piero1971
21 Oct 06, 18:26
I just finishing a very interesting book "Tobruk 1940" on the accidental death of the Commander in Chief of Italian forces in Libya, Air Marshall Italo Balbo in July 1940 (shot down by mistake by italian AA fire while landing on TObruk airfield). Balbo, who was a sort of hero of the 1920's and especially of the 1930's by carrying air cruises all over the world, he was an aviation visionnaire and generally considered a great motivator of men and was well respected by his adversaries. after his death, the commander of the RAF in Egypt sent condoleances for him.. a rare occurance in war.
Balbo, considered Fascism n-2 after Mussolini by most italians, was also notoriously agaisnt Italy's alliance with Germany (something that the silly Anthony Eden incompetently pushed for... as Italy was strongly anti-Nazi until 1935...) and very vocal against the new 1939 racial laws, to the point of hiring into his staff many italian jews, who were very loyal to Italy anyway...
after his death, he was replaced by one of the most cowardly generals in the history of Italy (which says a lot), Gen Graziani. who quickly set his HQ to Tripoli.... and mismanaged Italian offensive into Egypt turning it into a rout where 300'000 italians could not beat 50'000 british and almost lost Libya if not for Rommel's intervention in early 1941... thus starting the Afrika Korps legend... (Graziani was replaced by Bastico, and ended up later in 1943, running sadistic anti-guerilla operations for the RSI)
the book, also explains the Air Marshall's plans for conducting war in North Africa, despite Italy's lack of equipment and supplies.
He planned for reusing captured British equipment, vehicles and supplies, and running major air-ground support operations as well as deep air raids on British forces with the Italian Royal Air Force, which he knew inside out, for having almost created the one that was available then.
He planned the creation of light motorized desert recon companies with captured british and french armoured cars and special forces groups, like the British SAS, to raid into Egypt, and planned for operational use of Italy's parachute batallions then in Lybia (instead they were used and lost as foot infantry)
he also had plans and contacts to mount a rebellion of Egypt against the British.
most importantly, contarily to the incompetent Italian military command of the times, who was very old style in his way of leading men and very keen on status, rather than efficency, Balbo did have a style of going into 1st line units, leading assaults with the troops, much like Rommel did. while dangerous, it may prove to make a difference..
the first what if, is, what if he was not killed in July. His leadership was very good and his ideas much more daring... could he have succeeded in the italian invasion of Egypt in 1940?
would this be in intersting scen to do- perhaps a modified of another existing one with extra italian proficiency (a bit) and a few extra units - perhaps as an option?
another interesting what if, based on some correspondence between balbo, and the Duke of Aosta, was that Balbo and Aosta thought that Italy's entry in war was both a folly and on the wrong side. Both saw the real enemy of Italy and of the western covilisation in Communism and not France and Britain. They also disliked the racial policies and the ambition of Nazi Germany.
they considered the idea of placing Lybia and Italian East-Africa as a "Free Italy", a bit like De Gaulle and "Free France" and join the British's struggle.
Eventually they considered that while the "right" thing, it would still be treason and went for the sad and oh so often used "my country, right or wrong".....
how would ww2 look like in this case... the allied suddenly with half-a-million italian troops in 1940.... and not needing to fight in Africa...?
that would interesting to play out in an existing scen.
Balbo, considered Fascism n-2 after Mussolini by most italians, was also notoriously agaisnt Italy's alliance with Germany (something that the silly Anthony Eden incompetently pushed for... as Italy was strongly anti-Nazi until 1935...) and very vocal against the new 1939 racial laws, to the point of hiring into his staff many italian jews, who were very loyal to Italy anyway...
after his death, he was replaced by one of the most cowardly generals in the history of Italy (which says a lot), Gen Graziani. who quickly set his HQ to Tripoli.... and mismanaged Italian offensive into Egypt turning it into a rout where 300'000 italians could not beat 50'000 british and almost lost Libya if not for Rommel's intervention in early 1941... thus starting the Afrika Korps legend... (Graziani was replaced by Bastico, and ended up later in 1943, running sadistic anti-guerilla operations for the RSI)
the book, also explains the Air Marshall's plans for conducting war in North Africa, despite Italy's lack of equipment and supplies.
He planned for reusing captured British equipment, vehicles and supplies, and running major air-ground support operations as well as deep air raids on British forces with the Italian Royal Air Force, which he knew inside out, for having almost created the one that was available then.
He planned the creation of light motorized desert recon companies with captured british and french armoured cars and special forces groups, like the British SAS, to raid into Egypt, and planned for operational use of Italy's parachute batallions then in Lybia (instead they were used and lost as foot infantry)
he also had plans and contacts to mount a rebellion of Egypt against the British.
most importantly, contarily to the incompetent Italian military command of the times, who was very old style in his way of leading men and very keen on status, rather than efficency, Balbo did have a style of going into 1st line units, leading assaults with the troops, much like Rommel did. while dangerous, it may prove to make a difference..
the first what if, is, what if he was not killed in July. His leadership was very good and his ideas much more daring... could he have succeeded in the italian invasion of Egypt in 1940?
would this be in intersting scen to do- perhaps a modified of another existing one with extra italian proficiency (a bit) and a few extra units - perhaps as an option?
another interesting what if, based on some correspondence between balbo, and the Duke of Aosta, was that Balbo and Aosta thought that Italy's entry in war was both a folly and on the wrong side. Both saw the real enemy of Italy and of the western covilisation in Communism and not France and Britain. They also disliked the racial policies and the ambition of Nazi Germany.
they considered the idea of placing Lybia and Italian East-Africa as a "Free Italy", a bit like De Gaulle and "Free France" and join the British's struggle.
Eventually they considered that while the "right" thing, it would still be treason and went for the sad and oh so often used "my country, right or wrong".....
how would ww2 look like in this case... the allied suddenly with half-a-million italian troops in 1940.... and not needing to fight in Africa...?
that would interesting to play out in an existing scen.