What If Mussolini had not declared war to United States?

What if,after Pearl Harbour,and the declaration of war of Hitler to United States,Mussolini had refused resolutely to declare war to USA?
 
I doubt it would have mattered. The US ended up declaring war on a number of Axis partners that hadn't declared war on them (like Bulgaria).
 
Well he was a important partner of Axis.
Imagine that shortly after Pearl Harbor Muss have said to Hitler: "don't declare war to America,is an affair between their and the Japanese (and knowing the Hitler'sprejudices)Japanese are not a white race.
More in this way we put in trouble Roosevelt.
Anyway Italy don't declare war to USA,under no circumstances".
Hitler makes his way and declare.
Mussolini in a speech said that Italy not have nothing contrast with United States,and that in America are many thousand of italo-Americans and for this reason would be a fratricidal war.
 

Esopo

Banned
The problem is that american troops were going to fight italian ones in north africa. The day hitler and the usa are in war mussolini will be forced to declare war too.
 
5 June, 1942 OTL. US declares war on Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. See any reason why Italy wouldn't make that list too?
 
I could say Italian-American community,but is not realistic.
But in this case Mussolini have a propaganda weapon for domestic use:
One of accuse to il Duce was to have declared war to powerful America
(An Italian diplomatic said after declaration; "but that damned idiot has ever seen the telephone directory of New York"?? ),other accuse is fight aganist the country of tens of thousands of Italians (and many in Italy had kin in USA).
So now Mussolini can said to Italian peoples that are the Americans that have attacked Italy.
Another vantage can be a possible better treatment by America in case of defeat.
 
The Germans had tried to take over Northern Italy and I heard it from my grandmother (She was Italian and lived in the U.S. but had relatives living in the Modena area) that the Nazi's were killing Italians for resisting their control (Something like every Italian that killed a German, 10 Italians were killed I don't know exactly) Either way, the Italians resented having the Nazi influence in their country.
 
The Germans had tried to take over Northern Italy and I heard it from my grandmother (She was Italian and lived in the U.S. but had relatives living in the Modena area) that the Nazi's were killing Italians for resisting their control (Something like every Italian that killed a German, 10 Italians were killed I don't know exactly) Either way, the Italians resented having the Nazi influence in their country.


I believe that was in 1943, after Italy switched sides. In 1941, Benny is still calling the shots in Italy, and there is nothing, short of declaring war on him, that Hitler can do if Benny is really stubborn an a given issue.
 

sharlin

Banned
I think if Benny didn't declare war immediately, Hitler would clear his throat, point out that his forces were all that were keeping the Italian african colonies secure and the Royal Navy at bay and point out, politely of course, that they could be taken away for the struggle in Russia unless Italy didn't declare war too.

Or failing that Hitler would throw a shite fit and threaten/demand that Benny declares war OR ELSE.
 
Yeah, poor old Benny relegated Italy to the status of an occupied country as soon as he asked for help after Compass. With German troops in Italy and Libya, he ultimately has to do pretty much whatever Hitler tells him.

He can try telling Hitler to sod off and then try to negotiate a separate peace, but, well, look to OTL for the outcome of that.
 

Esopo

Banned
Much more likely prospect, I think. If Hitler stays in character, of course.

Hitler isnt going to invade fascist italy for not declaring war to the usa. It wont matter eventually, because americans and italians will begin fighting and then declare war each other as soon as american troops are active in the mediterranean.
 
Hitler isnt going to invade fascist italy for not declaring war to the usa. It wont matter eventually, because americans and italians will begin fighting and then declare war each other as soon as american troops are active in the mediterranean.

Oh, of course not. But he would throw a tantrum, nonetheless.
 
I strongly suspect that the US would respond to Hitler's DOW by declaring war against Italy as well. Italy was a major member of the Tripartite axis and almost any US war plans would have necessity involved actions in North Africa against Italo-German forces.

The only way to avoid a US declaration of war against Italy would be if Mussolini went farther and, instead of just not declaring war on the US, he actually broke from the German alliance, claimed Hitler was a fool for making US entry into the European War inevitable, and asked for an armistice with Britain and her allies based on a return to prewar conditions. This is almost ASB of course, but this is a pattern in Italian warmaking.
 
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