Mussolini's War series

[jwsleser]

Marek

Here is the English translation of I violatori di blocco. It will give you an idea of what the book offers before you buy.

Official History of the Italian Navy in WW2 : Robert Denny : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

My notes and Translations for the 24 VolumeOfficial History of the Italian Navy in WW2These file include the complete series from Volumes 1 to22Note some...

archive.org

RE: Parà. I believe those magazines are a serialized version of Parà by Nino Arena and Edoardo Sala. The magazines were bound into a book in 1968.

v/r Jeff

 

[jwsleser]

New copy of book arrived today. No missing pages. Now I need to read it.

 

[jwsleser]

I have read the first four chapters. So far an enjoyable read.

 

[1089maul]

Marek, In relation to the blockade runners sailing from Bordeaux to the Far East, look at the main Comando Supremo website. Giulio has written a short piece on them.
Just starting Starting the Battle of the Alps book! Regards, Bob

 

[Marek Sobski]

Hi,

New release!

Amazon.com

Translation: Tomek Basarabowicz (as in previous volumes)

A word from me: The part on submarines is a completed and illustrated version of the Polish edition, which was warmly welcomed in my country. I am much less satisfied with the chapter on blockade runners, as I relied heavily on the Italian Wikipedia (but of course I completed the text there with some information). But I was very keen to add this chapter, so that was the decision I made (the Wikipedia articles were really good). I think the book as a whole should not disappoint anyone.

Next goal: The struggle and bitter end of the Italian Army in Russia 1942-1943, scheduled for release in 2024!

This book describes the operations of a group of Italian submarines that took part in the Atlantic conflict during the World War Two. A total of 32 submarines flying the tricolour flag of the Regia Marina passed through the Betasom base, located at the French port of Bordeaux. Almost two hundred of their combat patrols are presented in detail, all victories and defeats being discussed. The work also covers the story of the base itself, the doctrine of Italian submarines, biographies of commanders, submarines and other factors influencing successes and failures. The Italians commenced their operations in the Atlantic badly, due to a lack of previous experience they turned out to be unprepared for the actions that awaited them, but with stubbornness and hard work, they managed to transform their Atlantic contingent into a very effective fighting machine. Thanks in large part due to the efforts of Betasom’s personnel, the Italian Navy can be proud of being the sixth most effective submarine fleet in the history of this type of weapon. A separate chapter presents the history of the Italian blockade runners, which, based in Bordeaux, were to break into the Far East, carrying in both directions material of strategic importance, urgently needed for the war-fighting of Italy, Germany and Japan.

The book is illustrated with 100 photos or drawings and 15 maps.

List of chapters:

I. Betasom Is Formed
II. Doctrine, Ships And Commanders
III. Road To Bordeaux
IV. The First Patrols From The Betasom Base
V. Hard Winter In The North Atlantic
VI. In The Waters Between The Azores And Gibraltar
VII. The Turn Of 1941/1942 In The South Atlantic
VIII. In American Waters
IX. Twilight Of The Gods
X. Italians In The Far East
XI. Bordeaux As Base For Italian Blockade Runners

Greetings!

 

[jwsleser]

My copy arrived yesterday. From only a quick thumb-thorough, the book looks interesting. The sub drawing starting on p.251 are a nice touch as well as the maps of the vessel sinking and submarine losses. On my read pile.

Pista! Jeff

 

[1089maul]

My copy has arrived as well. Jeff, I agree, it looks. Rey promising and will be reading it ASAP!
Regards to all,
Bob

 

[1089maul]

Marek, If you see this post, please note that I have done a review on Betasom under a separate thread. Regards, Bob

 

[Marek Sobski]

Hello!

I am happy to announce that the next volume of the Mussolini's War series has been officially released! (Translated by Tomek Basarabowicz)

At the moment they are available on Amazon Paperback and Hardcover. Kindle eBook will join next week at the latest.
------------------------------------------------------
In the previous study ‘Mussolini's Eastern Crusade: The Italian Expeditionary Corps In Operation Barbarossa’ we recounted the story of the Italian Corps (CSIR) on the Eastern Front until the end of winter 1942. This work continues the story of Mussolini's soldiers taking part in the campaign that fascist propaganda presented as an anti-Bolshevik crusade. Since the summer of 1942, an entire army sent from Italy (Armata Italiana in Russia, ARMIR), numbering well over two hundred thousand men, had been fighting in the USSR alongside the Wehrmacht.

The next summer offensive of the Wehrmacht in the USSR targeted the oil-rich areas of the Caucasus and, with its success, the industrial city on the Volga River - Stalingrad. The role of the Third Reich's allies on the Eastern Front was to secure the flanks of this manoeuvre. The ARMIR took part in the initial phases of Operation Blau, and then, acting as a buffer between the incompatible Hungarians and Romanians, took up positions on the River Don. Already by the summer of 1942, the Italians became the target of a Soviet operation aimed at cutting German supply lines and drawing reserves away from the Stalingrad area. The ARMIR passed this first test successfully, taking control of the situation without the help of other Axis forces.

