The Footprint of Mussolini - TL
I see a lot of companies in the Roman Alliance and the Democracies (Franco-British) forming joint enterprises or alliances to develop products or better economies of scale.
Well for sure Beretta will have a great time. Probably better than OTL.
Btw I forgot to mention, Mosley fared pretty good ITTL. Well, very good if as mentioned, it happened already for his party the chance to pass or block properly conservative bills in the Commons...
I wonder what Mosley’s reaction to the Holocaust and the resistance of the Hungarian Jews was?
Yep, Benny will be forced to give up autarky with the red menace breathing on everybody neck there will be an extremely necessary industial overhaul and a lot of international collaboration (even if i expect they will develop a French-like attitude in both industrial and cultural term).
Well...first thing the Ansaldo management will need to be dealt, maybe a early collective retirement proposition will be needed otherwise something of more harsh (sorry, but some example need to be made if there is resistance, otherwise soon Italy will be behind everybody, even the communist).
Conservative victory or not, some reform similar to OTL will be done, the british population is in general too tired and deprived even if the general economic situation will be slightly better than OTL
I see the various countries creating or merging some large companies to handle cross border projects (think Airbus) and providing subsidies to 'National Champions' like steel, coal or arms companies. Medium and small businesses will be left as is. I would see some sort of pension and health care system for veterans, allowing labor unions (under government management) and other social spending in Europe but not to the levels of OTL. What will be interesting is how the Alliance and Democracies will handle the colonies as a source of manpower, markets and raw materials.
I have the impression that Italy may use the CETME Rifle Design. Since Spain which was still under Fascist Regime (And an Ally of Italy in this TL) built those Rifles.
Plus I could see weapons that resemble the G3 Battle Rifle/CETME Battle Rifle be associated with Fascist Regimes, while AK-47/AKM Assault Rifles are associated with Communists.
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In fact I was considering how the economical views will develop in Italy post war. Considering that Italian fascism didn't have an established course in all its history, is highly probable that we could have now a facade corporativist economy. Autarky is not anymore necessary considering that Italy would have virtual access to all the world market now and anyway a string of allies and friendly European countries to sell and buy goods without particular issues. If else I wonder how would exactly work the chamber of the corporations TTL - probably won't affect much because the economy would be still essentially ruled by the government. Probably would pursue a mixed bag between laissez faire and state investments and therefore subsides through the IRI.
A character that I dearly hope would come up like OTL is Enrico Mattei. He started as commisar for the liquidation of bankrupt AGIP (Azienda Generale Italiana Petroli, the italian oil company) and with bombastic methods in few years he resurrected the company to international levels, first trying to be included in the Seven Sisters (the cartel made of the seven biggest oil companies), then openly challenging them around the world with the new ENI (Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi - National Hydrocarbons Agency); also, he was the one who coined the term.
He also didn't cared about restriction. His "Mattei method" consisted in laying the pipelines and then asking for the permit, because he hadn't time to waste in the burocratic machine. We are talking about OTL post-war Italy, where there wasn't oil, nor coal. Usually most people took the money he offered in exchange and cursed him. But he was an ex-vendor and he knew all the tricks.
In the Fifties and Sixties, his company became something akin to a nation: he had his journal (Il Giorno) and two news agency, assisted by what we could call a true diplomatic web, with "embassies" around the world, with his "ambassadors" fully charged with the power of bargaining. It's suspected that ENI even had a secret service, to discover every edge. His favourite partners were the poorer nations, which he courted with fairer shares. He had a catholic background and he deeply believed in ethic capitalism, without the savage exploit of the masses, but using the laws of the market to stimulate a reciprocate growth.
ITTL, he probably could not play the card of "fraternity between poor nations" and "Italy is not a colonialist power" for obvious reasons, but he could start earlier striking deals.
Above I posted the "six-legged-dragon-dog" symbolizing AGIP oil and gasoline, and the "three-legged-green-cat", symbolizing methane gas. Those were AGIP and then ENI's major products. The six legs of the dragon-dog depicted movement, like the babilonian's Lamassu.
