AHC: Fix Fascist Italy

With a time frame of 1923-1939, what decisions could be made to make Fascist Italy achieve real military and/or economic parity with Germany '39.

Bonus Points: How would your PoDs effect the Mediterranean Campaign should it come as OTL.

Rule: Mussolini must still be in Power.
 

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With a time frame of 1923-1939, what decisions could be made to make Fascist Italy achieve real military and/or economic parity with Germany '39.

Bonus Points: How would your PoDs effect the Mediterranean Campaign should it come as OTL.

Rule: Mussolini must still be in Power.
Impossible. Italy just did not have the natural resources nor industry nor economic development or population to achieve parity with Germany. Now perhaps it could have matched France by making all the right decisions, but even that is hard to achieve. There was a TL about a Fitter Italian Military that would probably be the best you could achieve.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=67267&highlight=fitter+italian+military
 
Economic and/or military parity with Germany?

I don't think it's possible to raise Italy up. I think it is possible to bring Germany down to Italy's level...

Mussolini staying in power as a prerequisite? I think an ASB would have to intervene to make him a helpful factor in improving Italy's condition...

EDITED...
 
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Shouldn't the Italian facist focus on realizing what the Romans did right in ancient times to do the right thing in modern times (if they want to restore the Roman Empire).

That means:

- accept foreign advisors (as the Romans examinated Punic ships), best are some German or Soviet strategists
- Adopt a rational administrative and military structure
- accept every commander, regardless of his political opinion - what about a system of examinations?
- abandon racism -> integrate colonial elites in the Italian government
- support anti-colonial sentiments in other colonies: if your colonies are self-governmend, why shouldn't other contries be more autonomous? Try to provoke anti-colonial uprisings against Britain and France
- nationalize the industry (fascist Italy did it after 1943): nothing ancient, but the state having more control over the society is very Roman
- forced industrialization: Italy is industrialized yet, but has more potential. Use it! Don't rely on the hazard of market economy (this will help Italy in 1929)
 
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With a time frame of 1923-1939, what decisions could be made to make Fascist Italy achieve real military and/or economic parity with Germany '39.

Bonus Points: How would your PoDs effect the Mediterranean Campaign should it come as OTL.

Rule: Mussolini must still be in Power.

Lybian oil discovered ?
 

Insider

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With a time frame of 1923-1939, what decisions could be made to make Fascist Italy achieve real military and/or economic parity with Germany '39.

Bonus Points: How would your PoDs effect the Mediterranean Campaign should it come as OTL.

Rule: Mussolini must still be in Power.

Basicaly my timeline relies on it similar premise. (yeah I know... I will update it ... uhh... soon :eek:)

However I do not have such high aims. I intend to make them somewhat stronger and remotely competent. Remotely competent Italian armed forces would cause devasting damage to British Empire.

Actualy during my research I have concluded that if Italians would do any better than that (let alone achiving parity with the war making potential) the war would start in 1938 and Italy would be on Entente side.
 
Shouldn't the Italian facist focus on realizing what the Romans did right in ancient times to do the right thing in modern times (if they want to restore the Roman Empire).

That means:

- accept foreign advisors (as the Romans examinated Punic ships), best are some German or Soviet strategists
- Adopt a rational administrative and military structure
- accept every commander, regardless of his political opinion - what about a system of examinations?
- abandon racism -> integrate colonial elites in the Italian government
- support anti-colonial sentiments in other colonies: if your colonies are self-governmend, why shouldn't other contries be more autonomous? Try to provoke anti-colonial uprisings against Britain and France
- nationalize the industry (fascist Italy did it after 1943): nothing ancient, but the state having more control over the society is very Roman
- forced industrialization: Italy is industrialized yet, but has more potential. Use it! Don't rely on the hazard of market economy (this will help Italy in 1929)

I like your way of thinking ;). After all, if Italy, under Rome, was able to become a great power back then, then perhaps repeating implementing of some of those policies will help modern Italy become one again!

Italy, surprisingly, really had a less than stellar ww2 record, and this is an interesting thread to find out what they might've done differently to improve it. It would be nice if Mussolini still falls from power and a much more liberal, humane politiican replaces him, tho, b/c then Italy can be both a great, AND, good power.
 
The 'problem' with Italy, is that Benny and the Fascist party in reality were not the only ruler of Italy; The King (and the military), the church and the big industrialist had all their saying in how things were done.

So Mussolini, unlike Stalin and Hitler instead of phisically elimininate the opponent, decided to mollify and co-habitate with them.
So for the army, after the war, it was decided to let go the more younger officers and keep the more older...so to not create grumbling and appease them.
Many industries receivied goverment contract (expecially for the armed forces) just to keep them working and quality control was never ever an issue as they can basically done as they see fit.
To keep things quiet and not have any problem of someone trying to get his job, Benny surrounded himselfs of non-entity, yes-men that depend on him to keep the job...anyone that can be considered a threat or too capable to obscure him (like Balbo) get dismissed or receive a golden cage.

Maybe a more violent revolution, Italy become a repubblic and a true dictatorships like Germany or URSS...but frankly as italian i prefer a buffonish performance in WW2 than to have a better fame thanks to stalinist purge and mass extermination of a good size of your own population
 
I don't think it's possible to raise Italy up. I think it is possible to bring Germany down to Italy's level...
IIRC they were closer in power levels in 1938 during the Anschluss, have Italy either break with Germany or not get as close with them so that, possibly in concert with France, they oppose it. If Austria remains independent then that likely butterflies away the Sudetenland Crisis and later annexations, at which point the German economy is going to be in trouble as they needed to loot the foreign reserves as various loans became due to remain solvent.
 
With a time frame of 1923-1939, what decisions could be made to make Fascist Italy achieve real military and/or economic parity with Germany '39.

Bonus Points: How would your PoDs effect the Mediterranean Campaign should it come as OTL.

Rule: Mussolini must still be in Power.

Have Germany be stunted and and not have the Rhineland. Mussolini can coast to equality with Germany.
 
What about Italy getting bits of Spain, or concessions on the economy as a reward by Franci for helping during the war?
 
The 'problem' with Italy, is that Benny and the Fascist party in reality were not the only ruler of Italy; The King (and the military), the church and the big industrialist had all their saying in how things were done.

So Mussolini, unlike Stalin and Hitler instead of phisically elimininate the opponent, decided to mollify and co-habitate with them.
So for the army, after the war, it was decided to let go the more younger officers and keep the more older...so to not create grumbling and appease them.
Many industries receivied goverment contract (expecially for the armed forces) just to keep them working and quality control was never ever an issue as they can basically done as they see fit.
To keep things quiet and not have any problem of someone trying to get his job, Benny surrounded himselfs of non-entity, yes-men that depend on him to keep the job...anyone that can be considered a threat or too capable to obscure him (like Balbo) get dismissed or receive a golden cage.

Maybe a more violent revolution, Italy become a repubblic and a true dictatorships like Germany or URSS...but frankly as italian i prefer a buffonish performance in WW2 than to have a better fame thanks to stalinist purge and mass extermination of a good size of your own population

clever analyzing
 
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