EVENTS OF 1940

March - Mussolini meets Hitler near the Brenner Pass. Hitler used this meeting to strike

at Mussolini's ego and convince him to join the war. He motioned to Mussolini that if he wanted Italy to be a second rate power in the Mediterranean, then forget about going to war. But if he wants to bring his nation to glory, then join Germany in the defeat of France and England. This was too much for Mussolini to hear. He accepts Hitler's offer to join the war only if Germany's attack on France was successful. He again motioned to Hitler that Italy was still not prepared to join a war that could last 3 to 4 years. Hitler accepts Mussolini's offer, knowing that at least the burden of fighting another front was gone. FRANCE April 9 - Mussolini received word from the German ambassador that Germany had invaded Norway and Denmark. Although Mussolini welcomes the news, he was resentful that he was kept in the dark. Nevertheless, he gives a speech applauding the German triumphs.

Portrait of Hitler and Mussolini.

May 10 - German troops conquer Belgium and Holland en route to France. Mussolini realizes that the time was coming for him to act as he promised in support of Germany and the Pact of Steel.

June 10 - Italy declares war on France and England. Mussolini saw France's imminent surrender and decided to reap some of the spoils of France. In order to do this, he needed to absorb as much French land as possible. Mussolini had interest in obtaining Nice, Corsica, French Somaliland and Tunisia. Italy masses 32 divisions on the French border and commences an attack. These divisions were severely under equipped whose artillery was outdated and did not even possess enough pots and pans to feed their troops. The Italians launched their initial attack through the Little Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps, but had to stop due to a massive snow storm. Another assault continued through the French Riviera towards Nice, but that too was stopped in Menton, only 5 miles inside France. By this time France was ready for an armistice with Germany.

The enemy is listening.

June 12 - Italian Submarine Bagnolini sinks British Light Cruiser Calypso in the Mediterranean.

June 13 - Italian destroyer Strale sinks British submarine HMS Odin off Taranto.

June 14 - French naval forces bomb Genova and Vado.

June 16 - British submarine HMS Grampus is sunk by Italian destroyers.

ERITREA

June 23 - British destroyer HMS Khartoum is sunk off Eritrea by Italian smg. Torricelli.

FRANCE

June 24 - France falls to Germany. Mussolini insisted that a surrender be given to Italy as well or the fighting will continue. Hitler and France oblige. This was a fruitless victory, and the only thing Mussolini truly received was the knowledge that Germany can win wars without Italy's assistance. Although the Italian Esercito made little progress in the 2 week war with France, It's Air Force was very productive. In 14 days, The Regia Aeronautica conducted 715 bomber sorties and dropped 276 tons of bombs, 1,337 fighter sorties were also carried out. See Italian Wings.

MEDITERRANEAN

June 28 - Italian destroyer Espero is sunk off Bengasi by Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney.

July 5 - British bombers sink Italian destroyer Zeffiro near Tobruk.

July 8 - Reggia Aeronautica bombers bomb the British cruiser HMS Gloucester. Scoring a direct hit and killing her captain and 17 crewmen. Gloucester survives, but with a crippled steering gear.

July 9 - Battle of Punto Stilo ends indecisively. Italian battleship Giulio Cesare is damaged by British battleship HMS Warspite.

July 11 - British destroyer HMS Escort is sunk off Gibraltar by Italian submarine smg. Marconi.

AEGEAN SEA

July 19 -Italian light cruisers Giovanni delle Bande Nere and Bartolomeo Colleoni cruising near Crete give fight to 4 British destroyers. After 2 hours of naval engagement, H.M.S. Sydney and destroyer Havock appear off the horizon. The Italian ships realize they are outnumbered 3-1 and decide to outrun them, but a shell from the Sydney hits the Colleoni, leaving her dead in the water. Within minutes the Colleoni was torpedoed and sunk. As the British attempt to save the Italian sailors, Italian bombers appear and begin bombing the British warships, forcing them to abandon the rescue. Hundreds of Italian sailors die. This omen proved that the Italian Navy is blind due to lack of radar and that the Italian navy had no coordination with the air force.

MEDITERRANEAN

July 20 - Italian destroyers Nembo and Ostro are sunk off Tobruk by British bombers.

AFRICA

Africa seemed to be a good starting point for Italian expansion. On paper, Italy had an impressive force; Approximately 172,000 troops forming 14 Divisions and separated by the 5th Army in the west and 10th Army to the east. Initial estimates in strength showed Italian troops in Libya alone would overwhelm the British in Egypt by looking at the table below. However, on a strategic level, Italy only had a 6:1 ratio of Artillery to infantry battalions. The British had 8:1. The British possessed seventy five 25 pdrs to an Italian division which had twenty four 75mm and twelve 100mm guns. The 1,500 guns the Italians possessed were old and their tanks were obsolete, even weaker than the British bren-gun carriers. The most notable of the British forces in the Region under Wavell's command, the 7th armored Division (Desert Rats) had 300 armored cars, light and cruiser tanks and Bren gun carriers.