OTL italian industry was a little different that what could seems. Mussolini had a grip over industrial decisions, but that was a two-way relations. Powerful industrial groups like FIAT and Ansaldo hold a lot of sway over the government. Like, FIAT won an aircraft fighter competion in 1938 just because it was made sure FIAT would be the only participant; Ansaldo never returned the inflated refunds it has received after WW1 thanks to Mussolini's intervention. I repeat, Italy never became a true totalitarian state only beacuse fascim never penetrated deep enough in the society. It was just a thick coat of paint.
It's possible that Mussolini could be convinced to tilt more toward capitalism, holding strong Keynesians policies, just like peronism.
I don't see why Italy should adopt CETME. Alright, it's a good weapon made by an ally, but OTL Italy already developed something like this. Beretta and Franchi jointly presented two weapons: Franchi LF58 carbine and Franchi LF59 assault rifle, both based on StG 44. Without the post war restriction, Italy could probably get this weapon early, thus dictating the Roman Alliance's new standard.
Here it is an image of the weapon. Later models had a foldable skeletal metal stock.
As you can see, it's quite diverse from AK and M series, thus giving a "third faction" vibe.
P.S.: orthographic and grammatical errors may occurs.
He also didn't cared about restriction. His "Mattei method" consisted in laying the pipelines and then asking for the permit, because he hadn't time to waste in the burocratic machine. We are talking about OTL post-war Italy, where there wasn't oil, nor coal. Usually most people took the money he offered in exchange and cursed him. But he was an ex-vendor and he knew all the tricks.
In the Fifties and Sixties, his company became something akin to a nation: he had his journal (Il Giorno) and two news agency, assisted by what we could call a true diplomatic web, with "embassies" around the world, with his "ambassadors" fully charged with the power of bargaining. It's suspected that ENI even had a secret service, to discover every edge. His favourite partners were the poorer nations, which he courted with fairer shares. He had a catholic background and he deeply believed in ethic capitalism, without the savage exploit of the masses, but using the laws of the market to stimulate a reciprocate growth.
ITTL, he probably could not play the card of "fraternity between poor nations" and "Italy is not a colonialist power" for obvious reasons, but he could start earlier striking deals.
Above I posted the "six-legged-dragon-dog" symbolizing AGIP oil and gasoline, and the "three-legged-green-cat", symbolizing methane gas. Those were AGIP and then ENI's major products. The six legs of the dragon-dog depicted movement, like the babilonian's Lamassu.
OTL italian industry was a little different that what could seems. Mussolini had a grip over industrial decisions, but that was a two-way relations. Powerful industrial groups like FIAT and Ansaldo hold a lot of sway over the government. Like, FIAT won an aircraft fighter competion in 1938 just because it was made sure FIAT would be the only participant; Ansaldo never returned the inflated refunds it has received after WW1 thanks to Mussolini's intervention. I repeat, Italy never became a true totalitarian state only beacuse fascim never penetrated deep enough in the society. It was just a thick coat of paint.
It's possible that Mussolini could be convinced to tilt more toward capitalism, holding strong Keynesians policies, just like peronism.
I don't see why Italy should adopt CETME. Alright, it's a good weapon made by an ally, but OTL Italy already developed something like this. Beretta and Franchi jointly presented two weapons: Franchi LF58 carbine and Franchi LF59 assault rifle, both based on StG 44. Without the post war restriction, Italy could probably get this weapon early, thus dictating the Roman Alliance's new standard.
Here it is an image of the weapon. Later models had a foldable skeletal metal stock.
As you can see, it's quite diverse from AK and M series, thus giving a "third faction" vibe.
P.S.: orthographic and grammatical errors may occurs.
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Interesting weapon, it will be made in 7.35x51, so maybe more controllable than 7.62, though in the 70s there might be a switch to something like a shortened 6.5 Carcano, like a Grendel.I don't see why Italy should adopt CETME. Alright, it's a good weapon made by an ally, but OTL Italy already developed something like this. Beretta and Franchi jointly presented two weapons: Franchi LF58 carbine and Franchi LF59 assault rifle, both based on StG 44. Without the post war restriction, Italy could probably get this weapon early, thus dictating the Roman Alliance's new standard.
