Mussolini and his Generals: The Armed Forces and Fascist Foreign Policy, 1922-1940 (Cambridge...

Mussolini and his Generals: The Armed Forces and Fascist Foreign Policy, 1922-1940 (Cambridge Military ... | John Gooch | Best summary to date of Fascist Italian military policy

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Mussolini and his ...

	Mussolini and his Generals: The Armed Forces and Fascist Foreign Policy, 1922-1940 (Cambridge Military ... John Gooch Cambridge University Press, 2007 - 666 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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This is the first authoritative study of the Italian armed forces and the relationship between the military and foreign policies of Fascist Italy from Mussolini's rise to power in 1922 to the catastrophic defeat of 1940. Using extensive new research, John Gooch explores the nature and development of the three armed forces, their relationships with Mussolini and the impact of his policies and command, the development of operational and strategic thought, and the deployment and use of force in Libya, Abyssinia and Spain. He emphasizes Mussolini's long-term expansionist goals and explains how he responded to the structural pressures of the international system and the contingent pressures of events. This compelling account shows that while Mussolini bore ultimate responsibility for Italy's fateful entry into the Second World War, his generals and admirals bore a share of the blame for defeat through policies that all too often rested on irrationality and incompetence.

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Great treatise on Mussolini & Italy's military preparations before WWII

I can only second the earlier reviewer that this book is a must for anyone interested in Italy between the wars. At times it is tedious and very slow-moving, but one garners the impression that Italy was equally slow-moving. In many ways it seems that Mussolini was gaming with his armed forces, never obtaining sufficient budgets for their development, and never seriously building the economic supports for an effective military machine nor mobilizing popular support for a military establishment. Italy remained decidedly non-martial, and Mussolini used bragging and bombast when he should have been using leadership.

The Piedmont generals also come in for substantial criticism for their incompetence and inability to forge a unity of command or consensus for action. The litany of conferences and squabbles are dreary, and no one could put aside their personal ambition or creature comforts for the good of Italy. The reader is left hoping that someone will step up to the plate, but they never do. Yes, Italy lacked natural resources, but they were obtainable in North Africa, overseas, or could be developed domestically if the will had been there. This volume shows conclusively that this will was not present anywhere -- in Mussolini or any other.

Mussolini was playing the game of being an imperialistic great power as if the date were 1880, and was out of touch with reality. Italy possessed no national will for war or the building of economic power, and would disappear from the international stage of significant nations as a result. This volume definitively shows how and why that happened.

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Best summary to date of Fascist Italian military policy

This is an excellent account of the military situation in Italy leading up to World War II. There have been many myths about the Italian military which are laid to rest with this book. First and foremost the structure of the Italian military is analyzed in detail and the rise of the air force is clearly seen. With Italy's extensive coast and lack of natural resources the air force becomes increasingly important to defend the coast and protect shipping. While this book tracks the various approaches of the armed services and shows their incompatibility with eachother via command staffs it also shows how diplomacy and the military interacted under Mussolini.

Mussolini insisted on personally controlling almost all details of both his foreign policy and military. Each wing was under his intense scrutiny and he controlled much of what they did. Often as is proven here inexperienced and ineffective leaders prospered under this system only because they had the Duce's blessing. Men like Badoglio were able to professionalize and organize the services somewhat but it was only in as far as Mussolini would allow. Overall Italy is shown to be at a tremendous lack of resources which hinders their war effort from the start. Inability to build larger ships due to lack of metal, lack of oil and lack of livestock all weighed heavily on Italy in the prewar period. When the war starts these would become major points of failure for the country.

In all an excellent book for those who want to learn more in this growing field about fascist Italy. Highly recommend for not only the military historian and the World War II historian but those interested in how diplomacy and military interacted in Fascist Italy.

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