Rommel's North Africa Campaign: September 1940 - November 1942

Rating:
Summary: A good perspective on the Italians in WWII
Review: The Italians, as one of the most-mocked military forces of the Second World War, rarely get the depth of treatment that their erstwhile German allies receive. This book focuses on discussing the war in North Africa from the Italian perspective, using Italian sources liberally throughout. Greene and Massignani give a good impression of the state of mind of the Italian soldiery in North Africa. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Small book but all good
Review: This is the most information packed book I have ever seen on the desert war (and its from an IT perspective which makes it even more valuable). Its just a 272 page paperback but its full of pictures and maps and facts..facts..facts. It has pictures of many rare Italian equipments and covers the general trend of gun and tank development in the desert. Its just packed with details like atrocities and friendly fire incidents in the desert. Also covers battle actions with OOB and action reports. The english translation of the book is excellent. Also of note is the bibliography which gives a one sentence synopsis of about 40 other desert war publications! I wish Alessandro Massignani would put out a large format book with pictures like this! I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone who is interested in the North Africa theatre from 7/40 to 11/42.

Rating:
Summary: Superficial
Review: Working mostly from aged secondary sources, with some smatterings of original archival reseraches, this book purportedly shows Fascist Italy's unacknowledged, yet crucial, contribution to the Axis war effort in Africa.

Whilst the efforts expended to give more coverage to the Italians in the North African theatre is to be lauded,the premise that the Italians were bascially good soldiers badly led and poorly equipped just doen't wash.