In the winter of 1942/1943, the Red Army carried out a powerful counter-offensive, which in the first stage trapped Paulus's 6th Army in the Stalingrad cauldron. However, the Soviet reserves seemed inexhaustible, while the German-Romanian attempt to unblock the cauldron was still ongoing the Soviets were already undertaking further operations. Operation ‘Little Saturn’ was to break through the positions of the Italian 8th Army (ARMIR) and threaten the airfields from which Stalingrad was supplied. After its end, the elite Italian Alpine Corps found itself in the middle of another Soviet offensive – the Ostrogozhsk-Rossoshan Operation.

This study presents the story of the desperate battles of the Italian troops during the aforementioned events, including the operations of the air contingent. A detailed description of the battles and many accounts on the heroism of ordinary troops will allow the reader to properly assess the exploits of the Italian soldier on the Eastern Front, which has often been presented in an extremely unfair way. It also touches on such topics as the political and economic goals of the Italian presence in the East and the problem of securing the frontline zone, and the relations of the Italians with the local population.

 

[1089maul]

Marek. Book ordered. I look forward to reading it! Thanks, Bob

 

[jwsleser]

Ordered. Should have it by 8 November.

 

[jwsleser]

I received my copy of the yesterday and finally had a few minutes to look through it. As I had previous stated, I will not offer a review of the book. At 275 pages, it is a similar length as the France 40 book, a significantly shorter campaign.

I did read a few sections addressing areas I had done some serious research. In the fighting in Rossach (p.155) Sobski states that one of the defending units was the Monte Cervino. Here he states it was the remains of the battalion, when in actuality the battalion was complete (some losses, but not remains) and was the main defender of the town. A minor point to be sure, but a unit close to my heart.

 

[diciassette2000]

I have the first volume on the war in AOI of 1940-41....it is a volume that says nothing new and moreover lacks the description of salient phases of the campaign and with very incomplete information on the deployments and composition of the units.....then the orders of battle are completely missing....
All the best
Maurizio

 

[1089maul]

My copy of the new book has arrived too. It is the next one for me to read after which I will post mt thoughts on it! Bob

 

[Marek Sobski]

Hi

Jeffrey you are right. The information on page 134 is correct - the Battalion received reinforcements from Italy before the fighting for Rossosh on 15 January. I will add an errata on this issue in the next volume.

As for the campaign in AOI. We all know that the Italian documents are not complete. I do not conjure them up either. Nevertheless, I believe that my monograph of this campaign is the best one.

PS. Next volume: Regia Marina on the Eastern Front 1942-1943 (operations in the Black Sea and Lake Ladoga).

 

[1089maul]

Marek, I look forward to your next book as the Regia Marina is my special subject. Any update re when your next book on the Regia Aeronautica operations over England will be done? Bob

 

[diciassette2000]

Marek
The Italian documents (especially after the NARA Rolls of the T821 series came to light but also those present in Rome) are much more complete as regards the AOI than as regards North Africa (moreover there are at least forty primary texts that you do not cite at all in addition to twenty or so perfectly detailed orders of battle) but undoubtedly given the scarcity of texts (especially in English) present on the market on this subject yours is undoubtedly the most complete that I have read (in English!!! not in Italian).... in any case a good book even if incomplete....
All the best
Maurizio

 

[Marek Sobski]

Bob,

I think Regia Aeronautica's participation in the Battle of Britain will go into a volume on smaller operations: like France 1940, Iraq 1941, and maybe I'll still be able to fill in the details of operations on the Eastern Front, because I'm not quite satisfied with what I've already managed to write. But I am not yet able to give a date. After the Black Sea, I will rather deal again with the AOI: the war 1935-1936 (but really from the beginning of Italian colonisation in the Horn of Africa until 10 June 1940) and the Red Sea 1940-1941.

Maurizio,

Thank you for the information. I have purchased virtually all the available books on AOI 1940-1941 and even friendly booksellers have not been able to suggest anything more to me. Access to the archives is a problem - the Ufficio Storico della Marina and della Aeronautica are very helpful. But many other institutions do not even try to answer me (I have the same problem in Ethiopia too). I hope that in future volumes the availability of material will be greater. I would also be happy to return to some of the issues if I get something interesting (e.g. there could be a separate monograph on the Battle of Keren).

Greetings

 

[diciassette2000]

n fact, entering the SME is like entering a private club to which you are not introduced.... this is due to the endemic Italian bureaucracy and not only that, but also to the fact that many of the Archive's regular visitors are also writers of military matters, including the director..... just think that things have improved over the years... in the days when I went there you couldn't even make photocopies but only take notes... just think how easy it could have been given the fact (which has remained) that you can't consult more than three folders at a time....!!!!! However, even in terms of texts, many are very old in terms of dating and therefore very difficult to find... three of the most interesting for me are the diary of the Maraventano column written by General Maraventano in 1963, Guerra senza speranza written by General Gazzera and regarding the history of the entire resistance in the Galla Sidama published in 1952 and the first text of the SME written by Gen. Leone in 1971. Keep in mind that Rovighi's text is not an exact copy of the latter.....moreover, you may find interesting articles on the various years of historical-military studies always published by the SME since the distant 1950 and in the text by Bruttini Puglisi l'impero tradito ......not to mention the considerable information present in the T821 series of the NARA....anyway, good work and if you need some indication on the matter, just tell me something and I will gladly answer you....
All the best
Maurizio