Re: Subject: Fighting qualities of Italians

----- Original Message -----
From: John Atkinson <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 11:01 PM
Subject: Subject: Fighting qualities of Italians

>
> --- John Lambshead <pjdl@nhm.ac.uk> wrote:
> > Unfair comment.
> > The Italian Army suffered terrible losses in WW1 and
> > were as good as the
> > French or Germans.
>
> Lots of people suffered terrible losses in WWI.  In
> fact, the worst losses were (percentage-wise) suffered
> by the Belgians.  I'd have to look up percentages.  I
> doubt it was as high as some armies that fought
> considerably better.
>
>
MUCH SNIPPED
> This is, of course, in addition to the serious issues
> of bad, obsolete equipment created by Italy's
> premature armament program.
>
>  John

Politics and armament were the real problems. A thought experiment: Take
the
finest, boldest, and indeed sanest troops on the planet.  As an example
drawn entirely at random, let us say US combat engineers.  Equip them
with
WW2 Italian weaponry at Italian scales of issue.  The enemy may have
armour;
not to worry, our M11/39s or perhaps CV3/33s will protect us.  Our air
force
will use Fiat G.50s and CR.42s to carve a path into enemy territory for
our
Breda 65s - they'll make up for the shortage of ammunition for our
artillery. Now our idle, stupid popinjay of a "leader" sends our fellows
off
to fight on behalf of the French.

How well would they do?

Rob Paul