In July 1943 Benito Mussolini, Italy's warlord and the father of
fascism fell from power in a hastily arranged plot, the details of
which even today remain controversial. A cabal of generals took the
nation's reins and bungled their way toward an accommodation with
the Allies. When General Eisenhower announced an armistice with
Italy on the evening of 8 September he believed he had struck a
deal that included Italian military cooperation against the
Germans. In fact, the generals had promised more than they could
deliver and Germany's terrible, swift reprisal shattered Italy's
confused air force and army. The armistice likewise caught the navy
by surprise, with its battleships raising steam to attack the
Allied fleet landing at Salerno. Nonetheless, the Regia Marina
obeyed its government's orders and honored the pact the generals
had negotiated. Rather than evaporating like Italy's other
services, however, it proceeded to fight a three-week campaign
against Germany, without Allied support, and in the process
retained complete control of its ships, regardless of the ports
necessity forced them to seek refuge in.
This is the story of the Regia Marina and the Italian armistice
of September 1943. It is a deeply-researched and highly readable
exploration of this confusing and fascinating corner of history. It
refutes the conventional notion that Italy's fleet abjectly
surrendered to Allied power. It shows how the navy paved Italy's
path from enemy to co-belligerent with the blood and unconquered
spirit of its men. Despite German and Allied intentions to secure
Italy's fleet for their own uses, it remained Italian to the end: a
dark navy - not victorious, but undefeated.
Vincent P. O'Hara and Enrico Cernuschi have collaborated for
publications including "Warship, World War II Magazine, World War
II Quarterly, " and the new "Seaforth Naval Review." Mr. O'Hara has
written several books including "Struggle for the Middle Sea: the
Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean 1939-1945" (Annapolis,
2009). Mr. Cernuschi is a regular contributor to Rivista Marittima
and Storia Militare. He has published a dozen books including "Le
navi da guerra italiane 1940-1945" (Parma, 2003) and "Domenico
Cavagnari: Storia di un Ammiraglio" (Rome, 2001) About DARK NAVY
The huge tragedy suffered by the Italian navy and nation has been
reduced, until today, to a brief mention in the very few books
available abroad about the Regia Marina's war between 1940 and
1945. It is thus quite important that a new essay directed toward
English speaking readers is dedicated, at last, to these events,
allowing them to sortie beyond the confines of Italian naval
historiography--which has long debated these themes--and beyond the
scanty circulation abroad of the Italian language.--Erminio
Bagnasco, editor of STORIA Militare
DARK NAVY is a masterful account of the Regia Marina's role in
the Armistice of September 1943. The authors are to be commended
for overturning the propagandist mythology which has often marred
English-language histories of this difficult period in Italian
history. A riveting story.--John Jordan, editor of WARSHIP
DARK NAVY gives an excellent overview of the naval, air, and
land impact on the Italian military at the time of the 8 September
1943 Armistice. It clearly shows the hesitancy of various leaders,
on both sides, as they grappled with "what to do?" in this
radically changed wartime environment and gives solid detail on the
actions that resulted.--Jack Greene, author (with Alessandro
Massigiani) of NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 1940-1943.
General
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