Read on Twitter
Since it's silly season again on the @Esercito Italian Army performance, here are our thoughts on the matter, which is a bit more complex than a love for spaghetti. @mike_bechthold @ITM_archives @robert_lyman @KarlJames_1945 @alex1975uk @Hutch_and_Sons https://crusaderproject.wordpress.com/2020/07/19/the-performance-of-the-italian-army-in-north-africa/
I think it is fair to say that between very effective propaganda, and a disastrous performance in COMPASS, a myth emerged that is cherished on this sceptred isle. Real historians need to engage with this in a balanced manner, because others keep promoting it for its appeal.
Also, if mass surrenders are the measure of an army's will to stay in combat, what do events at (checks notes) Mechili, Coefia, Knightsbridge, Tobruk, Fuka Pass or Mersa Matruh tell us about the Empire forces? Asking for an army.
I should be able to dine out on the story of how 8 Hussars handed over about 10% of the remaining tanks of 30 Corps and an Armoured Brigade HQ to the Germans with basically no resistance because they were surprised over supper one night. Shockingly not as well known as Taranto.
Or how about Coefia, where 7 Indian Bde had its very own miniature Beda Fomm, except they didn't manage to get past some German armoured cars. Fortunately enough most of the Brigade managed to run away through the desert, which somehow became a great feat of arms in its own right
So what's the point here? It is that these were all very sensible actions by well-trained, high quality troops that had performed very well, but now chose wisely to not make a futile last stand (bloodbath, as the German officer in charge at the capture of 8 Hussars called it). 1/
But somehow its okay for Empire troops to act in this way, yet when Italian troops do the same, it's a feature of their national characteristics, cowardice, lack of will/innate ability to fight, and shows how they like pasta more than fighting. And challenging this is 'woke' 2/
And that's why we are still dealing with the #WW2 #myths. The few, the cowardly bumbling pasta-loving Italians, Ronson Shermans, the Red Army human waves, the Knights of the Black Cross, whatever. And of course these myths sell books, podcasts etc. We should all try to be better.
