During the fascist dictator’s rule over Italy, the Royal Italian Army fights extensively across Africa and Europe in many conflicts, before being defeated during WWII
26 January 1923 – 24 January 1932
Beginning shortly after Mussolini comes to power, this colonial conflict sees Italy pacify Libyan rebels. Tens of thousands of Libyans are killed in a war that lasts almost ten years. Libya is the beginning of a fascist programme to build a new Italian Empire.
3 October 1935 – 19 February 1937
Italian soldiers invade Ethiopia (Abyssinia) and force the country’s leader, Emperor Haile Selassie, into exile. The invasion and subsequent occupation enables Mussolini to establish Italian East Africa.
December 1936 – April 1939
Italy supplies 70,000 soldiers to support the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. Known as the Corpo Truppe Volontarie, this volunteer expeditionary force participates in many battles against the Spanish Second Republic and International Brigades.
7-12 April 1939
Ethiopia gives Mussolini confidence to extend his imperial ambitions to Albania, which is invaded and occupied by the Italian Army in five days. Like Haile Selassie, King Zog I of Albania goes into exile and his country becomes an Italian protectorate.
11 June 1940 – 4 February 1943
The Italian Army’s experience in the Second World War is dominated by fighting against British-led forces in Egypt and Libya. They are mostly heavily defeated by the Allies and require German assistance from the Afrika Korps.
10-25 June 1940
The first major Italian engagement of the Second World War sees Italian troops skirmishing with French soldiers in the Alps along the Franco-Italian border. The Italians create a demilitarised zone on the French side of the border and control an occupation zone that includes Monaco.
9-16 September 1940
The Italian 10th Army invades Egypt from Libya against British, Commonwealth and Free French forces. It advances as far as the Egyptian port of Sidi Barrani in an offensive that begins the Western Desert Campaign.
3-19 August 1940
Italian, Eritrean and Somali
