Italian Volunteers

Discussions on all aspects of the Spanish Civil War including the Condor Legion, the Germans fighting for Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
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Charm000
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Italian Volunteers

#1

Post by Charm000 » 01 Sep 2004, 17:17

Does anyone know if there were ever any genuine Italian volunteers amongst the Nationalist Forces? The Black Flames, Black Arrows etc are always protrayed as professional soldiers or conscripted men sent to Spain on Mussolini's orders without any say in the matter.

Were there any Italian civilian or military volunteers who went of their own free will in those or any other units?

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Veronica
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#2

Post by Veronica » 01 Sep 2004, 19:25

I supose some of them were willing to go to Spain, but as it was compulsory in some units it is very difficult to know who was happy to fight in Spain and who wasn't.


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asiaticus
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#3

Post by asiaticus » 03 Sep 2004, 07:39

Littorio Division was a regular division, soldiers going where ordered. The other 1st - 3rd CCNN Divisions were blackhirts, so presumably volunteers. After the Battle of Guadalahara the CCNN divisions shrank to two then one then the remaining Italians were used as technical personel and officers in the Flechas Divisions that were mainly manned by Spaniards. Littorio Division stayed in being as before. Aparently duty was more reliable than volunteer or political enthusiasm once things got tough.

mars
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#4

Post by mars » 04 Sep 2004, 10:54

Charm000, many Italy facisit black shirt militia units were virtually "shanghaied" to spain, they were supposed to emigrated to Italy colony at North or East Africa, next thing they knew, they found themself at Spain, in the cold spain winter, many still wore their summer cloths. However most Italy units fought well in the spanish civil war.

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DrG
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#5

Post by DrG » 04 Sep 2004, 12:17

mars wrote:Charm000, many Italy facisit black shirt militia units were virtually "shanghaied" to spain, they were supposed to emigrated to Italy colony at North or East Africa, next thing they knew, they found themself at Spain, in the cold spain winter, many still wore their summer cloths.
Myth.
Asiaticus' post is correct.

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