I’m interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of the RMI. I have heard that Sadkovich’s "Italian Navy" is a reference work on that subject. Is that true? Which books would you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Insights into the Regia Marina
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Re: Insights into the Regina Marina
Good day
I am surprised that no one has responded to your query. Of the three services, the RM is the most accessible to the English reader. There are three books you should read to gain a basic understanding.
Commander Marc' Bragadin's The Italian Navy in World War II. Bragadin was a serving officer during the war and he first introduce's the argument that the RM was successful in its primary mission: supplying A.S. First published in 1957, it remains a solid work on the RM.
James Sadkovich's The Italian Navy in World War II. Sadkovich takes Bragadin's argument and supports it with a lot more data. If you don't have access to the Italian Navy's offocial histories, Sadkovich provides many of the charts and data offered in those works. Sadkovich goes a little farther and tries to make the point that the RM was overall successful; a position I don't don't fully share. So I see Sadkovich as going to far in his position.
The Third book is Greene and Massignani's The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1940-1943. I see their book as the most balanced treatment of the RM effort during the war.
Reading these three books provides a solid start. From that point, you can delve deeper into the parts of the RM's history that interest you.
Pista! Jeff
I am surprised that no one has responded to your query. Of the three services, the RM is the most accessible to the English reader. There are three books you should read to gain a basic understanding.
Commander Marc' Bragadin's The Italian Navy in World War II. Bragadin was a serving officer during the war and he first introduce's the argument that the RM was successful in its primary mission: supplying A.S. First published in 1957, it remains a solid work on the RM.
James Sadkovich's The Italian Navy in World War II. Sadkovich takes Bragadin's argument and supports it with a lot more data. If you don't have access to the Italian Navy's offocial histories, Sadkovich provides many of the charts and data offered in those works. Sadkovich goes a little farther and tries to make the point that the RM was overall successful; a position I don't don't fully share. So I see Sadkovich as going to far in his position.
The Third book is Greene and Massignani's The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1940-1943. I see their book as the most balanced treatment of the RM effort during the war.
Reading these three books provides a solid start. From that point, you can delve deeper into the parts of the RM's history that interest you.
Pista! Jeff
Last edited by jwsleser on 19 Feb 2017, 20:34, edited 1 time in total.
Jeff Leser
Infantrymen of the Air
Infantrymen of the Air
Re: Insights into the Regina Marina
Certainly, the first step is to learn the correct spellings: "Regia Marina" (Royal Navy), not "Regina Marina" (Queen Marina), and "Bragadin", not "Bragadio".
Then, you can check my long bibliography about Italy under Fascism and in WW2, with a good amount of books about the Navy: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0#p1989590
Then, you can check my long bibliography about Italy under Fascism and in WW2, with a good amount of books about the Navy: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0#p1989590
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
DrG
Thank you for the correction on my spelling of Bragadin. As I had the book in front of me, I have no excuse except that I had a similar name on my mind as I was typing. Brain cramp.
Pista Jeff
Thank you for the correction on my spelling of Bragadin. As I had the book in front of me, I have no excuse except that I had a similar name on my mind as I was typing. Brain cramp.
Pista Jeff
Jeff Leser
Infantrymen of the Air
Infantrymen of the Air
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
I'd say that Sadkovich, while finally presenting an interesting and different view from certain Anglo-Saxon literature that seems to be based on a mix of prejudice and Allied (or German) claims that are taken at face value, without paying any attention to Italian sources, is excessively apologist towards the Regia Marina, thus being in turn somewhat biased, though at the other end of the spectrum.
What is your language? If you are able to read Italian, a good book would be La guerra italiana sul mare by Giorgio Giorgerini, in my opinion.
What is your language? If you are able to read Italian, a good book would be La guerra italiana sul mare by Giorgio Giorgerini, in my opinion.
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
Jeff, you are welcome!
LTColombo, Giorgerini's book is awfully obsolete, to say the least.
LTColombo, Giorgerini's book is awfully obsolete, to say the least.
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
Care to elaborate?Giorgerini's book is awfully obsolete, to say the least.
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
If you can read Italian, the best books Ive found are published by the Ministero della difensa, Marina Militare. They have published over 250 books and articles of which about 100 are currently available. They are pricey at times but its an invaluble source to the Italian Navy in WW 2.
http://www.marina.difesa.it/conosciamoc ... orico.aspx
I caanot stress enough how good this series is. COmplete histories of cruisers, torpedo boats, battleships. A complete 500 page volume on submarine operations. A complete volume on actions in the Black sea, 4 volumes on naval operations between 1941-43, Assault craft, the story of the attacks on Gibraltar, The merchant marine, The Italian submarines in the Atlantic, mine craft and warefare, the planned invasion of malta, the Battle of Punto stilo and the list goes on and on. Ive bought many of the volumes and they are very well worth it.
http://www.marina.difesa.it/conosciamoc ... orico.aspx
I caanot stress enough how good this series is. COmplete histories of cruisers, torpedo boats, battleships. A complete 500 page volume on submarine operations. A complete volume on actions in the Black sea, 4 volumes on naval operations between 1941-43, Assault craft, the story of the attacks on Gibraltar, The merchant marine, The Italian submarines in the Atlantic, mine craft and warefare, the planned invasion of malta, the Battle of Punto stilo and the list goes on and on. Ive bought many of the volumes and they are very well worth it.
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what's up?
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Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
Thanks for the input! Helps a lot!
I'm sure there is some great Italian stuff on that topic. It's a pity I can't speak Italian!
I'm sure there is some great Italian stuff on that topic. It's a pity I can't speak Italian!
Re: Insights into the Regia Marina
Another two books in English that should be useful are probably Maurizio Brescia's Mussolini's Navy, and Struggle for the Middle Sea by Vincent O'Hara. I do not have them (as English is not my mother tongue and I own quite a number of Italian books on the matter), but from ample excerpts I have read (Google Books) I would say they are rather detailed and well-researched.