MUSSOLINI: The Ruler of the Whole Somali territory 1936-1941
| His
Motto: Believe, Obey, Fight! |
 |
| "The
ruler of Somalia |
Italian-Somalia Flag 1936-1941
Letter from Commander in Chief of Allied Forces to
Head of Italian Government
29th September, 1943.
MY DEAR MARSHAL BADOGLIO.
The terms of the armistice to which we have just appended our
signatures are supplementary to the short military armistice signed by your
representative and mine on September 3rd, 1943. They are based upon the
situation obtaining prior to the cessation of hostilities. Developments since
that time have altered considerably the status of Italy, which has become in
effect a cooperator with the United Nations.
It is fully recognised by the Governments on whose behalf I am
acting that these terms are in some respects superseded by subsequent events and
that several of the clauses have become obsolescent or have already been put
into execution. We also recognise that it is not at this time in the power of
the Italian Government to carry out certain of the terms. Failure to do so
because of existing conditions will not be regarded as a breach of good faith on
the part of Italy. However, this document represents the requirements with which
the Italian Govemment can be expected to comply when in a position to do so.
It is to be understood that the terms both of this document and
of the short military ammistice of September 3rd may be modified from time to
time if military necessity or the extent of co-operation by the Italian
Government indicates this as desirable.
Sincerely,
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.
General, United States Army.
Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces.
His Excellency,
MARSHAL PIETRO BADOGLIO,
Head of the Italian Government.
Credit: Avalon Project Source: Treaties and Other International Agreements of
the United States of America 1776-1949 Compiled under the direction of Charles
I. Bevans LL.B. Assistant Legal Advisor Department of State Volume 3
Multilateral 1931-1945 Department of State Publication 8484 Washington, DC :
Government Printing Office, 1969 USMARC Cataloging Record.
Comando Supremo. Comcast.net
|
- EVENTS OF THE RISE AND FALL OF ITALIAN
EAST AFRICA
 HAN
(www.geeskaafrika.com) July 19th, 2004.
"Emperor Haile Selassie returns to
Ethiopia under the protection of the British, Five years to the
day, to Addis Ababa in an Italian Alfa Romeo limousine.
Managing Editor/Publisher: Nur Kafi
email: hornafricanewsline@elitemail.org
| EVENTS OF THE RISE AND FALL OF ITALIAN EAST AFRICA |
|
Italian attacks on British Somaliland,
Abyssinia and Sudan....Sources: Comando Supremo
|
| March - Mussolini
meets Hitler near the Brenner Pass. Hitler used this meeting to
strike at Mussolini's ego and convince him to join the war. He
motioned to Mussolini that if he wanted Italy to be a second rate
power in the Mediterranean, then forget about going to war. But if
he wants to bring his nation to glory, then join Germany in the
defeat of France and England. This was too much for Mussolini to
hear. He accepts Hitler's offer to join the war only if Germany's
attack on France was successful. He again motioned to Hitler that
Italy was still not prepared to join a war that could last 3 to 4
years. Hitler accepts Mussolini's offer, knowing that at least the
burden of fighting another front was gone.
April 9 - Mussolini received word from the German
ambassador that Germany had invaded Norway and Denmark. Although
Mussolini welcomes the news, he was resentful that he was kept in
the dark. Nevertheless, he gives a speech applauding the German
triumphs.
|
Portrait of Hitler and Mussolini
Sources: Comando Supremo comandosupremo@comcast.net
|
AFRICA: Italian attacks on British Somaliland Abyssinia
and Sudan
Africa seemed to be a good starting point for Italian expansion. On
paper, Italy had an impressive force; Approximately 172,000 troops forming
14 Divisions and separated into the 5th Army in the west and 10th Army to
the east. Initial estimates in strength showed Italian troops in Libya alone
would overwhelm the British in Egypt by looking at the table below. However,
on a strategic level, Italy only had a 6:1 ratio of Artillery to infantry
battalions. The British had 8:1. The British possessed seventy five 25 pdrs
to an Italian division which had twenty four 75mm and twelve 100mm guns. The
1,500 guns the Italians possessed were old and their tanks were obsolete,
even weaker than the British bren-gun carriers. The most notable of the
British forces in the Region under Wavell's command, the 7th armored
Division (Desert Rats) had 300 armored cars, light and cruiser tanks and
Bren gun carriers.
