
Published online:
23 March 2023
Published in print:
03 February 2023
Online ISBN:
9780191980046
Print ISBN:
9780192884084
Contents
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Italy at War, and National Stereotypes Italy at War, and National Stereotypes
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Images or Complex Reality Images or Complex Reality
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The Years of ‘Peace’: From One World War to Another The Years of ‘Peace’: From One World War to Another
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Radicalization Radicalization
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Preparation for War? Preparation for War?
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The Fascist War: A Gamble The Fascist War: A Gamble
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Attack and Occupation Attack and Occupation
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Albania, Greece, and the Balkans Albania, Greece, and the Balkans
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The Collapse of the Empire The Collapse of the Empire
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A Central Front A Central Front
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From Parallel War to Subaltern War: Russia From Parallel War to Subaltern War: Russia
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Disengagements Disengagements
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Downfall Downfall
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Forty-Five Difficult Days Forty-Five Difficult Days
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The War of Liberation: From the South The War of Liberation: From the South
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Resistance Resistance
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In the North In the North
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Anomalous Prisoners: The Italian Military Internees Anomalous Prisoners: The Italian Military Internees
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A Divided Country and Nazi Massacres A Divided Country and Nazi Massacres
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Insurgency and Liberation Insurgency and Liberation
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Post-War Memories: The War Continues Post-War Memories: The War Continues
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From Memoir to History From Memoir to History
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Cite
Labanca, Nicola, 'The Italian Wars', in Richard Overy (ed.), The Oxford History of World War II (Oxford , 2023; online edn, Oxford Academic, 23 Mar. 2023), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192884084.003.0004, accessed 6 May 2025.
Abstract
Italy’s role in World War II is often overlooked or misunderstood. This chapter explores the origins of Italian imperialism and the radicalization of Fascist foreign policy under Mussolini, realized through occupation of Ethiopia and Albania. Italy’s war from 1940 is explored from a new angle, arguing that Italian forces, though with weaknesses, managed to hold the British empire at bay in North Africa. The chapter goes on to explore Mussolini’s downfall, the problem of the armistice, and then the long war in Italy down to 1945 with German and Italian resistance to the Allies, and an Italian partisan war against Fascism.
Keywords:
Italian empire, Mussolini, North African campaign, El Alamein, partisans, Italian surrender
Subject
Military History
Collection:
Oxford Scholarship Online
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