Military Adventurism: Kingdom of Italy’s Attack Against The Kingdom of Greece in 1940

Authors

  • Marjan Malešič Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
  • Anton Žabkar ret. professor of University of Ljubljana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51663/pnz.62.3.04

Keywords:

military adventurism, Italy, Greece, armed forces, Italian-Greek war, military operation, defeat

Abstract

The article draws attention to the phenomenon of military adventurism. The analysis reveals certain fatal mistakes committed by the Italian political leadership, leading to military and political-diplomatic adventure. The most crucial of these included the simultaneous engagement of the limited Italian military forces on several battlefields (France, Albania, North Africa and Greece); the Italian arrogance towards Germany, its key ally; Italy’s overestimation of its forces’ capabilities and its underestimation of the enemy; and Italy’s disregard for the season (autumn and the coming winter), terrain (the mountainous area of Epirus), and weather (rain, snow, and extremely low temperatures) at the time of its attack against Greece.

Published

2022-10-14

Issue

Section

Articles