Italy had some initial reservations about joining the war. How could we get Italy to stay out and what would the results of this have been?
Spot on! Good reading.I once wrote a TL to that effect. What do you think?
Without Italy in the war, does France fight on?
I think France giving the German a harder time and fighting on (say 1 or 2 months more) would persuade Mussolini to not enter the war.Probablly not. The catastrophe of complete German occupation led to the Deputies favoring capitulation at something like a 6-1 ratio. Even before the Italian entry it was clear the majority in the Deputies and the cabinet favored ending it.
Well the war was on when the Hoare-Laval Pact was made, it was a possible solution to the war.The Hoare-Laval Pact not leaking to the press would probably do the trick, largely avoiding the Italo-Ethiopian War.
But if Italy allies with Britain and the US lets say, what damage could the British and Americans do to Germany and there held. territories if they can also make use of Italian bases for Air and Naval attacks? Also, it gives the British the Allies a much better position to invade German held territories with land forces.As long as Italy stays neutral through 1939-43ish, I think it's a war winner for the Germans as they wouldn't have to involve themselves to the degree they did historically in the Balkans or Africa.
But if Italy allies with Britain and the US lets say, what damage could the British and Americans do to Germany and there held. territories if they can also make use of Italian bases for Air and Naval attacks? Also, it gives the British the Allies a much better position to invade German held territories with land forces.
I understand that, but what I should have made more clear based on Italy being neutral initially, is that Hitler did not honor neutral nations who did not side with him or prevented him from obtaining his goals. I guess hat I should have said was if Italy is invaded by Germany for remaining neutral, would not Italy have been forced to choose a side?I specifically said if Italy stays Neutral, and joining the Anglo-Americans would mean violating the OP as they wouldn't be staying out of the conflict.