Italian Army Elite Units Special Forces 1940 43

Author : Pier Paolo Battistelli
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1849088950
Total Pages : 131 pages
Book Rating : 4.54/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–43 written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-11-20 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli examines the elite and specialforces units of the Italian Army during World War II. This includes a vast array of troop types, including paratroopers, assault engineers, sea-landing and swimmer units, long-range recce and ski units, and even hand-picked Fascist 'Mussolini' units. It also delves into the specialist tank and armoured units that were created to emulate the German armoured units. While the Italian units discussed enjoyed mixed success, the volume draws attention to the incredibly hard fighting done by some in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of Russia. Illustrated with rare archival photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this is a fascinating insight into a little-studied aspect of Axis forces.

Author : Pier Paolo Battistelli
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 184908596X
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.60/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–43 written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-11-20 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli examines the elite and specialforces units of the Italian Army during World War II. This includes a vast array of troop types, including paratroopers, assault engineers, sea-landing and swimmer units, long-range recce and ski units, and even hand-picked Fascist 'Mussolini' units. It also delves into the specialist tank and armoured units that were created to emulate the German armoured units. While the Italian units discussed enjoyed mixed success, the volume draws attention to the incredibly hard fighting done by some in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of Russia. Illustrated with rare archival photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this is a fascinating insight into a little-studied aspect of Axis forces.

Author : Piero Crociani
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1780963726
Total Pages : 150 pages
Book Rating : 4.23/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian Navy & Air Force Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–45 written by Piero Crociani and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume assesses the formidable Special Forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II. Italian Navy Special Forces were particularly active and respected in the Mediterranean, where 10th Motor-Torpedo Boat Flotilla used frogmen, 'two-man torpedoes' and explosive ram-boats. The Italian Air Force formed a special commando unit, ADRA, before the 1943 surrender; it was tasked with attacking Allied airfields and communications in North Africa. Men from ADRA and Army paratroopers formed the new 'Folgore' Regiment, which also continued to fight alongside German forces until 1945. In both cases, the pro-Allied Italian forces also formed 'mirror' units to fight alongside US and British forces, including the Recce Squadron 'F'. Featuring rare photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this book tells the story of the little-known elite forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II, some of whose successors remain in service with today's Italian armed forces.

Author : Piero Crociani
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1849088586
Total Pages : 66 pages
Book Rating : 4.89/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian Navy & Air Force Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–45 written by Piero Crociani and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume assesses the formidable Special Forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II. Italian Navy Special Forces were particularly active and respected in the Mediterranean, where 10th Motor-Torpedo Boat Flotilla used frogmen, 'two-man torpedoes' and explosive ram-boats. The Italian Air Force formed a special commando unit, ADRA, before the 1943 surrender; it was tasked with attacking Allied airfields and communications in North Africa. Men from ADRA and Army paratroopers formed the new 'Folgore' Regiment, which also continued to fight alongside German forces until 1945. In both cases, the pro-Allied Italian forces also formed 'mirror' units to fight alongside US and British forces, including the Recce Squadron 'F'. Featuring rare photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this book tells the story of the little-known elite forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II, some of whose successors remain in service with today's Italian armed forces.

Author : Philip Jowett
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781855328662
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.66/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Italian Army 1940–45 (3) written by Philip Jowett and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2001-05-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Immediately after the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943, Mussolini was deposed and the new Italian government switched sides. The German occupying forces swiftly freed Il Duce and ruthlessly disarmed the Italian Army; and from then until the end of the war in April 1945 Italian troops fought on both sides - with the forces of the new Fascist 'Salo Republic', in the Allied 'Co-Belligerent Forces', and in the Partisan movement. This period of bitter struggle saw the appearance of many new units and a wide range of interesting uniforms, described and illustrated in this final part of Philip Jowett's comprehensive three-volume series.

