Fascism's European Empire: Italian Occupation During the Second World War

Military Review,  Nov-Dec, 2007  by Michael A. Boden

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FASCISM'S EUROPEAN EMPIRE: Italian Occupation During The Second World War, Davide Rodogno, Cambridge University Press, TN, 2006, 504 pages.

Recent historiography of World War II has focused almost exclusively on Nazi Germany and its policies in Eastern Europe. It is refreshing when a quality study with new perspectives is published. In Fascism's European Empire: Italian Occupation During the Second World War, Davide Rodogno gives us an in-depth analysis of Germany's junior partner, Italy, and its foreign policy goals and operations, particularly in the Balkans, during World War II.

Rodogno first concentrates on Italy's nationalistic aims and aspirations as Mussolini led his country on the path to war, and then focuses on how administering the peoples and regions under occupation introduced unforeseen and sometimes unsolvable problems.

Italy's problematic relationship with Germany--Hitler never considered Italy an equal partner--and the realities of occupation governance frustrated the Duce's ambitions as he tried to consolidate power in the Italian spazio vitale.

Rodogno argues that although Italy may have treated Jews and other minorities more humanely than Germany, this neither mitigated the horrible conditions the Italians allowed nor indicates they had superior morals. Political concerns alone dictated how they treated interned persons, and no Italian organization made a sincere effort to keep innocent people from falling into Nazi hands.

Rodogno's book is a formal, well-researched look at a relatively unfamiliar topic that he renders surprisingly easy to understand. His sound arguments shed light on the neglected topic of Italian occupation policies during World War II. Anyone with an interest in military occupations or Italian history will gain knowledge by reading this illuminating study.

LTC Michael A. Boden, USA, Mosul, Iraq

COPYRIGHT 2007 U.S. Army CGSC
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning