Posted by Massimo_Stefani on 14 January 2009 - 11:16 PM
Posting an essay I submitted in the UK as project work for an Advanced Italian Language Course from which I attained the top grade....
Italian Soldiers of WWII – an Army of cowards?
At the outbreak of WWII Italy was ill prepared for battle against more modern adversaries. Italy had zero oil production, no aircraft carriers, tanks with fragile armour, artillery mainly of WW1 vintage, a navy which could not target shipping at night (no radar), and inferior aircraft.
Mussolini had a vision of reforming the glories of the Roman Empire by regaining the territory surrounding the Mediterranean “mare nostro”. From the outset of Italy’s intervention in WWII – Italian leadership demonstrated incompetence - 35% of Italian merchant shipping was impounded in hostile shorelines. Italy’s main cities were also immediately bombed. Italy bombed British outposts in the Mediterranean especially Malta. Axis supply lines to Africa were continually hampered by British forces based at Malta denying Italo-German troops vital supplies. Hitler persuaded Mussolini to postpone the invasion of Malta (operation Hercules) until victory was achieved in North Africa.
The Italian soldier is sadly the forgotten soldier of WWII which was the most oppressive period of Italian history. At El Alamein 30,000 Italians surrendered to a numerically superior British force but it is important to note the battle casualties sustained : 25,000 Italo-German and 13,000 British dead or wounded. Such casualties proved that Italians did not surrender early in battle. The Folgore, Brescia and Pavia divisions were annihilated as they defended and shed blood heroically for 2 weeks. The uneasy relationship with the Germans was highlighted at El Alamein as they abandoned the Italians, having taken all available transport to retreat. After defeat at El Alamein all territory gained in Africa under Mussolini prior to and during WWII was lost.
Italian units demonstrated their fighting ability in the Russian campaign. History's last successful cavalry charge was by the cream of Italy - the Savoy Cavalry regiment. 600 Savoia sabre charged 2,000 Russians defending with machine guns and artillery at Isbuscenskij on 24/08/1942.
The Italian elite Alpini mountain troops saved themselves plus many German divisions from destruction and capture during the Soviet offensive of 1942.
Eugenio Corti.
// This link leads to a a more recent post which I have submitted detailing a fuller account of the last days of the Alpini on the Don with text both in Italian and English Language....
https://comandosupremo.com/forums/i...ast-days-of-4th-alpine-cuneense-div-1943.328/
Holding territory or inflicting death/destruction on the enemy is not the true mark of heroism in war. Survival against all odds shows the real character of a heroic soldier. The Italian 8th Army trapped in the Russian encirclement of the Don who managed to avoid death or capture by breaking free all proved themselves to be heroes of the highest level.
The brave men of the 8th Army marched on foot without winter clothing and boots in the dead of winter. Night and day thousands died not only from Russian bombs, rockets, and bullets but also from the terrible cold. Starving and without ammunition the last great display of Italian heroism “to die fighting” was shown at the village of Arbuzov where the remnants of the 35th corps mounted bayonet attacks to overcome fortified Russian positions. After Arbuzov “the valley of death” the Italians left in their wake a trail of frozen corpses and abandoned equipment. Only the fittest and luckiest survived what became a 28 day ordeal out of the encirclement of the Don.
Towards the end of WWII, when Italy surrendered to the Allies, many Italians ended up fighting the Nazis or each other (fascists v non fascists/partisans). Cowardice and surrender by both Italian soldiers and partisans was certainly not an option as a battle for political ideology was being fought for the future of Italy. Many reprisal atrocities were carried out by the Nazis, the worst being the murder of 560 civilians in the Tuscan town of Sant'Anna di Stazzema. Prisoners were often immediately executed without trial by both sides, including Mussolini himself when he was captured by partisans near the Italian border as he tried to seek refuge in Switzerland shortly before Germany surrendered to the Allies. Italy became an official republic on 2 June 1946 but the battle between right and left wing political ideology in Italy has never been resolved.
In conclusion there is much evidence to support the bravery of Italian Soldiers in WWII and no proper justification to portray them as cowards. It is insulting to the Italian soldiers who fought bravely and more so to the many thousands of them who died in battle. In recent conflicts the Italian soldier now has an excellent reputation where hearts and minds have been won over.
