War Through Italian Eyes

Fighting for Mussolini, 1940-1943
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-0-367-51561-4
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 232 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 517 g

Reihe: Routledge Studies in Second World War History

There is a popular notion that the Italian armed forces of the Second World War were an inferior fighting force. Despite the vast numbers taken prisoner, detailed studies of the experiences of these soldiers remain relatively uncommon and the value of this group to furthering our understanding of the Italian experience of war under Fascism is also rarely acknowledged. The existence in the National Archives of hundreds of pages of transcripts of covert British surveillance of Italian POWs has made it possible to engage with their experiences and opinions in much greater depth. The euphemistically termed ‘Special Reports’ present historians with a unique insight into how all levels of Italian soldiery viewed Fascist Italy’s experience of war, 1940-1943. This book examines reactions to Italian political leadership, the progress of the war, as well as Italian soldiers’ ‘everyday’ views on sex, war, the enemy, death, food, their allies, bravery, race, and killing. These fascinating documents reveal the complexity of the outlook of these men, which persistent – and influential – national stereotypes and historiographical trends fail to acknowledge.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Henry, Alexander

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Deutsche Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Europäische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Besondere Kriege und Kampagnen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

0. Introduction 1. CSDIC (UK) and the Protocols 2. Reading the Sources 3. Friends and Foes 4. Occupation, War Crimes and Antisemitism 5. Warriors of Land, Sea and Air 6. Attitudes Towards Italian Political Leadership 7. Winning and Losing the War 8. Conclusion: A Hopeful Future?

Über Autor(innen)

Dr Alexander Henry is a historian of the Second World War with particular research interests in the conflict fought between the Allies and Fascist Italy, 1940-1943. Alex completed his PhD, MA and BA in the Department of History at the University of Nottingham between 2010 and 2018.