099 Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940-43

1-997099

Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli examines the elite and special forces units of the Italian Army during World War II. This includes a vast array of troop types, including paratroopers, assault engineers, sea-landing and swimmer units, long-range recon and ski units, and even hand-picked Fascist 'Mussolini' units. It also delves into the specialist tank and armored units that were created to emulate the German armored units. While the Italian units discussed enjoyed mixed success, the volume draws attention to the incredibly hard fighting done by some in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of Russia. Illustrated with rare archival photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this is a fascinating insight into a little-studied aspect of Axis forces.