Strengths	Italian	British
Troops	208,000 ( 36,000 Libyan Nationals)	50,000 (86.000 in Middle East Area)
Guns	1,500	150
Tanks	300	45 Heavy Tanks
Fighter Planes	450	205
Bombers	140	140

The Italian situation in Ethiopia was very similar. Italy had 370,000 troops available along with almost 400 aircraft. The British, on the other hand, had only 19,000 troops in British Somaliand, Kenya and Sudan. Although some of the British troops were made of colonials, the general Italian military force in Africa was made up of 70% African troops. These troops fought well in hand to hand combat, but was noted by many Italian officers that they "panicked" when under fire.

July 4 - The start of a series of first moves by Italy that led to humiliating defeats of the British. Lt. Gen Guglielmo Nasi struck eastward from Ethiopia into Sudan. They capture several border towns and arrive within 300 miles of Khartoum. Within 6 weeks, Nasi conquered British Somaliland, causing the British to evacuate from the Sea at Berbera. August 1 - Italian destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi sinks British submarine HMS Oswald off Cape Spartivento. August 3 - British Somaliland surrenders to Italy.

Italian attacks on British Somaliland and Sudan.

September 13 - The attack on British forces in Egypt was to coincide with Operation Sealion (The invasion of England by Germany). When it became apparent to Mussolini that this was postponed indefinitely, he orders Marshal Rodolfo Graziani to launch his 10th army, made of a total of 7 Divisions, into combat across the Egyptian border. British tanks and armored cars made bold attacks into Libya, forcing the Italians to transfer troops from the 5th Army to the 10th and acquiring 2,500 motor vehicles and gaining the delivery of 70 M-11 medium tanks from Italy. The British retreated to buy time and reinforcements. After 4 days and 60 miles inside Egypt, Graziani stops his attack due to supply logistics. Graziani was now 80 miles west of the British defenses in Mersa Matruh. To risk going any farther, Graziani said, would risk being defeated until supplies were available. Mussolini, angered over the sudden stop of the 10th Army, urges Graziani to continue 300 miles into the port of Alexandria. Graziani was appalled. Eventually Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio promised 1,000 tanks to Graziani. This promise was never kept. The recent military operations in Ethiopia and Spain drained Italy of many needed supplies and equipment. Graziani was forced to change his attack plan and can not penetrate deeper than Sidi Barrani.

MEDITERRANEAN

September 16 - Italian destroyers Aquilone and Borea are sunk off Bengasi by British bombers.

September 22 - Italian torpedo boat Palestro is sunk off the coast of Albania by by British HMS Osiris.

BRITAIN

Late September - Hardly ever discussed was Italy's involvement in the Battle for Britain. Against Hitlers wishes and most Italian military leaders, Mussolini sent some 200 aircraft including 73 Fiat BR.20 Stork medium bombers into occupied Belgium to conduct Italy's share of bombing England.

Italian CR.42's over the skies of Great Britain.

Little success was achieved in this campaign due to the poor performance of Italian aircraft against the British and the edge England had with radar. Italian sorties had to be conducted at night or a few daylight raids limited to 1,500 pound bombs per aircraft. Within 4 months, the Italian supply of BR.20 Storks were cut by 25% due to British interceptions.

GERMANY, ITALY AND JAPAN

September 27 - Tripartite alliance formed between Germany, Italy and Japan

MEDITERRANEAN

October 12 - Italian destroyer Artigliere and torpedo boats Airone and Ariel are sunk off Tunisia by British cruisers.

ERITREA

October 21 - Italian destroyer Francesco Nullo is sunk off Eritrea by British bombers.

GREECE

October 28 - After only 2 weeks preparation, Italian troops were ordered to cross the Albanian-Greek border. Italian Generals were outraged at Mussolini's hasty plan. Mussolini chose to take Greece due to Germany's entry into Romania. Approximately 600,000 weathered Italian troops were pulled out of Albania to assist in the fall harvest in Italy. The majority of Italians who conducted this invasion were recruits. Seven divisions of the 9th and 11th Armies were used in the attack under General Visconti-Prasca. To make matters worse, Mussolini never authorized the use of the Navy or the Air Force to assist in this attack. This invasion coincided with the Greek rainy season when the weather dropped below freezing and many Italian soldiers did not possess winter boots.

From the onset it was apparent that the Greeks intended to fight. The Italians advanced in a 4 pronged attack up to 25 miles into Greek territory. In every turn there seemed to be an ambush or a destroyed bridge. The Greeks then attacked 3 divisions strong and pushed the Italians back. With the assistance of England, who pledged support for Greece, the Royal Air Force pounded Italian installations in Greece and Albania, the Italians retreated back into Albania. One-third of Albania was now under Greek control.

