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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:18 pm
by Sam H.
Why hasn't Italy been liberated in this alternative? Are the facists still in power in Italy? Seems as if a lot has to happen to have the allies fighting in France but not Italy.
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:04 pm
by Wolery
Sam H. wrote:Why hasn't Italy been liberated in this alternative? Are the fascists still in power in Italy? Seems as if a lot has to happen to have the allies fighting in France but not Italy.
OK, what happened in my story is that, the invasion of Sicily and Salerno go off as planned, until my (anti?)hero Becker crushes the beachhead with units shipped in from a marginally more successful Russian front. Becker then, in sheer audacity, runs south, and lands on Sicily and routs the Allies before they react. It's a total disaster for the Allies and Becker gets promoted to Feldmarschall for it.
From what I've read Italy was always just a side show and the Americans only agreed to it because they couldn't do D-Day in 43 anyway, and they could get away with it. After being smacked around, they choose to concentrate all forces in England and focus on liberating France and then beating the crap out of Germany. Italy is bombed but that's about it. Theoretically they could use the Dragoon force to land in Italy again, but I'd think Allied command would again be cautious about spreading their forces too thin.
Does that adequately answer your question? :)
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:41 pm
by Sam H.
So is Italy still an active Axis (German) ally, or has it gone to the allies and is just occupied by the Germans?
Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:10 am
by Wolery
Il-Duce has been restored to power, and the king is effectively a prisoner in his own palace. All is not well for Il-Duce by any means because he was out of power for a time and now is TOTALLY beholden Hitler as his benefactor. This does have a side benefit insofar that the OKW now has effective control of both the Italian army in the field, and at both Kesselring's and Becker's suggestion, German drill instructors have been forming much better trained (and marginally better equipped) Italian divisions for East Front and Balkan service.
I don't know if that actually happened with the formation of the Italian Social Republic historically, but I assume that would be the logical step. I haven't considered Italy's effect on the war if it fights to the end, but I imagine not much would change because most of Italy's farming and industrial base seems to be in the Po Valley anyway, which historically wasn't overrun until 1945 anyway.
Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:44 pm
by Sam H.
Wolery wrote:Il-Duce has been restored to power, and the king is effectively a prisoner in his own palace. All is not well for Il-Duce by any means because he was out of power for a time and now is TOTALLY beholden Hitler as his benefactor. This does have a side benefit insofar that the OKW now has effective control of both the Italian army in the field, and at both Kesselring's and Becker's suggestion, German drill instructors have been forming much better trained (and marginally better equipped) Italian divisions for East Front and Balkan service.
I don't know if that actually happened with the formation of the Italian Social Republic historically, but I assume that would be the logical step. I haven't considered Italy's effect on the war if it fights to the end, but I imagine not much would change because most of Italy's farming and industrial base seems to be in the Po Valley anyway, which historically wasn't overrun until 1945 anyway.
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:28 pm
by Wolery
Was there something seriously wrong with that last part?
