Why didn't the Italians fight very hard in the invasion of Italy during World War 2?

Answer 1

The first opportunity for the Italians to defend their own land was when the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. By this time in the war, the elite Italian armies had surrendered in North Africa or had been beaten in Russia. The Italian army was weak from losses and the home front was tired of sending their men off to die. Their ally, the Germans, were sending more troops into Italy to help fight the Allies but also to ensure the Italians would not give up(which they did in September).

The defenders of Sicily included coastal defense forces and an elite German panzer unit, the Herman Goring Division. Most of the Italians were poorly armed and some still wore the Adrian helmet of WW1. The forces were under the command of the Italian HQ, Commando Supremo, however German General Senger was in command of the German forces. They were able to hold back two Allied armies, the US 5th and British 8th Armies, for 2 months but they were out-gunned.

This defeat and the bombing of Rome, caused a public outcry and resulted in the Grand Council calling for Mussolini's resignation. The Germans suspected that the Italians were negotiating for a peace. Then just before the Allies landed at Salerno on 9 Sept, the Italian government announced their surrender. The only Italians who fought against the Allies were the die-hard Fascists or those of military age who were unlucky to be behind the German lines.