War & Downfall Flashcards
When did Italy join war
1940
Why did Duce accuse Germany of being ‘treacherous’
didn’t warn Italy of plans for Poland / Anschluss
When did the Blitzkrieg against France begin?
May 1940
Which prominent figures wanted to avoid war?
Foreign minister Balbo & the King
Was Italy prepared for war in terms of resources?
Lacked equipment and clothing
What % of national income was spent on armed forces?
11%
How many effective planes did Italy have?
1000
By June 1940 how many men did Italy have ready to fight?
only 800,000
What two areas did Italy try to advance on simultaneously in September 1940?
Greece
Egypt
What showed German dominance over Italian at war?
Mussolini persuaded to accept German as a commander in North Africa
Where did Britain defeat Italy - which prompted Germany to send Italy reinforcements?
East Africa
When did Allies invade Siciliy and begin to bomb Rome
July 1943
When did the Fascist Grand Council meet and strip Mussolini of military power?
July 1943
What did the Fascist Grand Council decide in July 1943?
vote to restore powers to parliament
When did King Emanuele sack Mussolini?
July 1943
Who was appointed PM after Mussolini
Badoglio
When was the Italians naval defeat at Taranto?
November 1940
Where was the Italian navy defeated at November 1940?
Taranto
When did Germany take over the war effort in North Africa?
June 1941
When was the allied landings in Sicily? What also happened this month?
July 1943
Fall of Mussolini
When was rationing introduced?
1941
What was food rationing down to calorifically?
1000 calories
What was significant about military equipment
- lacked tanks
- weapons from ww1
- “eight million bayonettes” yet only 800,000 soldiers
“ block out the sun” airforce
How long did it take Germany to defeat Greece
1 week
Where did Italy retreat from in 1943
Libya
What was X2 reasons for food shortages?
- naval blockade
- farmers conscirpted
