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knocking out a major player in the war????
yes but it would still be pressure plus bombing from Italy by the Regia Aeronautica and royal navy which needed the diversion of forces
again it never happened so we don't know what would have happened but whatever
During the invasion of France Italy declared war at the end that is why they didn't even bother trying to defend south France
i know but if they had an ally there they would fall back thereActually, the French did bother defending the Italian invasion, with six divisions. I think the 32 Italian divisions got, what, 20 miles into France before the Armistice was signed?
4 million men is not nothing they would divert forces and even help France.
again you underestimate the fact Germany neds to split its forces even if its a 1:3 ratio in Italy that's still enoughWhat pressure? Italy had no capability to invade Germany in any meaningful manner. At most they could capture a few towns in Austria.
Bombing Germany with what? Italy's air force did not have the capability, strength, or range to launch a serious or effective bombing campaign past the Austrian region (if that). Let alone any strategic campaign.
Sure they had a good Navy, but what good will it do in the end?
i know but if they had an ally there they would fall back there
obviously not 4 million in France obviously but some divisions could goHow so? Does Italy have the logistics to get 4 million men into France. Nope...
they could have held the french alps
again you underestimate the fact Germany neds to split its forces even if its a 1:3 ratio in Italy that's still enough
If the French have been that badly beaten that their flank is rolled up, the Maginot is enveloped, and the Germans have crossed the Rhone, that's pretty much game over for France anyway. The Germans at that point would have Paris as a hostage city.
ok and then Italy is left with France guarding the west Italy and east is italyThey could have done that in reality too, but there is no reason to think they would. By the time they realized what was going on, France was already fallen. They put their entire eggs in the Maginot Line basket. So unless you are moving the goal posts, France still falls.
BECAUSE ITALY IS AT THE SOUTHER FLANKWhy does Germany have to split its forces?
ok and then Italy is left with France guarding the west Italy and east is italy
BECAUSE ITALY IS AT THE SOUTHER FLANK
no they would not join because there was no pctA few things to take into consideration:
Germany, in it's invasion strategy, used the path of least resistance.
The French built a formidable defensive line across their frontier (Maginot line) and relied on that to discourage a German invasion.
As it happens, Germany went around through the Low Countries (just like they did in WWI).
Secondly, Germany had direct access to Italy via Austria, add to that, access via France. Historically, the Germans had not trouble with the Alps, as seen by the battles later in the war against Allied elements.
There was also Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria within access to Italy's eastern borders (assuming they followed addition to the Axis as was historically) that would be able to provide pressure on north-eastern Italy.
no they would not join because there was no pct