| Strength |
Italian |
British |
| Troops |
208,000
(36,000 Libyan Nationals |
50,000
(86,000 in Middle East Area) |
| Guns |
1,500 |
150 |
| Tanks |
300 |
45 Heavy Tanks |
| Fighter Planes |
450 |
205 |
| Bombers |
140 |
140 |
| The Italian situation in
Ethiopia was very similar. Italy had 280,000 troops available with
almost 400 aircraft. Of these troops, approximately 200,000 were
native Africans and approximately 80,000 were Italian.
The British, on the other hand, had only 19,000
troops in British Somaliand, Kenya and Sudan. Although some of the
British troops were made of colonials, the general Italian military
force in Africa was made up of 70% African troops.
These troops fought well in hand to hand combat,
but was noted by many Italian officers that they
"panicked" when under fire.
|
Italian attacks on British Somaliland and Sudan
|
June 10 - Italy declares war on France
and England. Mussolini saw France's imminent surrender and decided to reap
some of the spoils of France. In order to do this, he needed to absorb as
much French land as possible. Mussolini had interest in obtaining Nice,
Corsica, French Somaliland and Tunisia. Italy masses 32 divisions on the
French border and commences an attack. These divisions were severely under
equipped whose artillery was outdated and did not even possess enough pots
and pans to feed their troops. The Italians launched their initial attack
through the Little Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps, but had to stop due to a
massive snow storm. Another assault continued through the French Riviera
towards Nice, but that too was stopped in Menton, only 5 miles inside
France. By this time France was ready for an armistice with Germany.
August 1 - Italian destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi sinks
British submarine HMS Oswald off Cape Spartivento.
August 3 - British Somaliland surrenders to
Italy.
September 13 - The attack on British forces in Egypt was to
coincide with Operation Sealion (The invasion of England by Germany). When
it became apparent to Mussolini that this was postponed indefinitely, he
orders Marshal Rodolfo Graziani to launch his 10th army, made of a total of
7 Divisions, into combat across the Egyptian border. British tanks and
armored cars made bold attacks into Libya, forcing the Italians to transfer
troops from the 5th Army to the 10th and acquiring 2,500 motor vehicles and
gaining the delivery of 70 M-11 medium tanks from Italy. The British
retreated to buy time and reinforcements. After 4 days and 60 miles inside
Egypt, Graziani stops his attack due to supply logistics. Graziani was now
80 miles west of the British defenses in Mersa Matruh. To risk going any
farther, Graziani said, would risk being defeated until supplies were
available. Mussolini, angered over the sudden stop of the 10th Army, urges
Graziani to continue 300 miles into the port of Alexandria. Graziani was
appalled. Eventually Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio promised 1,000 tanks to
Graziani. This promise was never kept. The recent military operations in
Ethiopia and Spain drained Italy of many needed supplies and equipment.
Graziani was forced to change his attack plan and can not penetrate deeper
than Sidi Barrani.
ERITREA
January 12 - The Duke of Aosta sends Elite Savoia Grenadiers to
defend Keren.
ETHIOPIA/SUDAN BORDER
January 20 - Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Ethiopia under the
protection of the British.
ERITREA
January 27 - 2 Indian Divisions under Major General Platt attack
Agordat and 2 Indian Infantry Brigades attack Barentu.
