Italian East Africa vehicles... & frustration

Discussions on all aspects of Italy under Fascism from the March on Rome to the end of the war.
User avatar
jwsleser
Member
Posts: 1363
Joined: 13 Jun 2005, 15:02
Location: Leavenworth, KS
Contact:

Re: Italian East Africa vehicles... & frustration

#16

Post by jwsleser » 12 Jan 2018, 17:50

Ahhh... okay. Not a single source but something you have assembled over time. I like it.

Eccellente!

Pista! Jeff
Jeff Leser

Infantrymen of the Air

Dili
Member
Posts: 2201
Joined: 24 Jun 2007, 23:54
Location: Lusitania

Re: Italian East Africa vehicles... & frustration

#17

Post by Dili » 12 Jan 2018, 18:38

Some of those would have been helpful in initialfight in Libya.


User avatar
Phaing
Member
Posts: 177
Joined: 23 Jul 2015, 05:51
Location: Medford, Oregon

Re: Italian East Africa vehicles... & frustration

#18

Post by Phaing » 12 Jan 2018, 20:46

jwsleser wrote: All sources are very clear that there were a large number of homemade armored vehicles of various armor and weapons. As the Italians didn't document these vehicles, it is unlikely we will every be able to account for everyone and what they were armed with. Unless an authoritative source is found (or someone has the two books mentioned and can check to see what they actually state), it appears the 13 Lancias and 11 Fiats are the correct numbers.

Pista Jeff
Two dozen of them, for the whole theater...

Yes, it does appear that way, but it just seems strange to me... there were 24-32 x M11/39 and 39 (?) x CV-33 present there, so why so few Armored Cars in a place where policing the interior was a major priority and Armored Cars would have been the more efficient and effective tool for that job?
As it stands, there are barely enough to scout for a single mechanized thrust, or even to screen the movement of that many tanks... and the Fiats are too slow to do the job in any case.
And then there is the Mechanized Infantry Battalion, as well as the 40th and 65th Divisions. They needed scouts too.

It puzzles me, that's all.

diciassette2000 wrote:Armellini-Diario di Guerra-Garzanti-Milano-1946
Ballari-Eritrea 1941-Volpe-Roma-1973
Bongiovanni-La fine dell'Impero-Mursia-Milano-1974
Bruttini-Puglisi-L'Impero Tradito -La Fenice-Firenze-1957
Canevari-La guerra italiana-I retroscena di una disfatta-Tosi-Roma-1949
Carnimeo-Cheren-Casella-Napoli-1950 (ristampa 1982)
Del Boca-La Caduta dell'Impero-Laterza-Bari-1982
Dell'Uomo-La divisione di fanteria "Africa" in Memorie storiche 1977 SME-Roma 1977
Gazzera -Guerra senza speranza-Regionale-Roma-1952
Ministero Africa Italiana-La costruzione dell'Impero-Mondadori-Milano-1940
Pesenti-Fronte Kenya-Bertello-Borgo San Dalmazzo-1952
Rocco -Difesa di Cassala e combattimento di Uaccai-Rivista Militare 1949
Valletti-Amba Alagi-Roma 1962
Rovighi-Le Operazioni in Africa Orientale-SME-Roma-1988
Tocci-Note Storiche sui mezzi corazzati in AOI in Memorie storiche 1994 SME-Roma 1994

All the best
Maurizio
Good answer!

The problem is, I don't read Italian. :oops:

However, there is a new one I can add to that;

https://www.amazon.com/First-Victory-Se ... ast+Africa

I tried to order it through Barnes & Noble, and they cancelled my order without telling me... otherwise I would have it by now.

User avatar
Phaing
Member
Posts: 177
Joined: 23 Jul 2015, 05:51
Location: Medford, Oregon

Re: Italian East Africa vehicles... & frustration

#19

Post by Phaing » 16 Jan 2018, 19:38

I should also "come clean" about why I was asking about this.

I have a working theory that Italy could have forced the British to capitulate by September or October of 1940 if just one thing had changed; starting in Sept. 1939 the Italian military start planning for an entry into the war, they implement those plans, and demand 72 hours advanced notice from Mussolini before declaration of war.
Better preparation was certainly possible, the Air Force went from 50% readiness to 75% between Sept. 1939 to June of 1940.

One of the prime components would be the fullest possible utilization of Italian East Africa's offensive potential, instead of sitting around waiting for the UK to build up the strength to overwhelm them. I believe that gaining more space that can be traded for time later on would have allowed for a better defense, but more importantly; a series of successful offensives could have forced the UK to the bargaining table before that point.

One of the things I am looking at is something nobody has mentioned before; Aden.
This would have to be a surprise move at the very outset, before any other attacks are made, and it certainly looks possible... but I was counting on being able to put some armored vehicles there.
As it looks now, 3 x CV and 2 x Fiat 611 is all that could be sent there, along with 2500 Italians and 4500 Eritreans.
That ain't so good.

Post Reply

Return to “Italy under Fascism 1922-1945”