 because the things that Mussolini did is to agree about things that Hitler did during that period and I think its dumb because if you are a ruler and and you do things that other rulers do(Hitler) makes them look like they are there mimyens!.So this is what i got so far!.Hope you understand and don't feel sad cuz im half Italian!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The U!.S!., Germany and Italy all seemed to face the same basic economic problemsin the 1920's-1930's!. The people made their choices and had to live and die with them!. Italy was once a super power but over time, she seems to have slipped and fallen!. She has given the world a great many gifts, banking, checks, art, food, architecture, the list goes on and on!. One brief period in history should not overshadow all that was and is good!.

The U!.S!. could have just as easily gone the same route!. FDR was no beauty queen and did a great many terrible things, but (alas) to the victors go the spoils of war!. Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin got into a heated discussion about setting a date for the D-Day invasion!. Stalin was looking for a little relief at Stalingrad and accused the British of dragging feet!. Stalin said "History and the world will judge you!.!.!." Chuchill, never to be without the last word replied, "Yes, and I intend to be the one who writes that history!" And as it turns out, the history of the second world war as the west knows it, it pretty much as Churhcill wrote it! The Russians have a very different version of that war!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

My opinion on Italy during World War II is that it was really two different countries:1!. Mussolini 2!. The people!. Mussolini was Hitler's puppet and did whatever he said!. I think that the way the people hung Mussolini upside down, beat him with baseball bats, and cut his genitalia off at the end of the war, proves that they were not with him on all his merciless decisions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Italy was a country on the road to recovery after a recession!. Unfortunately led by a vain bully/coward,opportunist!. After all he threw his lot in when he thought Germany would win!.It was when the Italian leadership was deposed that the people were free to choose!. Then they chose the winning team!. Though I am not sure these days about Bellasconi ( Apologies for spelling )!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I actually know almost nothing of Italy's role in the war, despite how much I know about other countries roles and events throughout!. The documentaries I see often make no mention of Italy, focusing mostly on the Ailed efforts and the Nazi relationship with StalinWww@QuestionHome@Com

Italians are lovers, not fighters!. They did let Mussolini take control and drag them into a war they didn't want!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Italy under the leadership of Mussolini, joined Germany and Hungary, and was defeated completely in ww2Www@QuestionHome@Com

ma va a cagare Leo!.Www@QuestionHome@Com