SUDAN

November 6 - The British mount their counteroffensive in the Sudan town of Gallabat. 7,000 troops under the command of Sir William Slim storm Gallabat with tank and infantry. Without air cover, he was unable to achieve his goals. The Italian Air Force shot down 5 gladiators and bombed his troops, killing 42 and wounding 125. The attack on Italian forces ended with a British withdrawal.

Italy's Duke of Aosta, towers over his troops made up of mostly African colonials.

ITALY

November 11 - The H.M.S. Illustrious conducts a bombing of the Italian base in Taranto which damaged 3 battleships and crippled Italy's chance of securing the Mediterranean. Italian battleship Conte Di Cavour is sunk in shallow water and put out of action for the remainder of the war.

MEDITERRANEAN

November 20 - Italian torpedo boat Confienza sinks in the Adriatic after being rammed by a merchant vessel it was escorting.

November 27 - Battle of Cape Teulada ends indecively.

GREECE

December 4 - Mussolini instructs Dino Alfieri to fly to Berlin and request German assistance in the invasion of Greece. Hitler see's no choice but to assist Italy. The Italian Fascists knew their pride had now been broken once they asked for help. The military's confidence in Mussolini was now beginning to disappear due to his hasty and ignorant orders.

MEDITERRANEAN

December 5 - Italian torpedo boat Calipso sinks after hitting a mine near Tripoli.

EGYPT

December 9 - Marshal Graziani debates whether to continue his attack into Egypt or wait for supplies. He decided to deploy his infantry divisions into strong points facing East and South at Sidi Barrani. He then requested some motorized transport to assist in furthering the invasion, but Mussolini rejected this request for the planned invasion of Yugoslavia. Wavell's British forces receive reinforcements including 31,000 motorized troops, 120 guns and 275 tanks (50 of which were Matilda's and 100 Cruisers), 60 armored cars and 150 aircraft (among them Hurricanes which outclassed all Italian fighters in the region). Wavell consolidates his forces under General Richard O'Connor. The British attack Sidi Barrani under General O'Connor and the Italians were caught completely off guard. The Italians fought hard as they tried to organize their forces, and General Pietro Maletti, while still in pajamas, was killed while shooting at the British with his machine gun. This attack yielded 2,000 Italian prisoners.

NEBEIWA

Italian artillery men encounter the British Matilda's for the first time and fought against them with great bravery, but with little success. An English combatant at the scene described the battle: "The Italian and Libyan dead were everywhere. The guns were piled around with empty cases where men had fired to the very last. The Italians...fought like hell in Nebiewa."

December 16 - The British begin winning battle after battle, Italian tanks were no match to the British Matilda's and British naval bombardments. The Italians realized that if their artillery cannot defeat the Matilda's, then neither could the infantry. However, the Italian Maletti Group manage to use their 37 and 47/32 mm. guns to destroy 35 of the 57 Matilda's in an engagement and the Tummar posts destroyed another 14 Matilda's. The remaining 57 Matilda's were destroyed in Bardia and Tobruk. But Italian forces under Graziani are quickly losing battles and did not posses the transport for an effective strategic withdrawel. Within 2 weeks of combat, the Italians are forced back 200 miles to Tobruk and lose 115,000 Italian and African colonials who had surrendered or been captured by February of 1941.

December 18 - British submarine HMS Triton is sunk in the Adriatic by Italian torpedo boats.

GREECE

December 17 - British bombers attack the Italian naval base in Rhodes, Greece.

ALBANIA

Mid December - The Italians finally halt the Greek advance into Albania, but do not have enough supplies to mount a counteroffensive until the German reinforcements come in.

December 18 - British naval forces bomb the Albanian port of Valona.

MEDITERRANEAN

December 23 - Italian torpedo boat Fratelli Cairoli sinks after hitting a mine off the coast of Tripoli.

December 29 - Italian torpedo boat Antares sinks Greek submarine Proteus off the coast of Albania.

Sources: World War II, Time Life Books, Italy at War; World War II, Time Life Books, The War in the Desert; Italian Wings, Destroyers of World War 2 and Cruisers of World War 2 by Mike J. Whitley; courtesy Stefan Schlemmer> "The North African Campaign 1940-1943: A Reconsideration"; Lucio Ceva. Decisive Campaigns of the Second World War; Edited by John Gooch: Journal of Strategic Studies. Volume 13. March 1990. "Of Myths and Men: Rommel and the Italians in North Africa, 1940-1942"; James J. Sadkovich. The International History Review, XIII. 2. May 1991, pp.221-440. I Paracadutisti Italiani 1937/45; Giuseppe Lundari, Pietro Compagni. Editrice Militare Italiano-Serie "De Bello" 09