Help support TMP


"Italian participation in WW2 - how to explore?" Topic


6 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Please be courteous toward your fellow TMP members.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the WWII Media Message Board

Back to the WWII Discussion Message Board


Areas of Interest

World War Two on the Land
World War Two at Sea
World War Two in the Air

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Recent Link


Featured Showcase Article

Soviet Casualties

On Memorial Day (U.S.), a reminder of the casualties of WWII.


Featured Profile Article

War at Sea: Task Force Preview

Paul Glasser previews the upcoming expansion set for War at Sea.


1,040 hits since 10 Sep 2019
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

redcoat10 Sep 2019 7:29 a.m. PST

Hi all,

A colleague of mine is interested in exploring Italy's participation in WW2 – with an emphasis on popular involvement in / commitment to / views on the war. She is especially interested in events in 1943, with the Allied invasion of Italy (starting with Husky), leading to Italy's eventual switch to the Allied side.

Might anyone please very kindly recommend anything in terms of reading or documentaries?

To emphasise: she's not interested in the minutiae of military ops, specifications of weapons, etc. etc. It's Italy's broader participation in the war, and esp. the public angle, that she wants to explore.

Thanks very much in advance for any suggestions!

HMS Exeter10 Sep 2019 8:01 a.m. PST

As a starting point…

Wikipedia's syllabus on the subject.

Bosworth, R. J. B. Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915–1945 (2007)

De Grazia, Victoria. How Fascism Ruled Women: Italy, 1922–1945 (1993)

Tracy Koon, Believe, Obey, Fight: Political Socialization in Fascist Italy 1922–1943 (U North Carolina Press, 1985),

Morgan, D. Italian Fascism, 1919–1945 (1995).

Wilhelm, Maria de Blasio. The Other Italy: Italian Resistance in World War II. W. W. Norton, 1988. 272 pp.

Williams, Isobel. Allies and Italians under Occupation:

Sicily and Southern Italy, 1943-45 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013). xiv + 308 pp. online review

Willson, Perry. "Empire, Gender and the 'Home Front' in Fascist Italy." Women's History Review 16#4 (2007): 487-500.

FWIW

Personal logo Legion 4 Supporting Member of TMP In the TMP Dawghouse10 Sep 2019 1:06 p.m. PST

thumbs up They were considered the "weak link" in the Axis. Regardless many, many died not only in NA but even more on the Eastern Front. Many never came home …

4th Cuirassier11 Sep 2019 2:33 a.m. PST

It was all about the campanilismo.

Tired Mammal11 Sep 2019 4:48 a.m. PST

James Holland's Italy's sorrow. While detailed and only really deals with 3rd Monte Cassino till the end has a lot of details and personal stories of Civilians, partisans and pro fascists and what motivated them.

Mark 1 Supporting Member of TMP12 Sep 2019 4:00 p.m. PST

I would also suggest the Commando Supremo website: comandosupremo.com

Don't know if there is much of a general overview, but in terms of "exploring" Italian participation in WW2, it's hard to beat.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.