BIGLIOGRAPHY
Books
Mai Tardi (Diario di un alpino in Russia) - Revelli Nuto
http://www.internetb...c=BPJPDA0YMW2HR
I più non ritornano - Few Returned: Eugenio Corti. English Version translated by Peter Edward Levy.
http://www.amazon.co...5212412?ie=UTF8
A world at Arms – Gerhard Weinberg
http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0521618266
DVD Documentary
La Guerra degli italiani 1940 – 1945
http://mondohe.com/c...ctid=1698&cat=7
Films
El Alamein – La Linea del Fuoco. Winner of 3 Italian film Academy awards.
http://www.mymovies....ne.asp?id=34222
Carica Eroica
Savoy Cavalry regiment heroic charge of Russian machine gun positions at Isbuscenskij
http://www.bol.it/video/scheda/ea801419190050.html;jsessionid=D66D94ED98B0D67329C3B368ADDF10F4
Mussolini the untold story
Reference from this film was made on the motivations of Mussolini and his eventual downfall.
http://www.play.com/...ry/Product.html
Websites
English Brewer - Shepherd Neame - Italian surrender advertising slogans :
http://www.morningad...articleid=17598
The Italian breakout from the Soviet Don encirclement :
http://en.wikipedia....nion,_1941-1943
Savoy Cavalry Charge – historical update from The Spectator 31 Oct 1998
http://www.findartic...810/ai_n8817479
Court case on SS atrocity of Sant'Anna di Stazzema
http://news.bbc.co.u...ope/4121510.stm
Reputation of Italian soldiers in recent conflicts :
http://news.bbc.co.u...ast/5275938.stm
Posting an essay I submitted in the UK as project work for an Advanced Italian Language Course from which I attained the top grade....
Italian Soldiers of WWII – an Army of cowards?
Eugenio Corti from “I più non ritornano” – Artillery Officer, Pasubio Divison, 35th Italian Army Corps of the Italian 8th Army in Russia 1942-43.“I offer these pages,
through my mother’s hands,
to the Madonna of my people, the Madonna of the Wood.
May they be above all a prayer
for those who shared those days with me,
who fought and suffered with me, and in the end remained lifeless
on the interminable roads of the steppe”
An advert by Shepherd Neame English brewer typifies the mentality of the media outside of Italy which is common stereotyping of Italians as a nation of cowards stemming primarily from British propaganda in WWII. This assignment aims to disprove this myth of Italian cowardice."One pistol shot and 46,000 people start running. Yes, it's the Italian army."
At the outbreak of WWII Italy was ill prepared for battle against more modern adversaries. Italy had zero oil production, no aircraft carriers, tanks with fragile armour, artillery mainly of WW1 vintage, a navy which could not target shipping at night (no radar), and inferior aircraft.
Mussolini had a vision of reforming the glories of the Roman Empire by regaining the territory surrounding the Mediterranean “mare nostro”. From the outset of Italy’s intervention in WWII – Italian leadership demonstrated incompetence - 35% of Italian merchant shipping was impounded in hostile shorelines. Italy’s main cities were also immediately bombed. Italy bombed British outposts in the Mediterranean especially Malta. Axis supply lines to Africa were continually hampered by British forces based at Malta denying Italo-German troops vital supplies. Hitler persuaded Mussolini to postpone the invasion of Malta (operation Hercules) until victory was achieved in North Africa.
The Italian soldier is sadly the forgotten soldier of WWII which was the most oppressive period of Italian history. At El Alamein 30,000 Italians surrendered to a numerically superior British force but it is important to note the battle casualties sustained : 25,000 Italo-German and 13,000 British dead or wounded. Such casualties proved that Italians did not surrender early in battle. The Folgore, Brescia and Pavia divisions were annihilated as they defended and shed blood heroically for 2 weeks. The uneasy relationship with the Germans was highlighted at El Alamein as they abandoned the Italians, having taken all available transport to retreat. After defeat at El Alamein all territory gained in Africa under Mussolini prior to and during WWII was lost.
Italian units demonstrated their fighting ability in the Russian campaign. History's last successful cavalry charge was by the cream of Italy - the Savoy Cavalry regiment. 600 Savoia sabre charged 2,000 Russians defending with machine guns and artillery at Isbuscenskij on 24/08/1942.
Nicholas Farell – The Spectator 31 Oct 1998.“..and finally at the gallop, shouting the regimental battle-cry, `Savoia!' They did not shout `Duce!' Their loyalty was to their king, the head of the house of Savoy…The Savoia took 500 Russians prisoner. The rest had fled. It had lost 29 men dead and three officers - the Russians 150. It was showered with honours - 54 silver medals (the second highest award in Italy for valour) and two gold medals (the highest). `You were magnificent. We no longer know how to do these things,' a senior German officer told Count Bettoni after the battle.”
