How big was the Italian army during World War 2?

Answer 1

The Italians first deployed troops to North Africa. Later they sent troops to Greece & Yugoslavia and then to Russia. Mussolini wanted to show support to Franco's Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.

Here are some statistics that I found. I hope they are accurate as each source quotes a slightly different amount or for a different date.

In June 1940, the Italian Army's strength was 1,630,000 men in 73 divisions.

Abyssinia (N. Africa)Octoer 3, 1935 - Italy invaded Abyssinia with 100,000 infantry supported by armor, aircraft and gas attacks against a force that were largely armed with old rifles and spears. Within 4 months, Abyssinia had fallen and King Selassie had fled the country. Spanish Civil WarOn 18 July, 1936, a civil war erupted in Spain lead by a right-wing army general Francisco Franco. Italy secretly sent supplies to Spain by air but he was discovered when one of the aircraft forced to land in French Morocco. By the end of 1937, Italy had sent every aicraft he could spare and 37,000 troops, much to the detrement of Italy's economy. Short Invasion of France10 June 1940 - Italy declared war against France and Britain by launching an attack along their border with France with 32 divisions of the 1st and 4th Armies. Four days later, the Germans had over-run most of France and they surrendered. Greece & YugoslaviaItaly invaded Greece on 28 October 1940 with 7 divisions of the 9th and 11th Armies. By 22 November, the Italians were pushed back into Albania. Hitler sent German troops into Greece & Yugoslavia in 6 April 1941, resulting in capitulation of Greece on 21st. A combined German-Italian force of 50 divisions drove into Yugoslavia from all it surrounding neighbor countries. Out-numbered 2 to 1, Yugoslavia surrendered on 17 April, 1941. Occupation forces were sent to maintain control of Yugoslavia, Albania, Herzgovina, Montenegro, Croatia-Slovenia, and Greece. North AfricaItaly's armies in Africa totaled a force of 256,000 men, of which 182,000 were native troops of moderate fighting capabilities. {approx 1941?}

In February 1941, Lt-General Erwin Rommel arrived with the advance units of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK). But it wasn't until the American forces landed at Morrocco and Algiers on November 7, 1942, that Hitler sent 250,000 German and Italian troops into Tunis, Tunisia, on 11th November.

By 9 February 1941, the British pushed into Bardia, then Tobruk, Derna and Benghazi and had advanced 500 miles across the North African desert. They captured 130,000 prisoners, including 22 generals. The cost to the British was only 500 dead, 1373 wounded and 56 missing.

On 23 October 1941, the British attack the Axis defense lines around El Alamein. The Axis forces had 104,000 troops (the majority Italian), 489 tanks (259 inferior Italian) and 1,219 guns. The British destroyed 5 of the 7 Italian divisions in North Africa, and captured 130,000 Italian prisoners and 700 guns. Rommel lost 33,000 men and ordered a general retreat

November 8 1942- Battle of El Alamein. British forces were 230,000 men and the Axis forces totaled 108,000 men; 42 out of the 70 battalions were Italian. The losses at El Alamein were heavy for both sides: Rommel lost 25,000 dead and wounded and 30,000 captured; Montgomery lost 4,610 dead and missing and 8,950 wounded. The bulk of Rommel's casualties were Italian.

June 1940 to 1943 - The Axis losses during the Campaign in North Africa totaled 975,000 men, 7,600 aircraft, 6,200 guns, 2,550 tanks, and some 600 ships of all sizes.

Russian CampaignNovember, 1941 - Battle of Stalingrad - The Italian 8th Army entered the campaign with 229,000 men as part of German Army Group B. The 8th Army lost 85,000 men killed or missing and 30,000 men wounded. Reference Sources"Italy at War" - by Henry Adams. Time-Life WW2 Series, Time-Life Pub., 1982.

"The Italian Campaign" - by Robert Wallace. Time-Life WW2 Series, Time-Life Pub., 1978.

"Mussolini's Soldiers" - by Rex Trye, Motor Books Intl, 1987. Special:Booksources.

"Haile Selassie's War" - by Anthony Mockler. Random House Pub., 1984.

"The Italian Army - 1940-1945 (1)" - Osprey's Men-At-Arms series by Philip S. Jowett. Osprey Pub Co., 2000.

"The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia, 1935-36" - Osprey's Men-At-Arms by David Nicolle. Osprey Pub Co., 1997.

www.custermen.com

Answer 2

According to John Keegan's The Times Atlas of the Second World War, the peak strength of the Italian military during WWII was about 4,500,000. (The number of personnel who passed through the ranks of the military is unknown, and very difficult to estimate).

Answer 3

4,000,000+