January 31 - After 3 days of heavy fighting, the Italian Army
withdraws to the Keren Plateau. At this point, the Duke of Aosta, in command
at Addis Ababa, has only 67 aircraft available for combat in all East
Africa. Fuel and supplies are at an all time low, and infantry could only be
moved on foot. But in North Africa, the Italians bring in more and better
tanks and no longer use them in a haphazard way as the Maletti Group and
Brigata Corazzata Speciale (Special Brigade Unit). They are now grouped in
organic armored and motorized divisions and the M13/40's prove very
effective when used "en masse". Italy now has in North Africa
their first company of motorized cars with RECAM (Reparto Esplorante di
Corpo d'Armata di Manovra - Reconnaissance Unit of the Army Mobile Corps).
ERITREA
February 3 - The British attack Keren with a force of 30,000
against 23,000 Italians made up of 3 Brigades of Colonial Levies and 3
Brigades of Savoia Grenadiers. After attacks and counterattacks, the
Italians were able to push the Indian Infantry Brigade back. Then the
Scottish attacked and were also repelled by the Italians. Finally, on March
27, the British were able to push the Italian forces back from Keren after 7
weeks of fighting. In this battle, 3,000 Italians die and 500 British die
with 3,000 wounded.
ETHIOPIA
February 19 - South African troops capture Jumbo after heavy
fighting with Italian forces. In 3 hours, Italian Artillery fire over 3,000
shells.
February 25 - A motorized Nigerian Brigade reaches the outskirts
of Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland. Italian cruiser Armando Diaz is
sunk off Tripoli by British sub HMS Upright.
BRITISH SOMALILAND
March 16 - Royal Navy begins pounding installations in Berbera ,
the city was already abandoned by Italian soldiers. Berbera is regained by
the British later that day.
ERITREA
April 1 - Italian civil authorities in Asmara surrender to the
British. In total, the British forces were able to take 40,000 prisoners of
war and destroy 6 Italian divisions in 3 months. Italian destroyer Leone
runs aground off Eritrea and is scuttled by its crew to prevent it from
being captured by the British.
April - Operation
Hercules is developed by Italian and German commanders. Malta was a
strategic point for British convoys which supplied Commonwealth forces in
Africa. The invasion of Malta would take form in the landing of three
Italian parachute battalions and one German parachute division and bombarded
by both Italian and German aircraft. After the capture of Malta, Rommel
would drive the Axis forces into Egypt.
ETHIOPIA
May 5 - Five years to the day, Emperor Haile Selassie triumphantly
returns to Addis Ababa in an Italian Alfa Romeo limousine.
SUDAN
November 6 - The British mount their counteroffensive in the Sudan
town of Gallabat. 7,000 troops under the command of Sir William Slim storm
Gallabat with tank and infantry. Without air cover, he was unable to achieve
his goals. The Italian Air Force shot down 5 gladiators and bombed his
troops, killing 42 and wounding 125. The attack on Italian forces ended with
a British withdrawal.
Italy's Duke of Aosta, towers over his troops made up of mostly African
colonials.
© Copyright 1985- 2004- Comando Supremo <comandosupremo@comcast.net
Sources: World War II, Time Life Books, Italy at
War; World War II, Time Life Books, The War in the Desert; Italian
Wings, Destroyers of World War 2 and Cruisers of World War 2 by Mike
J. Whitley; courtesy Stefan Schlemmer> "The North African Campaign
1940-1943: A Reconsideration"; Lucio Ceva. Decisive Campaigns of the
Second World War; Edited by John Gooch: Journal of Strategic Studies. Volume
13. March 1990. "Of Myths and Men: Rommel and the Italians in North
Africa, 1940-1942"; James J. Sadkovich. The International History
Review, XIII. 2. May 1991, pp.221-440. I Paracadutisti Italiani 1937/45;
Giuseppe Lundari, Pietro Compagni. Editrice Militare Italiano-Serie "De
Bello" 09; "Italian Aces of World War Two": Giovanni
Massimello and Giorgio Apostolo
Contact
at nurkafi@geeskaafrika.com
(Managing Editor/Publisher)
GEESKA AFRIKA ONLINE © 1985-2005 . Email
for informing your views and Ideas.
Our
Email: hornafricanewsline@elitemail.org
or han@geeskaafrika.com
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