The Kingdom of Italy was not in the greatest shape it had ever been.
The Italo-Abyssian war of 1935-1936
The Italo-Albanian war of 1938
The Entry of Italy into WW2 on the side of Germany between 1940 and 1943
The Capitulation of Italy to the Allies and switching sides between 1943 and the establishment of the Italian Social Republic on the side of Germany in 1944.
in 10 years, the Italians had not much time to recover. Battered, Bruised, Distraught and wrought from Internal Conflicts and power struggles within the government. Readiness for even an expected war would never have been acheivable. And the odds were not looking to favour the Italians.
Chapter One: Welcome to the Jungle.
... excerpts from "The Third Great War"
"...At the end of the Second Great war the axis had been summarily defeated and the allied coalition of the United Nations and the Comintern had been victorious. However with this alliance of convenience at an end tensions remained high. While the United Nations had since demilitarised leaving a skeleton force on the borders, the Comintern and its Warsaw Pact allies had since kept their armies in full readiness for war..."
"...By Some circumstance of poor intelligence, intense spy-games or simply blind hope, the Allies were at a complete surprise when the Comintern attacked on October the 2nd. 1945..."
Italy however had one of the largest armies of the United Nations... as pitiful as it was to both Italy and its claimant of one of the largest armies.
10,000 men equipped with modern warfare components, outdated
90,000 men equipped with further outdated military equipment
20 flotillas of ships, including 5 pre-war class battleships.
150 Interceptor planes, slightly outdated, surplus American military Material
200 Bombers, Early War configurations, surplus British military Material.
The current government at the beginning of the war was less than efficient or worthwhile.
The recently appointed King was not completely unpopular, but the House of Savoy's influence was not as glorious as it would lay seem. Likewise rumours of his possible bisexuality and astrangement with his Wife gave unease to the Conservatives. In any case, he could charm in speech but his actual acumen in government lay waste to industrial efficiency.
The Prime Minister, Ferrucio Parri had unforunately been killed in the first hours of the war, his succesor, de Gasperi was left wanting when it came to being effectual, however he had support amongst the Liberal Party which secured his position for now.
Three former serving ministers were also pushed aside in the preparation for war. Armaments required full attention, and while Orlando was a bright man, his fascination with new technologies would serve little use at this point in time. Likewise, Conti resigned to give way to Badoglio. This war was likely to be defensive on every inch. Speed in assault meant little. On top of this the Chief of the Air force was replaced for another Marshall who would focus on the effectiveness of our bombers rather than paratroop doctrines when we had none.
In regards to the economy and production spheres of the Italian economy, while manpower reserves were high, the rate of which they could be replaced was ineffectual if the army was to be rapidly increased, 400 men a day (0.4) with currently Half a million willing to join the war effort.. Farming techniques in Italy were well behind the great powers, likewise in air and ground support. 30,000 men with artillery brigades were to be brought up as emergency reserves, another 10,000 men mobilised for speed tactics and a division of armour. (Note: the given figures here are actually half of what they should be, it's a bug for the first day of the scenario/first day after loading).
The fractured country was pushed to the brink with dissenting Communists within the political structure. Likewise, the war had begun with Yugoslavian bombers wrecking havoc along central Italy's factories. (Note: No idea why, but yeah, all my factories across italy started off damaged).
myth still sucks
