The Year Italy Joined the World War
Part 15: Technology and Production, July – December, 1940
Research-wise, the last six months of 1940 were primarily devoted to doctrine, both for army and navy. The army, however, received orders for the development of new weaponry as well, as did the air force, though to a smaller extent.
In July, as the war with Romania still raged, a number of improvements were made to Italian army doctrine. Their supply organization and central planning were advanced in the first week of July, doctrinal issues that Mussolini ordered continually improved. In July’s last week, the army was able to improve its tactics for mass assaults and its operational skill with large fronts. These general staff studies were also continued. Finally, in the direct aftermath of the Romanian War, Mussolini brought Italian research projects back up to fifteen by putting in an order for the development of a new rifle for Italian infantry. Finally, on the eve of the war to conquer Bulgaria, Italy’s radar technology was advanced again, a project that Mussolini replaced with an order for new artillery for the infantry.
Further radar advances in Italy.
Two weeks into the war with Britain, Italy developed an electronic computing machine, whose impact on future Italian research was anticipated to be significant. This project was replaced by a joint navy-air staff study on port strike tactics for bombers. Supply transportation was also improved in October, as the Italians were racing toward Alexandria. This completed project was replaced by an air staff study concerning naval bomber tactics. The last project to be completed in October was another general staff study on central planning, to which Mussolini ordered another successor. November then began, and began with a development in fighter and light bomber fuel tanks, thus increasing their range, as well as the small arms advance ordered in August. These two projects were replaced by the development of a new light warplane engine and an infantry anti-tank gun, respectively.
Italy developing fuel tanks for light planes, as well as improving its infantry small arms.
By the time Bergonzoli had reached the Suez Canal, another advance was made in Italian mass assault tactics and yet another successor to this general staff study was undertaken. And then, finally, results starting coming in from the naval staff concerning its fleet carrier doctrine. On the 13th of November, the first study on carrier group doctrine was published, and a successor immediately endorsed. Soon after Alexandria finally fell, the light cruiser escort role was for the first time officially argued, and naval underway replenishment was theorized. These two studies also spawned successors. With the Mediterranean Fleet on the run from the Regia Marina and Regio Esercito, naval air targeting was improved, and this study was also continued. Finally, with the Mediterranean Fleet blockaded in Tel Aviv, carrier crew training was advanced, as was the army’s large front doctrine. Both studies were continued.
The army’s large front doctrine was advanced, as was the navy’s carrier crew training.
The final spurt of research came in the last two weeks of December. Radar training onboard carriers was improved, as was light cruiser crew training. Both studies were, of course, continued. Also at this time, Mussolini finally began expanding his army further. He ordered that two corps of infantry be trained over time, each to be comprised of three infantry divisions. These infantry divisions were, however, to be comprised of three regiments each, rather than two, thus making them much hardier and more powerful units. Mussolini already knew where they were going to be deployed: in either Romania or Turkey, on the Soviet border. He was going to take no chances with his powerful neighbor to the east.
Italian procurement and production by the end of the year.
And so the year ended for technology and doctrine. It was a beneficial year, particularly for the army and the navy, as for both doctrine was advanced heavily. Furthermore, the army also began getting new weaponry with which to fight its foes on land, though given that its foes were nearly nonexistent this was not a particularly pressing issue at the moment. Mussolini was thinking to the future, and further conquests, however. He was keen to establish his navy as the foremost in the world, and his army as at least sufficient for the needs of wide-ranging conquest.