The Italian Army 1940-45 (2): Africa 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms) (Vol 2) [Paperback]

Philip Jowett (Author), Stephen Andrew (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: January 25, 2001

At its peak the Italian Army contributed 2.5 million troops to the Axis war effort during World War II (1939-1945). In addition to its major role in North Africa, Italy's army invaded, and later bore the main burden of occupying, the Balkan countries. Italy also sent 250,000 men to fight on the Russian Front. In this second book of a three-part study Philip Jowett covers the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the Italian troops committed to both the North African campaign, and the often neglected East African fighting of 1940-41, including the colourful colonial units. Stephen Andrew's meticulous colour plates illustrate a wide range of uniforms.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

Philip S. Jowett was born in Leeds in 1961, and has been interested in military history for as long as he can remember. Before beginning his series on the Italian Army of World War II he was the author of the much praised Men-at-Arms 306 Chinese Civil War Armies 1911-49. A rugby league enthusiast and amateur genealogist, he is married and lives in Leeds.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855328658
• ISBN-13: 978-1855328655
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Osprey fills a long neglected subject, February 19, 2002

By 

Xavier Basora - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Italian Army 1940-45 (2): Africa 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms) (Vol 2) (Paperback)

In contrast to Mr Rila, I happen to be less interested in the U.S. and British forces. I've always been put off by the excessive coverage of their military as well as the German during the Second World War. Frankly, I often despaired that Anglophone military publishers succumbed to a cliched cycle of British, American, German armies with a token smattering of other countries.
Osprey's Italian Army at war mini-series is a belated recognition that there were other combattant nations involved during WW II and that it was now time to cover them The Italian army has often been a subject of derision in the Anglophone military histories due no doubt to their dismal performance in the North African and Balkan campaigns.
That's attitude has always been somewhat one-sided. Indeed, as Phillip Jowett ably shows, the Italians weren't totally inept. It's often forgotten that the Italians were among the most innovative in military affairs. They were among the first to raise parachute units an incorporate them into their war plans; their frogmen were best in Europe and Decima MAS was a formidable unit throughout the war. The Italian army was also the first to adopt a camouflage pattern for its shelter quarters in 1929. No doubt that inspired the German and Soviet military to adopt their own camouflage patterns
The Italians were also very effective as counter-guerrilla soldiers in Yugoslavia.
The mini-series is outstanding as it fills an important gap in Osprey's series. The mini-series allows us to assess better the Italian army both from a vantage point of nearly 60 years as well a fresh look at the historical documents. The Italian military performed dismally because its equipment was obselete and Mussolini wasn't interested in such unglamouros responsibilities as ensuring industrial production nor that his military had comparable equipment to that of its potential enemies. It was one thing to invade Ethopia with obselete equipment; quite another against the Greeks...
The artwork is superb though I did notice Stephen Andrew did have a tendency to repeat the same face in nearly all of the plates.
He'll have to avoid that mannerism in the future.
In sum, I highly recommend this mini-series and it should find a place in the bookshelves of modelers, re-enactors and militaria collectors.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!, March 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Italian Army 1940-45 (2): Africa 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms) (Vol 2) (Paperback)

I congratulate the author and illustrator for a thorough examination of Italian uniforms and equipment. Good illustrations and photos. I already have part one of this series, and look forward to the third installment. My only complaint (and this may be more of Osprey than the authors) is that Italian weaponry is not given much discussion here; still, a very useful source... - J. Winterbottom

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Useful and Detailed Study, December 22, 2001

By 

El Cutachero (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Italian Army 1940-45 (2): Africa 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms) (Vol 2) (Paperback)

This work is a splendid example of the new emphasis of the publisher on producing comprehensive works in a handy cheap format compared with the earlier broad brush treatments which covered too much in too little detail.
The new emphasis is on sets covering various national armed forces in as much detail as is available, consistent with the current purpose of the works in the series, which have evolved from an original emphasis on serving the military miniature maker market into works intended to enlighten the general reader in enough detail to satisfy the merely curious and to point the way to further reading.
Most of us, including myself, have little need for, or the patience to read, voluminous studies, often in foreign languages, covering many eras and nations. My main interest is in the US forces, their allies and their enemies in the twentieth century.
That said, these works should be purchased as presented, in sets within the series. Since they are produced as a set, the volumes cover only relevent parts of the general history and the clothing and individual equipment is covered as it appears in each period. The French Army, US Army, British Army, and Italian Army series all have three volumes, covering the major theatres and time periods of the war. The German set has five.
The German Army set should be read in conjunction with many other individual volumes covering their allies and opponents and the other German fighting forces such as the Waffen SS, and the Parachute units, which were part of the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe.
If you want an introduction to the fascinating variety of clothing and equipment of the forces covered, this set is for you.