The
Italian Army in Russia (
Armata Italiana in Russia, or
ARMIR) was an
armyAn army An army An army (from Latin armata "armed (things)" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based Military of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army (
Regio Esercito Italia) which fought on the
Eastern FrontThe Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of war between the European Axis powers, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia and Finland , and the Soviet Union which encompassed central and eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9...
during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The ARMIR was also known as the
8th Italian Army.
In July 1942, the ARMIR was created when Italian dictator
Benito MussoliniBenito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini,
KSMOM GCTE was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism. He became the Prime Minister of Italy in 1922 and began using the title Il Duce by...
decided to scale up the Italian effort in the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
. The existing
Italian Expeditionary Corps in RussiaThe Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia was a corps-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army which fought on the Eastern Front during World War II...
(
Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR) was expanded to become the ARMIR.
The
Italian Army in Russia (
Armata Italiana in Russia, or
ARMIR) was an
armyAn army An army An army (from Latin armata "armed (things)" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based Military of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army (
Regio Esercito Italia) which fought on the
Eastern FrontThe Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of war between the European Axis powers, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia and Finland , and the Soviet Union which encompassed central and eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9...
during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The ARMIR was also known as the
8th Italian Army.
Formation
In July 1942, the ARMIR was created when Italian dictator
Benito MussoliniBenito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini,
KSMOM GCTE was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism. He became the Prime Minister of Italy in 1922 and began using the title Il Duce by...
decided to scale up the Italian effort in the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
. The existing
Italian Expeditionary Corps in RussiaThe Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia was a corps-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army which fought on the Eastern Front during World War II...
(
Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR) was expanded to become the ARMIR. Unlike the "mobile" CSIR which it replaced, the ARMIR was primarily an infantry army. A good portion of the ARMIR was made up of mountain troops (
AlpiniThe Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
). While in many ways the mountain troops added greatly to the capabilities of the ARMIR, in other ways these elite mountain fighters were ill-suited to the vast, flat expanses of southern Russia.
Like the CSIR, the ARMIR included an Aviation Command (
Commando Aviazione) with a limited number of fighters, bombers, and transport aircraft. This command was part of the
Royal Air ForceThe Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy . It was established as a service independent of the Italian Royal Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolished and the Kingdom of Italy became the Republic of Italy...
(
Regia AeronauticaThe Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy . It was established as a service independent of the Italian Royal Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolished and the Kingdom of Italy became the Republic of Italy...
) and was also known as the "Italian Air Force Expeditionary Corps in Russia" (
Corpo Aereo Spedizione Italiana in Russia).
The ARMIR was subordinated to German
Army Group BArmy Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
(
Heeresgruppen B) commanded by General
Maximilian von WeichsMaximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II.-Early Life and Career:...
. In February 1943, after its near destruction during the
Battle of StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a battle of World War II between Nazi Germany and its allies and the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943....
, Mussolini disbanded what was left of the Italian 8th Army and the surviving Italian troops were unceremoniously brought home from Russia.
Composition
Mussolini sent seven new divisions to Russia for a total of ten divisions. Four new infantry divisions were sent: the 2 Infantry Division Sforzesca, the 3 Infantry Division Ravenna, the 5 Infantry Division Cosseria, and the
156 Infantry Division VicenzaThe 156 Infantry Division Vicenza was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Vicenza was formed in January 1942 as a Garrison Division. It was then sent to the Eastern front, as part of the Italian Army in Russia to act as a reserve and carry out rear area security...
. In addition to the infantry divisions, three new mountain (or
AlpiniThe Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
) divisions were sent: the
2 Alpine Division TridentinaThe 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina was a World War II light Infantry division of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units...
, the
3 Alpine Division JuliaThe 3rd Alpine Division Julia was a World War II light Infantry division of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units...
, and the 4 Alpine Division Cuneense. These new divisions were added to the
52 Motorised Division TorinoThe 52 Motorised Division Torino was an Motorised Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Division was formed from the expansion of the Torino Brigade in June 1940...
,
9 Motorised Division Pasubio9 Motorized Division Pasubio was a Motorised Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was mobilized in August 1940, and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, capturing Split and Sienih...
and
3 Cavalry Division Amedeo Duca d'AostaThe 3 Cavalry Division Amedeo Duca d'Aosta was an Cavalry or Celere Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in 1934, and during World War II was mobilized in June 1940. As a cavalry division and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and was part of the Italian...
which were already in Russia as part of the CSIR.
The 8th Italian Army was organized into three corps: The XXXV Army Corps, the II Army Corps, and the Mountain (
Alpini) Corps. The XXXV Corps included the three divisions of the CSIR: Torino, Pasubio, and Amedeo Duca d'Aosta. The II Corps included the new Sforzesca , Ravenna, and Cosseria divisions. The Mountain Corps included the Tridentina, the Julia, and Cuneense divisions. The Vicenza Division was under direct command of the 8th Army and was primarily utilized behind the front on "lines of communications" duties, security and anti-
partisanThe Soviet partisans were members of a resistance movement which fought a guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union during the Second World War....
