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Yes the Italians did fight on the Germans side.

Germany was in the war from the beginning in 1939 and did not surrender until 1945 Italy waited longer, entering the war in 1940, but surrendering earlier in 1943. Japan waited the longest, until the end of 1941, and surrendered in 1945 a few months after Germany. There was a lack of strategic cooperation between Germany and Italy, and a strong anti-German feeling among many Italians, although both countries declared war on the US on the same day, possibly as a show of support for the Japanese, but also to give German subs more freedom of attack in the North Atlantic, and Italian subs the same freedom in the South Atlantic. After their 1943 surrender, Italy was officially remade as an Allied country. Some Italians fought for the Allies, and some fought with the Germans, but most were sick of the war and went home.

The Italians began the war in North Africa in 1935 and invaded Albania in April 1939, before the Germans began fighting in Poland. Mussolini also sent troops into the Spanish Civil War. They didn't want to be left out of attack on France, so on 10 June 1940, they declared war against France and Britain and launched an attack across the border into France---but France surrendered to the Germans a few weeks later.

They continued their campaign in North Africa and Germany send troops to help them. They send the Africa Corps lead by General Rommel, who reported to the Italian Commando Supremo. Mussolini wanted to take some land for himself and launched an invasion of Greece. His attack soon bogged down and Hitler sent German troops to finish the job.

Later, Mussolini wanted to show his support of Hitler and sent troops into the Russian Campaign where they fought along side the Germans at Stalingrad. When the German VI Army was surrounded and cut off, an Italian Alpini unit lead force that broke through the lines.

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12y ago

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