Britain and the Reconstruction of the Post-Fascist Italian Armed Forces, 1943-48

This article looks at British efforts to reconstruct the Italian armed forces in the post-Fascist period. It also examines the aims of this undertaking, highlighting two in particular. These were the rebuilding of the Italian forces so as to be able to avert internally inspired communist subversion of the pro-Western Italian government, and the perpetuation of British influence in Italy in the postwar period. The article also identifies the obstacles the British faced in their efforts to implement their plans for the reconstruction of the Italian armed forces, namely the all-pervasive American influence in Italy, the negative legacy from the 'co-belligerency' period and the financial constraints facing Britain during this period

Art · Communism · Economic history · Government (linguistics · Period (music · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Subversion · History · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society · Law