Author : Piero Crociani
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1780968566
Total Pages : 66 pages
Book Rating : 4.68/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian soldier in North Africa 1941–43 written by Piero Crociani and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-11-20 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the attention paid to the Afrikakorps over the years, it was the numerically far superior forces of the Italian Army that held the line and formed the bulk of the fighting power available to the Axis powers during the War in the Desert from 1941 through to 1943. Their performance has been unfairly criticised over the years – the best units of the Italian Army were equal to those of the British and Germans – but they suffered from a lack of mobility and poor equipment that made it impossible for them to meet mobile British forces on anywhere near equal terms. Despite this, the Italian Army went through many changes through the period, with the introduction of a variety of elite units – armoured, mechanised and parachute divisions that did much to restore the fighting reputation of the Italian soldier in the desert war. Their German allies belatedly acknowledged this with the redesignation of Panzerarmee Afrika as 1st Italian Army in February 1943. This title details recruitment, organisation and experience of the Italian forces in this theatre, casting new light on a force whose fighting power and capabilities have been unfairly ignored and maligned for too long.

Author : Pier Paolo Battistelli
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472806387
Total Pages : 103 pages
Book Rating : 4.83/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian Blackshirt 1935–45 written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book documents the experiences of the Italian armed Fascist militia, the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), from the Italian–Ethiopian war of 1935–36, through the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II. It explores their origins, development, recruitment, training, conditions of service, uniforms and equipment, battle experience, political and ideological motivation. The Blackshirt legions were raised under army control from 1928, and were employed in 1933 in Libya in counterinsurgency operations against the Senussi tribes; from 1935 in Italy's war against Ethiopia; and during the Spanish Civil War. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Blackshirts fought in North Africa, Greece, Croatia, on the Eastern Front and finally in Italy itself following the Allied invasion.

Author : Philip Jowett
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781855328662
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.66/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Italian Army 1940–45 (3) written by Philip Jowett and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2001-05-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Immediately after the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943, Mussolini was deposed and the new Italian government switched sides. The German occupying forces swiftly freed Il Duce and ruthlessly disarmed the Italian Army; and from then until the end of the war in April 1945 Italian troops fought on both sides - with the forces of the new Fascist 'Salo Republic', in the Allied 'Co-Belligerent Forces', and in the Partisan movement. This period of bitter struggle saw the appearance of many new units and a wide range of interesting uniforms, described and illustrated in this final part of Philip Jowett's comprehensive three-volume series.

Author : Philip Jowett
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781855328655
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.58/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Italian Army 1940–45 (2) written by Philip Jowett and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2001-01-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At its peak the Italian Army contributed 2.5 million troops to the Axis war effort during World War II (1939-1945). In addition to its major role in North Africa, Italy's army invaded, and later bore the main burden of occupying, the Balkan countries. Italy also sent 250,000 men to fight on the Russian Front. In this second book of a three-part study Philip Jowett covers the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the Italian troops committed to both the North African campaign, and the often neglected East African fighting of 1940-41, including the colourful colonial units. Stephen Andrew's meticulous colour plates illustrate a wide range of uniforms.

Author : Piero Crociani
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1780968574
Total Pages : 144 pages
Book Rating : 4.75/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Italian soldier in North Africa 1941–43 written by Piero Crociani and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-11-20 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the attention paid to the Afrikakorps over the years, it was the numerically far superior forces of the Italian Army that held the line and formed the bulk of the fighting power available to the Axis powers during the War in the Desert from 1941 through to 1943. Their performance has been unfairly criticised over the years – the best units of the Italian Army were equal to those of the British and Germans – but they suffered from a lack of mobility and poor equipment that made it impossible for them to meet mobile British forces on anywhere near equal terms. Despite this, the Italian Army went through many changes through the period, with the introduction of a variety of elite units – armoured, mechanised and parachute divisions that did much to restore the fighting reputation of the Italian soldier in the desert war. Their German allies belatedly acknowledged this with the redesignation of Panzerarmee Afrika as 1st Italian Army in February 1943. This title details recruitment, organisation and experience of the Italian forces in this theatre, casting new light on a force whose fighting power and capabilities have been unfairly ignored and maligned for too long.