.
In addition to the ten divisions, the 8th Italian Army included the 298th and 62nd German divisions (the latter being sent to Stalingrad), a
Fascist CroatianThe Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany. The NDH was established on April 10, 1941 after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers...
volunteer
legionThe Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
, and three legions of Italian Blackshirt Fascist volunteers (
Camicie Nere, or CCNN).
By November 1942, the 8th Italian Army had a total of 235,000 men in twelve divisions and four legions. It was equipped with 988 guns, 420 mortars, 25,000 horses, and 17,000 vehicles. While the Italians did receive 12
German Mk. IVThe Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
tanks and had captured several Soviet tanks, there were still very few modern tanks and anti-tank guns available to the ARMIR. The few tanks that were available still tended to be obsolete Italian models. Both the
L6/40 light tanksThe Fiat L6/40 was a light tank used by the Italian army from 1940 and on through World War II. The official Italian designation was Carro Armato L 6/40...
(armed with a turret-mounted 20 mm
Breda Model 35The Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35 , also known as Breda Model 35, was a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun produced by the Società Italiana Ernesto Breda of Brescia company in Italy and used during World War II. It was designed in 1932 and was adopted by the Italian armed forces in 1935...
gun) and the
47 mm anti-tank gunsThe Cannone da 47/32 M35 was an Austrian artillery piece produced under license in Italy during World War II. It was used both as an infantry gun and an anti-tank gun....
(
Cannone da 47/32 M35The Cannone da 47/32 M35 was an Austrian artillery piece produced under license in Italy during World War II. It was used both as an infantry gun and an anti-tank gun....
) were out of date when Italy declared war on 10 June 1940. Compared to what the Soviets had available to them in late 1942 and early 1943, Italian tanks and anti-tank guns could be considered more dangerous to the crews than to the enemy. Moreover, as was the complaint of General Messe with the CSIR, the ARMIR was seriously short of adequate winter equipment.
The Aviation Command of the ARMIR had a total of roughly 64 aircraft. The ARMIR had the following aircraft available to it:
Macchi C.200 “Thunder" (Saetta) fighterThe Macchi C.200 Saetta was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy, and used in various forms throughout the Regia Aeronautica...
, Macchi C.202 “Lightning" (
Folgore) fighter,
Caproni Ca.311 light reconnaissance-bomberThe Caproni Ca.311 was a light bomber-reconnaissance aircraft produced in Italy prior to and during World War II. It was a member of the large family of Caproni designs derived from the Ca.306 airliner prototype of 1935, and more directly a modification of the Ca.310 bomber. As with other related...
, and
Fiat Br.20 “Stork" (Cicogna) twin-engined bomberThe Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a twin-engine bomber of the Italian Regia Aeronautica which saw service in the Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II...
.
Commander
Italian General
Italo GariboldiItalo Gariboldi was a senior officer in the Italian Royal Army before and during World War II.-Biography:Gariboldi was born in Lodi, Lombardy....
took command of the newly formed ARMIR from General
Giovanni MesseGiovanni Messe was an Italian general, politician, and Field Marshal . He is considered the best Italian general of the Second World War.-Early life and career:...
. As commander of the CSIR, Messe had opposed an enlargement of the Italian contingent in Russia until it could be properly equipped. As a result, he was dismissed by Mussolini and the CSIR was expanded without his further input. Just prior to commanding the ARMIR, Gariboldi was the
Governor-GeneralA governor-general, also known as governor general, is a vice-regal representative of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription...
of
Italian LibyaItalian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya....
. He was criticized after the war for being too submissive to the Germans in
North AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the UN definition of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia,Mauritania, and...
.
Operations
For operational history of the ARMIR, see "Italian participation in the Eastern Front."
See also
- Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito)
- Italian war prisoners in Soviet Union 1942-1954
Over 60,000 Italian prisoners of war were taken captive by the Red Army in the Second World War. Almost all were captured during the decisive Soviet "Operation Little Saturn" offensive in December 1942 which annihilated the Italian Army in Russia Over 60,000 Italian prisoners of war were taken...
- Military equipment of Axis Power forces in Balkans and Russian Front
This is a list of weapons and aircraft used by Italy and lesser Axis powers in the eastern front against Soviet forces and in the Balkans. Other weapons were used for training or national defense purposes in capitals and main cities....
Armies with the Italian 8th Army and
Army Group BArmy Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
at Stalingrad:
- German 2nd Army
- German 6th Army
- German 4th Tank Army
- Hungarian 2nd Army
The Hungarian Second Army was one of three field armies formed by the Kingdom of Hungary which saw action during World War II. All three were formed on March 1, 1940...
- Romanian 3rd Army
- Romanian 4th Army
Sources
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Jowett, Philip S. The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943. Osprey, Oxford - New York, 2000. ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8