A Nation Collapses: The Italian Surrender of September 1943

by Elena Agarossi, Harvey Fergusson II

Overview

Drawing on mostly unpublished documents, A Nation Collapses revises the traditional understanding of a critical moment in the history of World War II: the collapse of the Italian fascist regime and Italy's unconditional surrender in September 1943. The book argues that, during their secret negotiations before the overthrow of Mussolini in July 1943, both Italy and Britain negotiated in bad faith and with a great deal of duplicity. The resulting misunderstandings and misjudgments resulted in an unexpectedly long and brutal campaign of conquest following Italy's surrender.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521591997
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/28/2000
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.63(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. The Allies and Italy: from a separate peace to unconditional surrender; 2. From July 25 to September 8, 1943; 3. September 8, 1943, and its consequences; Conclusion; Notes; Index.

Editorial Reviews

Agarossi (contemporary history, U. of Aquila and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Public Administration, Rome) draws on massive, mostly unpublished documents, to analyze the course of the secret negotiations between Italy and Britain before the overthrow of Mussolini in July 1943. She finds that both parties negotiated in bad faith and with a great deal of duplicity. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"This fine case study uses recently released documents to chronicle the chaotic weeks following Italy's capitulation to the Allies..." Foreign Affairs

"A Nation Collapses is a seminal, ground breaking work of historical significance for both political and military studies of the European Theater in World War II." Wisconsin Bookwatch

"Italian historian Elena Agarossi offers a thorough examination of what is sometimes regarded as the great missed opportunity in Italy..." Douglas Porch, The Journal of Military History

"Worth reading for anyine interested in the Second World War." NYMAS Newsletters

From the Publisher