Italian Army 1940 45

The division of the Italian forces between the Axis and the Allies from 1943 led to a civil war in parallel with the main campaign, and brought into being many interesting units with romantic uniforms and insignia. This title studies organization, uniforms and equipment of the Italian army. Immediately after the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943, Mussolini was deposed and the new Italian government switched sides. The German occupying forces swiftly freed Il Duce and ruthlessly disarmed the Italian Army; and from then until the end of the war in April 1945 Italian troops fought on both sides with the forces of the new Fascist 'Salo Republic', in the Allied 'Co-Belligerent Forces', and in the Partisan movement. This period of bitter struggle saw the appearance of many new units and a wide range of interesting uniforms, described and illustrated in this final part of Philip Jowett's comprehensive three-volume series.