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Armed Forces
A. General-The Italian armored forces originated, like those of all other nations, from the infantry support role of the First World War. The use of armor was increased to include armored brigades tasked with penetration in the offense and the role of a mobile reserve to counter enemy penetrations in the defense. The development of armored divisions by other nations encouraged the Italians to evolve the tank brigades into armored divisions. As a result of their experience in Spain, the Italians recognized the need for motorized infantry and ordinary infantry to follow the tanks and consolidate conquered ground. There were two types of mechanized divisions in the Italian army, the fast moving, or light motorized division (Celere) and the armored division (Corazzata)
B.a. The Celere divisions were a combination of cavalry and Bersaglieri to produce a uniquely Italian unit of mobile troops. The concept was an outgrowth of the successful actions of cooperating cavalry and Bersaglieri in the long pursuits of the defeated Austrians at the end of WWI and the culmination of several trends in the use of the cavalry and the Bersaglieri. The chances wrought in the battlefield by the machine gun and the tank reduced the possible roles for both. The bicycle gave the Bersaglieri mobility comparable to horse cavalry. In general, the Celere division fulfilled the missions formerly assigned to cavalry, that is, reconnaissance and covering missions. In addition it had the mission of seizure of certain terrain features of strategic importance. Celere units were envisioned as flanking units and pursuit units. They were combined with motorized infantry and armored divisions making the breakthrough and with the alpine divisions covering the flanks, it was a formidable concept. This change in policy was quickly translated into doctrine.
b. In normal employment the division would be divided into two distinct groups. The cavalry, motorcyclists, and tanks would be used as a maneuver element in operations requiring agility, while the truck-borne and bicycle-borne Bersaglieri, with the artillery provided a unit for use in conventional attack. The tanks in the Celeri units tended to be kept as a reserve and used in situations where covering forces ware required. Motorized detachments provided the best units for penetration of the enemy line and for rapid movement.
C. The armored division (Corazzata) was originally given the role of a mobile reserve to be used in the exploitation of success and to counter enemy penetrations. It could also engage in reconnaissance with mobile units, or in wide envelopment of an enemy flank, infiltration through gaps, or assault against hastily prepared defensive position. This cautious conception of the functions of the armored division underwent some modification as a result of the lessons of war, but Italian tank tactics and training were somewhat rudimentary until the armored divisions came under German command and German training and tactical doctrines were introduced. Since it was weak in inherent infantry, the armored division was organized and trained primarily to operate in conjunction with infantry, motorized, or celere divisions, It was not designed to operate ahead of the army in the seizure of important terrain, as the Italians assigned such missions to the motorized or celere divisions. The armored division was designed for the exploitation of a breakthrough and also to function as a mobile reserve to be thrown in to use its shock action and firepower to obtain a decision.
D Independent tank units of the Italian army were designed to serve primarily as a basic shock element and in support of the infantry arm. In this respect, reconnaissance missions were assigned as a particular task for light tanks.
E. The idea of three kinds of tank units appeared in the first set of manuals on the employment of tanks. One was for the normal infantry support role and a similarly organized but differently trained unit would support Celeri troops. The third was in the German inspired armored division. This divided the available tank resources between three streams of tactical development. Four if one considers the reconnaissance role often given tankette units.
Cavalry
The principal missions of the Italian cavalry were that of reconnaissance, and in case of necessity, to exploit advantages, close gaps, etc. It maneuvered mounted and fought mounted or dismounted. Horse cavalry frequently acted as mounted infantry or as dismounted machine gun squadrons in support of other units. Most cavalry depots formed dismounted squadron groups, which were employed on coast or home defense, mainly in southern Italy and the Islands.
Antiaircraft Artillery
The antiaircraft artillery militia was concentrated near more important and vulnerable industrial targets and the larger cities and communication centers.
Coast Artillery
The coast artillery militia employed equipment furnished by the Navy for antiship and antiaircraft defense of localities in accordance with instructions issued by the office of the navy.
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