Disaster in Greece

Question 1

28 October 1940

Answer 1

Italian attack on Greece from base in Albania

Question 2

territorial motivation

Answer 2

New territorial motivation shaped by war’s progression
Germany had occupied Romanian oil fields; Mussolini thought Hitler wanted influence in the Balkans
Greece would increase Italian influence in Balkans; part of power game between Hitler and Mussolini

Question 3

invasion

Answer 3

Mussolini did not tell Hitler about this invasion
Mussolini assumed Greece had 30,000 troops, so attacked with 60,000 men, but Greece had 300,000; believed Bulgaria would join Italian invasion, but they didn’t

Question 4

weather

Answer 4

Weather was freezing; Italian forces bogged down in harsh conditions; uniforms disintegrated in heavy rains

Question 5

counter attack

Answer 5

Greece also held a counter attack, taking over ¼ of Albania
500,000 Italian soldiers deployed; 300,000 killed, Mussolini had to call for German help after six months, who defeated Greece within weeks

Question 6

blow to fascism

Answer 6

Italians given administration over Greece, but campaign dealt a serious blow to Fascism
Mussolini’s dictatorship weaker than Greece, which was not great European power
Propaganda unable to disguise truth; undermined faith in fascist rule and Mussolini
Confirmed Italy’s subservience to Germany and ended any belief in a parallel war

Question 7

Germany and Hitler

Answer 7

Germans viewed Italians with a contempt and Mussolini was intrinsically tied to Hitler’s war
‘Given our tragic situation, the only thing left to do is place everything in Hitler’s hand because we are incapable of doing anything’ - Mussolini to one of his ministers