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"New" books ordered

FrancoFB

Member
Today i've ordered 2nd hand copy of "In Africa settentionale: la preparazione del conflitto" and "L'esercito italiano tra la 1a e la 2a guerra mondiale"
i hope they are useful and in relative good condition, readable in all the pages
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Franco

I have found L'esercito italiano tra la 1a e la 2a guerra mondiale very useful. It is a book I often refer to when checking the changes in doctrine and organization. Mine is starting to suffer from the frequent use.
TwoUSSMEbooks.jpg


I don't refer to In Africa settentionale: la preparazione del conflitto as often. I switch between the earlier series and the Montanari series when researching A.S. The Montanari books use a lot of the material from the early series, but not of all of it. The early series tends to have more tactical detail (but not always) and better OB data. I assume that all 14 separate maps are present in the volume you purchased. Schizzo A and B are folded pull-outs bound into the book itself.
AS_Officials.jpg

In all, I don't think you will be disappoint with either book.

Pista! Jeff
 

FrancoFB

Member
I've read it, luckily both are complete, unlucky they not solved all the open question on the RE in 1940
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, that is true.

I like many things about the USSME official histories. The glaring gap in the histories are an overarching account on the army throughout the war. Volumes similar to the UK's Grand Strategy and Central Organisation and Planning or the American Army Ground Forces and The War Department series. The Verbali delle riunioni tenute dal Capo di SM Generale and the Diario storico del Comando Supremo, while useful, are poor substitutes for a comprehensive account of the Italian military during the war.

The USSME books are organized by campaign. There isn't an account of Italy itself until the Le operazione delle unità italiane nel settembre-ottobre 1943 volume. What was happening in Italy between June 1940 and September 1943? There aren't any book that connect the various theaters/campaigns in terms of resourcing, production, recruitment, etc. While L'esercito italiano all vigilia della 2ª guerra mondiale provides a good overview of the military at the start of war, it is merely that: an overview. Few details such as which divisions were considered 100%, which were incomplete, etc. Which units had their 47/32 c.c guns and which didn't. Production, shipping data, etc. remains to be ferreted out using multiples sources, yet remains incomplete. L'esercito italiano tra la 1a e la 2a guerra mondiale is good for the desired army, but what was the actual army with which Italy entered the war?

A series that might have helped is L'esercito e i suoi corpi. Published by the USSME, only four books were printed before the series was stopped incomplete. A loss for researchers.

Ah well, an opportunity for some aggressive researchers. ;)

Pista! Jeff
 

FrancoFB

Member
I've the "Volume Terzo, Tomo I" of "L'esercito e i suoi corpi" and i don't find it very useful, probably i've not the right tomo
they did a new edition with the title "L'esercito italiano verso il 2000" it's a 2 volume each of 3 tomi opera
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Thank you for the tip. I see the two volume in the USSME catalog. I will need to look for a set.

L'esercito e i suoi corpi has a weird organization, with the units listed based on whether they are still part of the E.I. That being said, I have found bits and pieces of info that explain/answer many questions. Certainly not a stand alone source, but has some details that I couldn't find anywhere else (like a list of all the gruppo costieri, appiedati e btg. Movimento Stradale formed from cavalry units).
 

FrancoFB

Member
Unlucky my Tomo is for larger organization, from brigade to up, dissolved at time of the book, late 70s
same organization also the new edition
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Again thanks for the info on L'esercito italiano verso il 2000. I didn't realize it was an updated version of L'esercito e i suoi corpi. I have added them to my must buy list.

I have the four tomi of L'esercito e i suoi corpi that were published. They are handy at times.
EserccitoCorpi.jpg
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Let me think about a format.
 
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