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World War II (1939–1945)

History SparkNotes

Italy and the Mediterranean

The Battle of Britain

The Invasion of Russia

June 10, 1940 Italy declares war on Britain
June 11 Italian planes attack Malta British skirmish in African desert
September 13 Italy launches failed invasion of Egypt
October 28 Italy begins invasion of Greece
November Greek resistance forces Italians into retreat
April 6, 1941 Germany attacks Yugoslavia
April 17 Yugoslavia surrenders
Late April British forces retreat from Greece
May 20 German forces attack British troops on Crete
May British forces retreat from Crete
Key People
Benito Mussolini -  Italian Fascist prime minister whose territorial ambitions drew Italy into the war in June 1940
Erwin Rommel -  German field marshal and tank specialist; helped Italian forces in Egypt; was also involved in later North African campaigns

Italy’s Entrance


Italian Conquests in Africa

Following its war declaration, Italy made its first moves in North Africa and other regions of the southern Mediterranean. On June 11, 1940, the Italian air force attacked Malta, while, on the same day, British planes carried out a small bombing raid on the Italian colony of Eritrea (in Africa) as well as on the Italian cities of Genoa and Turin. Skirmishes continued in Africa throughout the summer, but the war there did not begin in earnest until August 3, when Italian forces invaded British Somaliland. This attack marked the opening of the East Africa campaign and was a total defeat for Britain, which was forced to abandon the area within days.

A second Italian offensive into British-occupied Egypt on September 13 was a catastrophic failure. Although heavily outnumbered, the British defenders decimated the Italian forces, taking large numbers of prisoners and advancing well into Italian-held territory. This Italian defeat prompted Germany to get involved by sending its best tank divisions under the command of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Germany’s most celebrated commander of mechanized forces.


The Italian invasion of Greece began on October 28, 1940, using forces based in Albania. Mussolini began the attack without consulting or even informing Hitler, who was incensed upon hearing the news. Greece, a country of difficult, mountainous terrain, also had a respectable army that fought the Italians doggedly. In November, Greek forces broke through the Italian line and over the next few months were able gradually to push the invaders back to the Albanian border. It was not long before Britain began providing air support in Greece’s defense. As in Egypt, Mussolini had bitten off more than his military could chew. Germany, however, bided its time and allowed the Italians to flounder.

Germany’s Intervention


By this time, Britain had forces on the ground in Greece to help the fight against the Germans. The British help was not enough, however, and by the end of April, all British forces had evacuated Greece, and the country fell totally under German control. One more battle broke out when the Luftwaffe struck the British garrison on the island of Crete on May 20. Heavy fighting followed, but by the end of the month, the British again had to evacuate.

Italy’s Effect on the War

Italy’s two early campaigns—North Africa and Greece—were similar in that they both were marked by early success but later became quagmires. In both cases, Germany had to intervene and, as a result, committed forces that were badly needed elsewhere. However, whereas Greece was a relatively short campaign, lasting only a few months, the war in the deserts of North Africa would go on for years. The desert war would become one of the major campaigns of World War II, involving large numbers of forces and dramatic battles. The Italian entrance into the war thus greatly expanded its geographical scope and had significant influence on Germany’s decision making.

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