Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Beijing WW2.


This is coolbert:

The Italian military enigma? Asian style.

"COMMAND: ITALY’S FAR EASTERN ARMY AND NAVY FORCES"

By MARK FELTON | 11/23/2016

Italian presence the Pacific Theater WW2? Italians?

As extracted from the Mark Felton Internet article:

"For the Italian military forces stationed on land in China the armistice meant certain internment in Japanese prisoner of war camps. A small mixed army and navy force of 100 men, under the command of a Lt. Cmdr. Baldassarre of the Royal Italian Navy, garrisoned the Beijing radio station, within the Italian concession. Although lightly armed with infantry weapons, Baldassarre was determined to resist a Japanese infantry regiment with approximately 1,000 men supported by artillery and 15 light tanks. Outnumbered 10-to-l the Italians fought for more than 24 hours before surrendering. Afterward, the majority of Italians wanted to continue fighting on the Axis side. The 29 who did not were transported to a Japanese prisoner of war camp in Korea."

This combat action yet one more exception to the Italian military enigma? Italian armed forces during both World Wars their performance seen as SHAMFUL and even SCANDALOUS. The perception of the Italian military during WW2 in particular being that of cowardly troops, inadequate/antique equipment and downright incompetent commanders.

See prior blog entries the Italian soldier during WW2 those exceptions to the enigma:




coolbert.




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