asl3d
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28. Italian bravery The Italian soldier has become the brunt of much unjustified ridicule since the war. The absence of a dedicated officer corps, and the distaste with which many Italians regarded the Italian cause, naturally impaired their fighting ability. When well led, their performance was as good as any; Gurkha regimental non-coms who encountered them in Ethiopia stated they were the bravest they had yet met—and the Gurkhas should know a bit about valor. During the war, the Italian soldier faced the best of each of the other major European combatants, in climes ranging from the snows of Russia to the deserts of North Africa. And, once the bulk of the army came under the jurisdiction of Allied command (excepting a few die-hard Fascists), it proved to be a valuable asset to their war effort. With the defection of Italy from the Axis cause and the granting of co-belligerent status to the new Italian government, a new era dawned. While training was still of dubious quality, their forces gained vast new stocks of modern equipment and there was no doubting Italian resolve. Italian units played a considerable role in the liberation of the rest of their country, occupied by the Germans and outlawed Fascists. With skill and tenacity, luck and experience, the Italian leader will be able to say: Veni, vidi, vinci.
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