237: North Africa 1940 Pt. 1 - Italian Aspirations

In the summer of 1940, with the fall of France, the war in North Africa began in earnest. On one side, the Italian army in Libya, massive in number but beset by industrial and logistical problems. On the other, a small British force in Egypt, tasked with defending the Suez Canal. This episode explores the Italian war effort in the opening months of the North African campaign, from the strategic decisions made in Rome to the realities of the desert war. Was the Italian army a paper tiger, or a force to be reckoned with? Contact [e-mail] to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices