Italians II.

This is coolbert:

Italian versus Italian!

In the aftermath of the armistice between Italy and the allies [1943], those reconstituted Italian army units deployed and continuing the fight "armed Italians were on both sides of the Gothic Line" [1944]. Further Italian military collaboration to the war effort more extensive than what I had thought and was aware of.

1. The fascist National Republican Army. Beholden to the German and Mussolini. This was the ENR. Four divisions worth of troops and participating in Winter Storm [1944]. PRO-GERMAN AND FASCIST!

"The National Republican Army (Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano, or ENR) was the army of the Italian Social Republic (Italian: Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI) from 1943 to 1945 that fought on the side of Nazi Germany during World War II."

"The ENR was officially formed 28 October 1943, by merging former Royal Army (Regio Esercito) units still loyal to Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and Italian pro-Nazi units raised by the Germans after the occupation of southern Italy."

Divisional sized units of the ENR on paper only I would think. More like regimental [3,000 man] or brigade [5,000 man] size possibly and nothing more than that.

2. The Italian Co-Belligerent Army. Italian army troops organized and equipped by the British as fighting units, volunteers all, hoping perhaps to redeem Italian military honor. PRO-ALLIED AND DEMOCRATIC!

"On the Allied side were four Italian groups of volunteers from the old Italian army. These Italian volunteers (of the Italian Co-Belligerent Army) were equipped and trained by the British."

Those Italians fighting under the auspices of the allies DOING QUITE WELL AND ACQUITTING THEMSELVES WITH HONOR AND VALOR BEYOND EXPECTATIONS!

Recall that those two Italian Waffen SS brigades engaged at Anzio according to German accounts performing "surprisingly well"! Decima MAS as commanded by Prince Borghese of course in a class all by itself, anti-partisan fascist enthusiast head-knockers whose combat zeal was unsurpassed!

Such also constitutes the Italian military enigma from both World Wars!

coolbert.