Here it is an image of the weapon. Later model had a foldable skeletal metal stock.
As you can see, it's quite diverse from AK and M series, thus giving a "third faction" vibe.
P.S.: orthographic and grammatical errors may occurs.
Considering how he’s mainly been following Mussolini’s model of fascism, I imagine he’s already condemned the Holocaust (he’d already pretty much be required to do that if he wants to have any sort of political career in Britain) and praised the Hungarian Jews for their resistance towards the Nazis.
Probably lots of Fascists cast the Jews as 'heroic defenders of civilization against Nazi tyranny' and neglect their own statements.
A thought: With Germanic neopaganism painted in a particularly nasty light by virtue of himmler and the good relationship the Italian fascists now enjoy with the papacy, could the Catholic church end up associated with fascism in this timeline (if only in the eyes of non-catholic-majority peoples) - much as atheism has been tarred by association with communism OTL (and likely ITTL)?
This may have interesting repercussions in the rest of the world. In particular, I imagine that the myriad protestant sects in the USA might play this up as long as the USA is hostile to the Roman Alliance.
This may have interesting repercussions in the rest of the world. In particular, I imagine that the myriad protestant sects in the USA might play this up as long as the USA is hostile to the Roman Alliance.
Oh I like that. Would it be possible for it to put created earlier?I don't see why Italy should adopt CETME. Alright, it's a good weapon made by an ally, but OTL Italy already developed something like this. Beretta and Franchi jointly presented two weapons: Franchi LF58 carbine and Franchi LF59 assault rifle, both based on StG 44. Without the post war restriction, Italy could probably get this weapon early, thus dictating the Roman Alliance's new standard.
Here it is an image of the weapon. Later model had a foldable skeletal metal stock.
As you can see, it's quite diverse from AK and M series, thus giving a "third faction" vibe.
P.S.: orthographic and grammatical errors may occurs.
The lack of post-war restrictions could certainly quicken the development process of weapons, armour vehicles and aircrafts. Not so sure about ships, but let's leave them on side for now.
Since Franchi LF58 and LF59 were both based on pre-existent StG 44, it should be easier to produce it in the early Fifties, maybe with prototypes in the late Forties if some higher ups in the Army got hooked. I just can say in what conflict it would debut, because obviously Korea would not happens ITTL.
I agree with you, 7,35x51 mm sound like a reasonable choice, if it was already widespread by the Carcano rifle recalibration. I don't know if it's performance are better than the 7,62 NATO, but it's considerated a good hunting round.
On another topic: in the latest update it was said that Britain got most of the german missile program to Canada. Alright, the britons get the cool missiles. But, what if Italy got the secondary wunderwaffens? Not the V2, nor the jets, but all those promising weapons who are somewhat negletted in our social imaginary.
First of all, the Ruhrstahl SD 1400 (Fritz X), the first guided glide bomb succesfully deployed in combat, who in OTL sank the battleship Roma and damaged the battleships Warspite and Italia. This weapon is simplier and cheaper than the V2, making it a wise choice for the underdeveloped italian industry, which would became a world giant only after the economic miracle of the Fifties. Also, the Fritz X could have been combinated the Henschel Hs 294, transitioning from guided gliding bomb to guided air-to-surface missile, something akin to an early bunker-buster.
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Considering the fact that this testimony takes place in '49, there are only two men in the office between Wallace and Patton, and Truman had to specify that the President was Wallace when Hoover wasn't anywhere near the White House, this all but confirms that Patton is going to win the '48 election.
While Patton wouldn't normally get into politics, Wallace's actions here and the fact that he slapped Patton would piss old George off more than anything and make the MacArthur-Truman relationship look like that of best friends. Patton's going to want blood, and he'll fight a dirty campaign to get that Communist out of office ASAP.