But it did OTL... It was a catastrophe but it did happen.Except unlike the USSR Italy can't jump sides.
But it did OTL... It was a catastrophe but it did happen.Except unlike the USSR Italy can't jump sides.
But it did OTL... It was a catastrophe but it did happen.
And Uncle Joe only switched sides when Hitler invaded him. The rest of your post is irrelevant as you specifically said that Italy couldn't switch sides not that Mussolini wouldn't.Only once the knife was literally placed next to her neck
And Uncle Joe only switched sides when Hitler invaded him. The rest of your post is irrelevant as you specifically said that Italy couldn't switch sides not that Mussolini wouldn't.
Congrats on getting sidetracked twice in as many responses.Several problems with what you're saying. 1) The USSR was not part of the Axis nor that economically or politically integrated REMOTELY as deeply as Italy was when they were invaded. The two nations were occasionally co-operating (with more zones of tension than areas they were in actual agreement on) and in a tact non-aggression pact at best, which gave the Soviets alot more leeway. 2) I find it disingenious for you to say the USSR "switched" sides; that implies they willingly did something. Unlike Italy, who declared and jumped into the war with the Allies of their own volition, Stalin ended up at war with Germany when he did because the Germans thrust it upon him. 3) Prior to the coup Mussolini WAS the Italian government (or, at the very least, without his approval Italy isen't going to be making any major diplomatic or military moves), and if you somehow remove him from the picture he can't exactly be redeeming himself as is the premise of this thread. The nation and the man, so far as this thread is concerned, are unavoidably intertwined.
Could Italy maintain its neutrality up til around 1942-1943 before the Germans attempt to secure the soft underbelly after trying and failing to get Italy to join the Axis?
While the OTL Italian army was known to be subpar other threads regarding a neutral or allied Italy suggest the latter has extremely defensive terrain (apparently having the opposite issue to France who had a much better army yet poor defensive terrain) including the Alps and Apennines (with the Italians knowing such treacherous terrain much better than the Germans), which would potentially make any attempt to invade Italy being long, costly and bloody affair for Germany that could potentially detract from the war on the Eastern Front as well as buy Italy enough time until the arrival of the Allies.
With regard to the Alps, I don't really know. If we discount the invasion of Greece, whatever was sent there plus the Afrika Korps become available.
There too many variables for me, but someone more knowledgeable could give an educated guess?
Pinochet threw in the towel after losing a referendum.
You: Italy couldn't change sides
me: but it did OTL
you: Mussolini didn't do that
me: follow the conversation mate, I made no claims that Mussolini switched sides.
you:
Congrats on getting sidetracked twice in as many responses.
In a straight assault to the defensive line in the alps (yep, Benny build a lot of fortifications in case of war against Germany)? It's extremely unfair, they will need to be at least the triple
What about an aerial expedition? How many bombers could the Luftwaffe have spared? Not sure whether they can cross the Alps in any point, but the attack could come from France.
The French-Italian border it's even worse for the attacker and while the Germans can bypass the alps with the bombers and cause a lot of damage, you don't conquer or beat a nation with only air power.
The idea is to stall military production, destroy infrastructure and anything that could slow down the allied progress, especially if the Germans feel M is about to do an about-face and join them.
No, after he tied himself to the Nazis he was toast. There was no way to get rid of THAT stench. Before then, sure. If he remained neutral he probably would have come out all right.
Unlike how Stalin became 'Uncle Joe'
USSR was real tight with Nazi Germany, right up till Barbarossa.
So all it would take, would be for the Moose to jump sides