The Italian elite Alpini mountain troops saved themselves plus many German divisions from destruction and capture during the Soviet offensive of 1942.
“In the pocket in which the Alpini found themselves encircled, they proved to be superior troops to any others, the Germans included. Unlike ours, their retreat was not simply a terrible combination of horror and suffering: it was also a succession of consistent, inexpressible acts of heroism.”
Eugenio Corti.
// This link leads to a a more recent post which I have submitted detailing a fuller account of the last days of the Alpini on the Don with text both in Italian and English Language....
https://comandosupremo.com/forums/i...ast-days-of-4th-alpine-cuneense-div-1943.328/
Holding territory or inflicting death/destruction on the enemy is not the true mark of heroism in war. Survival against all odds shows the real character of a heroic soldier. The Italian 8th Army trapped in the Russian encirclement of the Don who managed to avoid death or capture by breaking free all proved themselves to be heroes of the highest level.
The brave men of the 8th Army marched on foot without winter clothing and boots in the dead of winter. Night and day thousands died not only from Russian bombs, rockets, and bullets but also from the terrible cold. Starving and without ammunition the last great display of Italian heroism “to die fighting” was shown at the village of Arbuzov where the remnants of the 35th corps mounted bayonet attacks to overcome fortified Russian positions. After Arbuzov “the valley of death” the Italians left in their wake a trail of frozen corpses and abandoned equipment. Only the fittest and luckiest survived what became a 28 day ordeal out of the encirclement of the Don.
Gerhard Weinberg’s comments on the tragedy of the Italian 8th Army in his book “A world at Arms.”“Mussolini had no sense for the realities of his own country and the situation of his soldiers. They fought hard under difficult conditions with wretched equipment, impossible supply lines reaching all the way back to Italy, and no goal even remotely visible as they quickly lost their initial enthusiasm. The eagerness with which Mussolini squandered the lives of his soldiers only contributed to the weakening of the Fascist regime at home”
Towards the end of WWII, when Italy surrendered to the Allies, many Italians ended up fighting the Nazis or each other (fascists v non fascists/partisans). Cowardice and surrender by both Italian soldiers and partisans was certainly not an option as a battle for political ideology was being fought for the future of Italy. Many reprisal atrocities were carried out by the Nazis, the worst being the murder of 560 civilians in the Tuscan town of Sant'Anna di Stazzema. Prisoners were often immediately executed without trial by both sides, including Mussolini himself when he was captured by partisans near the Italian border as he tried to seek refuge in Switzerland shortly before Germany surrendered to the Allies. Italy became an official republic on 2 June 1946 but the battle between right and left wing political ideology in Italy has never been resolved.
In conclusion there is much evidence to support the bravery of Italian Soldiers in WWII and no proper justification to portray them as cowards. It is insulting to the Italian soldiers who fought bravely and more so to the many thousands of them who died in battle. In recent conflicts the Italian soldier now has an excellent reputation where hearts and minds have been won over.
BIGLIOGRAPHY
Books
Mai Tardi (Diario di un alpino in Russia) - Revelli Nuto
http://www.internetb...c=BPJPDA0YMW2HR
I più non ritornano - Few Returned: Eugenio Corti. English Version translated by Peter Edward Levy.
http://www.amazon.co...5212412?ie=UTF8
A world at Arms – Gerhard Weinberg
http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0521618266
DVD Documentary
La Guerra degli italiani 1940 – 1945
http://mondohe.com/c...ctid=1698&cat=7
Films
El Alamein – La Linea del Fuoco. Winner of 3 Italian film Academy awards.
http://www.mymovies....ne.asp?id=34222
Carica Eroica
Savoy Cavalry regiment heroic charge of Russian machine gun positions at Isbuscenskij
http://www.bol.it/video/scheda/ea801419190050.html;jsessionid=D66D94ED98B0D67329C3B368ADDF10F4
Mussolini the untold story
Reference from this film was made on the motivations of Mussolini and his eventual downfall.
http://www.play.com/...ry/Product.html
Websites
English Brewer - Shepherd Neame - Italian surrender advertising slogans :
http://www.morningad...articleid=17598
The Italian breakout from the Soviet Don encirclement :
http://en.wikipedia....nion,_1941-1943
Savoy Cavalry Charge – historical update from The Spectator 31 Oct 1998
http://www.findartic...810/ai_n8817479
Court case on SS atrocity of Sant'Anna di Stazzema
http://news.bbc.co.u...ope/4121510.stm
Reputation of Italian soldiers in recent conflicts :
http://news.bbc.co.u...ast/5275938.stm
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