Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- List of Tables -- Acronyms -- Introduction --   1 Categories and Context --   2 The Chapters --   3 A Model, an Observation, and a Word or Two on Theory, Evidence, and Methodologies --   4 Some Examples of Theoretically Dogmatic and Theoretically Agnostic Historiographies --   5 Closed and Open Inquiry -- 1 Striving for Self-Sufficiency and the Mirage of Autarky --   1 Was There a Fascist Economic System? --   2 Observations on Autarky and War -- 2 Deciding to Intervene --   1 Raw Materials and the Ability to Wage War --   2 A Winter Laden with Indecision --   3 A Spring Full of Surprises -- 3 The Components of War: Energy --   1 Energy—Solid Combustibles --   2 Energy—Liquid Combustibles --   3 Energy—Hydroelectric Power -- 4 The Components of War: Metals and Chemicals --   1 Pig Iron, Scrap Metal, Steel, Alloys, and Aluminum --   2 Alloys and Non-Ferrous Metals --   3 Propellants and Explosives -- 5 Imports, Allies, Material, and Materiel during Two World Wars --   1 The Importance of Material and Materiel --   2 Imports and Allies -- 6 Industrial Mobilization and War Production --   1 Obstacles to Industrial Mobilization --   2 Strategy and Procurement --   3 Some Observations -- 7 Material Constraints on Air Power --   1 Falling Behind --   2 Industrial Capacity --   3 Civil Aviation --   4 Evaluating and Ordering Aircraft --   5 Observations -- 8 Building an Armored Force --   1 Developing an Armored Doctrine --   2 Italian Production of Armored Vehicles and Artillery --   3 Italy’s Armored Force -- 9 The Cost of War --   1 The High Cost of Victory --   2 The High Cost of Defeat -- Select Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index .

Rather than a chronological account, this history contains discussions of topics ranging from economics and diplomacy to industrial capacity and armored doctrine. The author challenges claims that Italians were militarily incompetent by examining the influence of demography, natural resources, industrial capacity, and Italy’s allies on its war efforts during both world wars. He also challenges assertions that ideology determined the choice of allies and formulation of military doctrine, and arguments that Italy’s war effort was negligible in world wars. Based on primary and secondary sources, this revisionist history contains seventy-four tables and arguments rarely found in the literature in English.

English

Description based on print version record.