This is the first comprehensive work, in either English or Italian, to address Italian small arms used during World War I and World War II. It describes each weapon and covers the developmental history and use of all Italian designed and produced pistols, rifles, submachine guns and machine guns used during both conflicts, as well as prototype weapons and foreign weapons used by the Italians. Other appendices cover bayonets, accoutrements, markings, ammunition, small arms manufacturing facilities, Italian small arms designers, production summaries, and collector’s notes. It includes many previously unpublished photographs and background information on small arms producers, ammunition production facilities, and designers. In addition to the new material, it also corrects previously published errors about Italian weapons.

Italian Small Arms of the First and Second World Wars

History

Riccio, Ralph

Military

Schiffer Military History

This book covers all classes and types of small arms, from pistols to heavy machine guns, known to have been used by the Italian partisans during WWII. It provides a brief history of the origin and development of the partisan movement in Italy following the 8 September 1943 armistice between Italy and the Allies and subsequent occupation of the northern portion of the country by Germany. There are many relevant examples of correspondence between partisan units relating to acquisition, distribution, use, maintenance, and problems encountered with the various types of small arms available. The majority of the pages of this book are dedicated to a complete, thorough, and extensive coverage of each individual type of weapon known to have been used by the partisans, including specifications, supported by current as well as vintage photographs showing the weapons in use by the partisans.

Italian Partisan Weapons in WWII

Usai, Gianluigi

Europe

Italian military planners saw the need for highly mobile artillery early in the 20th Century. Accordingly, Italy began mounting anti-aircraft weapons on truck chassis prior to WWI, giving birth to the autocannone, a weapon concept that soldiered through WWI and WWII. Inspired by the German half-tracks equipped with 88mm guns, the Italians reprised the autocannone with their 90/53 guns on a heavy truck chassis. Other vehicles, some captured, were mated with a wide variety of weapons, often in the field.

Italian Truck-Mounted Artillery In Action

Pignato, Nicola

MMD-Squadron Signal

Italian Tanks and Fighting Vehicles of World War 2

Pique Publications

Birth and Fall of an Empire: The Italian Army in East Africa 1935-1941

Afiero, Massimiliano

Africa

Helion and Company

The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often underestimated by the average reader, attracted by more 'martial' subjects such as tanks and artillery. Nevertheless, it was thanks to motorcycles, cars, trucks and tractors that - since the early years of the twentieth century - men, weapons, ammunition, provisions, fuel, equipment and orders were transported, all elements without which AFVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight.This first volume opens with a historical and technical introduction to the civil and military motorization in Italy from the 1920s to the end of the Second World War. This is followed by chapters dedicated to motorcycles, cars and light trucks. Each subject is described through its history, technical evolution and specifications, all supported by numerous contemporary photographs.The second volume includes the remaining chapters dealing with medium and heavy trucks, artillery tractors, special-purpose vehicles and trailers. The main text is complemented with appendices on vehicle coloring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.It is common opinion that the Italian Army was beaten above all because of the poor quality of its combat vehicles. Actually, impartial and in-depth studies, made since the end of the war, have revealed that the main problem was the shortage of vehicles, as well as an entirely insufficient logistics chain. The tank crews were able to compensate with bravery and experience for the fact that their tanks were, from a certain point on, inferior to those of their enemies, but the inadequate number of AFVs and other material was impossible to remedy. The same problem plagued the entire sector of military soft-skinned vehicles, a sign of Italy's limited industrial capacity (and of procurement of raw materials and components) compared, for example, to its ally Germany. There were too few factories, too few skilled workers, and poor management skills within the armed forces.However, if quantity was lacking, the same cannot be said for quality. Many models of efficient, robust and resistant vehicles were produced, especially in the sector of the so-called 'standardized' motor vehicles, such as those mentioned above and others that we will see. These vehicles allowed the Italian troops to move and fight in the large and difficult territories of North Africa, the Balkans and the Soviet Union and which brought home what was left of the defeated soldiers.This is the first English-language study describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces, starting from the 1930s, when Mussolini's Italy faced some colonial conflicts and participated - albeit unofficially - in the Spanish Civil War, and throughout the Second World War. For each vehicle there is a file describing its evolution and the main technical aspects, accompanied by one or more photographs and, for the most significant examples, line drawings. The work is enriched by a historical introduction, various appendices and color profiles.

Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War: Volume 1 - Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors 1935–1945

Guglielmi, Daniele

Pieri, Mario

'Luck Was Lacking, But Valour Was Not': The Italian Army in North Africa, 1940-43

The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often underestimated by the average reader, attracted by more 'martial' subjects such as tanks and artillery. Nevertheless, it was thanks to motorcycles, cars, trucks and tractors that - since the early years of the twentieth century - men, weapons, ammunition, provisions, fuel, equipment and orders were transported, all elements without which AFVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight. Volume 2 examines medium and heavy trucks, artillery tractors, special purpose vehicles and trailers. The main text is complemented with appendices on vehicle coloring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.It is a common opinion that the Italian Army was beaten above all because of the poor quality of its combat vehicles. Impartial and in-depth studies, made since the end of the war, have revealed that the main problem was the shortage of vehicles, as well as an entirely insufficient logistics chain. The tank crews were able to compensate with bravery and experience for the fact that their tanks were, from a certain point on, inferior to those of their enemies, but the inadequate number of AFVs and other materiel was impossible to remedy. The same problem plagued the entire sector of military soft-skinned vehicles, a sign of Italy's limited industrial capacity (and of procurement of raw materials and components) compared, for example, to its ally Germany. There were too few factories, too few skilled workers, and poor management skills within the armed forces.models of efficient, robust and resistant vehicles were produced, especially in the sector of the so-called 'standardized' motor vehicles. These vehicles allowed the Italian troops to move and fight in the large and difficult territories of North Africa, the Balkans and the Soviet Union and brought home what was left of the defeated soldiers.This is the first English-language study describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces, starting from the 1930s, when Mussolini's Italy faced some colonial conflicts and participated - albeit unofficially - in the Spanish Civil War, and throughout the Second World War. For each vehicle there is a file describing its evolution and the main technical aspects, accompanied by one or more photographs and, for the most significant examples, line drawings. The work is enriched by a historical introduction, various appendices and color profiles.

Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War: Volume 2 - Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors 1935–1945

This book begins by examining a number of factors relating to the Italian army's performance in the desert, including assessments of the Italian soldier, leadership, training, organization and structure, equipment, the supply situation in North Africa, the ability of the Italian air force to support ground operations, and an appreciation of Italo-German relations in North Africa.The book then describes the combat operations of Italian forces in the desert beginning with the early Italian advance from Libya into Egypt in September 1940 and ending with the final Italian surrender to the Allies in Tunisia in May 1943.The extensive appendices focus heavily on organization and equipment, with tables comparing Italian, British and German armor and artillery in the desert.Taken as a whole, this book presents an account of Italian ground operations in North Africa, from the time of their initial trouncing at the hands of the British Western desert Force in early 1941, through the see-saw battles of 1941 and 1942 when the combined Italo-German forces battled with the British, through the decimation of the Italian forces during the El Alamein battles in late 1942, and finally with the retreat to Tunisia and surrender of all Axis forces there in May 1943.This book is the first English-language work to address in a systematic way the contributions of the Italian army to the North African campaign, and challenges the conventional wisdom that the German Afrika Korps was the preeminent Axis force in the desert.

The Italian Army in North Africa, 1940-43: Luck Was Lacking, But Valor Was Not

This book is the first comprehensive account in the English language that addresses the genesis, organization, and operations of Italian forces that fought alongside the Germans and other contingents allied with the Germans in Russia beginning with Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 until the defeat of the Italian forces there in early 1943. In accordance with his anti-Bolshevik ideology, Mussolini felt obligated to join with Germany's attack against the Soviet Union. Italy thus formed the CSIR (Corpo di Spedizione in Russia - Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia), consisting of some 62,000 men in three divisions (two infantry and one cavalry, plus a Black Shirt legion) which was sent to participate in the Axis attack against the Soviet Union in June 1941. In July 1942 the CSIR was upgraded to the ARMIR (Armata Italiana in Russia - Italian Army in Russia, also known as the Italian 8th Army), consisting of seven additional divisions (four infantry and three mountain or alpini). By late 1942 the size of the ARMIR had grown to some 235,000 men. However, both the CSIR and the ARMIR suffered from organizational shortcomings as well as lack of proper equipment and clothing to cope with the operational environment in Russia. Throughout 1941, along with the Germans, the CSIR enjoyed a number of successful operations. With the advent of the ARMIR, initial actions were also favorable for the Italians, but by December 1942 the Italians, who were deployed along the Don River, were subjected to a massive Soviet operation, Little Uranus, which forced the Italians to withdraw under unimaginably harsh conditions. The Italians were unprepared for the brutal Russian weather as well as for the overwhelming Soviet superiority in men and equipment that they had to face. Nevertheless, the Italians fought well, especially the troops of the Italian alpine corps, but ultimately were defeated, the survivors returning to Italy.

Snow, Ice and Sacrifice: The Italian Army in Russia, 1941-1943

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