So what would be impossibly attacking Greece or Yugoslavia ?This is all with the obvious diplomatic and political impossibilities put aside.
Did they have any treaties with Greece ? Given Italy is not at war with France or the UK and they have bigger fish to fry, why would they care .Well for 1 greece was an ally of the UK. If the Italians attack then they are at war with the UK automatically.
So what would be impossibly attacking Greece or Yugoslavia ?
Did they have any treaties with Greece ? Given Italy is not at war with France or the UK and they have bigger fish to fry, why would they care .
IIRC Italy planned to invade Yugoslavia prior to invasion of France and their entry into WWII? question whether Germany would intervene to aid them since their focus was on France.
IIRC Italy planned to invade Yugoslavia prior to invasion of France and their entry into WWII? question whether Germany would intervene to aid them since their focus was on France.
If Germany is bogged down in France i doubt they would divert forces to Yugoslavia to help the Italians, all they would have are border guards to prevent the Yugoslavs from attacking them.
On the other hand, its safe to assume Italy would do really poorly attacking Yugoslavia on its own, although it would probably get help from Hungary. Perhaps, if things get really bad they might promise territories to Romania and Bulgaria in exchange for their help? In any case, German lands are in danger from the Yugoslav forces. They mgith snoop some away from the East, if they have to spare.
do not know how well they would do attacking Yugoslavia, my view may be colored by their (relatively) poor performance during OTL invasion of 1941? (or that is the way it is usually described)
subtext of my post was whether debacle in Yugoslavia might lead to sitting out WWII.
Why specifically did the Axis attack Yugoslvia in April 1940? Was there a change in government & alliance orientation that winter or spring?
do not know how well they would do attacking Yugoslavia, my view may be colored by their (relatively) poor performance during OTL invasion of 1941? (or that is the way it is usually described)
subtext of my post was whether debacle in Yugoslavia might lead to sitting out WWII.
Well the situation would be different if Italy decides to attack in 1940. Since the posibility of other countries joining in the fighting the Yugoslavs can concentrate their forces much better.
Croats will fight fiercely since Italy had its eyes on lage portions of Croat territory(Dalmatia).
Both Paris and London will happyly sell Jugoslavia to keep Italy neutral and occupied so she can't meaningfully support the Germans
All neighbouring countries wanted a piece of Yugoslavia, with no overlap. So I think an agreement even with Greece could be found.
That's the bit that bugs me the most. Croatia could have been a source of iron, IIRC and taking Dalmatia would have made difficult for it to become an ally.
So, detaching it from Yugoslavia but with minor border adjustments might have been palatable enough.
They sold Poland to Germany and Russia even though they had an alliance with them; one think they would have sacrificed Yugoslavia to keep Italy neutral.
But with Germany doing bad they might reconsidder their positions. Especially Romania and Bulgaria. Without those frontlines the Yugoslavs got a chance to inflict crippling casualties on the Italians. Even, if the Yugoslavs get smart and retreat into the hills, i don't think the Italians can break them at all.
So what would be impossibly attacking Greece or Yugoslavia ?
Did they have any treaties with Greece ? Given Italy is not at war with France or the UK and they have bigger fish to fry, why would they care .
Retreating into the hills it's a war winning strategy only if you wait someone to come to your aid; and to begin with that plan you need also to prepare supply and infrastructure before the war and have someone that supply you...otherwise the enemy go simply with a siege tattic with limited offensive and use of aerial bombardment.
The Wallies will consider Italy a menace onlly after Germany is dealt with it (and if Japan don't use this time to launch their invasion of South Asia) and having Benny occupy the armed forces in Jugoslavia it's all in UK and France interest
They sold Poland to Germany and Russia even though they had an alliance with them; one think they would have sacrificed Yugoslavia to keep Italy neutral.
Bizarre, I would have thought declaring war in line with a public commitment and continuing that war through six years until the German armies surrendered in the field was not selling Poland to the Germans.
siege tactic? No, no. The Italians would need to capture towns and cities and reach Belgrade to force the Yugoslavs to surrender. Going into siege tactics is a horrible way to fight a country you try to conquer. Their casualties would mount up whilst the Yugoslavs will have the time to fully mobilize and gain the tactical advantage by stopping the invasion dead in its tracks. The Italians need to destroy and capture enemy divisions and take territory, whilst the Yugoslavs merely need to halt the offensive and prevent the enemy from taking strategic targets.
Strategically...well yes, the Polish had been left alone fighting the German at the beginning of the war except for some feeble (the better term is pathetic) attempt of an offensive to divert troops; the overall plan was more or less akin to let the German (and the Polish) bleed in POland while the Wallies mobilize.