Changes

Not all the British commanders depreciated the fighting skills of their Italian adversaries. During the [[Battle of Calabria]] in mid-June 1940, Admiral [[Andrew Cunningham]], called off further operations when Italian bombers appeared. The British commander never underestimated the Italian airmen in this type of attack. with Cunningham writing that, '''"Italian high-level-bombing was the best I have ever seen, far better than the Germans."''<ref>"The Commander-in-Chief never underestimated the Italian airmen in this type of attack. "Italian high-level-bombing",  he wrote, "was the best I have ever seen, far better than the Germans."" Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

Not all the British commanders depreciated the fighting skills of their Italian adversaries. During the [[Battle of Calabria]] in mid-June 1940, Admiral [[Andrew Cunningham]], called off further operations when Italian bombers appeared. The British commander never underestimated the Italian airmen in this type of attack. with Cunningham writing that, '''"Italian high-level-bombing was the best I have ever seen, far better than the Germans."''<ref>"The Commander-in-Chief never underestimated the Italian airmen in this type of attack. "Italian high-level-bombing",  he wrote, "was the best I have ever seen, far better than the Germans."" Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

Italian armoured divisions fought well despite having few tanks, and those aptly described as 'steel coffins' by Germans soldiers.

Italian armored divisions fought well despite having few tanks, and those aptly described as 'steel coffins' by Germans soldiers.

Despite the often heroic efforts by the Italian Navy described by Professor James  Sadkovich, fuel and other vital supplies were gradually denied to the Axis troops. Half of the convoys to North Africa were sunk by the Allies.

Despite the often heroic efforts by the Italian Navy described by Professor James  Sadkovich, fuel and other vital supplies were gradually denied to the Axis troops. Half of the convoys to North Africa were sunk by the Allies.

The fall of the Tunis and Bizerte ports in Tunisia was inevitable, but [[US Army]] General [[Omar Bradley]] admitted that the American formations encountered serious opposition in the advance, writing that the Axis defenders were, ''"the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men."''<ref>"Allied victory was inevitable, General Omar Bradley said, but it was not an easy victory. "The trapped enemy was the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men who, "as the official British historian wrote, "fought with desperation of men who knew they could not retreat."  Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>As a junior officer in the final stages of the North African fighting, future Deputy Director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency General]] (CIA) [[Vernon Walters]] interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, ''"The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough."''<ref>"As an officer in North Africa, Vernon Walters interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, "The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough." Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

The fall of the Tunis and Bizerte ports in Tunisia was inevitable, but [[US Army]] General [[Omar Bradley]] admitted that the American formations encountered serious opposition in the advance, writing that the Axis defenders were, ''"the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men."''<ref>"Allied victory was inevitable, General Omar Bradley said, but it was not an easy victory. "The trapped enemy was the elite of the German and Italian armies, desert hardened young men who, "as the official British historian wrote, "fought with desperation of men who knew they could not retreat."  Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>As a junior officer in the final stages of the North African fighting, future Deputy Director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency General]] (CIA) [[Vernon Walters]] interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded after one battle, ''"The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough."''<ref>"As an officer in North Africa, Vernon Walters interrogated captured Germans and Italians and concluded, "The Italians were from the Wolves of Tuscany Division, very tough." Forgotten Battles: Italy's War of Liberation, 1943-1945, Charles T. O'Reilly, p. 31, Lexington Books, 2001</ref>  

   

   

The war in North Africa ended on May 13, 1943. American losses in the [[Tunisian Campaign]] were 2,715 dead, 8,978 wounded and 6,528 captured/missing. British Commonwealth losses were 9,233 dead, 21,528 wounded and 10,599 captured/missing. After the surrender there were 101,704 German POWs and 89,442 Italian POWs.

The war in North Africa ended on May 13, 1943. American losses in the [[Tunisian Campaign]] were 2,715 dead, 8,978 wounded and 6,528 captured/missing. British Commonwealth losses were 9,233 dead, 21,528 wounded and 10,599 captured/missing. After the surrender there were 101,704 German POWs and 89,442 Italian POWs.