15 January 1942Diplomatic MissionGaleazzo Ciano
Ciano visits Budapest as Italy maintains Axis diplomatic contacts during the expanding European war.
Historical records for Italy in 1942, rendered directly from the World History Database and ordered by month, day and event.
Ciano visits Budapest as Italy maintains Axis diplomatic contacts during the expanding European war.
De Stefanis assumes command of the Ariete Armoured Division during the North African campaign.
Bastico oversees Italian forces as the Axis counteroffensive begins from the El Agheila area toward Cyrenaica.
A new frontier-guard infantry regiment is formed at Castel Benito under Di Lorenzo for service in North Africa.
Frattini assumes command of the Folgore parachute division before its deployment to North Africa.
The frontier-guard formation commanded by Di Lorenzo is redesignated the 350th Infantry Regiment for North African service.
Iachino leads the Italian battle fleet during the Second Battle of Sirte while attempting to intercept a British convoy bound for Malta.
Tazzoli returns to Le Verdon after a 56-day Atlantic patrol in which Fecia di Cossato's submarine sank six merchant ships.
Rossetto commands Finzi during an Atlantic attack in which four torpedoes sink a British merchant vessel of about 7,000 tons.
Cavallero accompanies Mussolini to the Klessheim conference, where Italian and German leaders review Mediterranean and Eastern Front plans.
Ciano attends the Klessheim meetings with Mussolini and the German leadership during discussions of Axis strategy.
Mussolini meets Hitler at Klessheim near Salzburg to discuss Axis strategy, including operations in the Mediterranean and Soviet Union.
Cavallero presses plans for the projected Axis assault on Malta, known in Italy as Operation C3, during high-level talks with Germany.
Fecia di Cossato receives a German decoration after successful Atlantic submarine operations conducted from the Betasom base.
Azzi commands the Trieste Motorised Division as it enters the fighting around the Gazala line.
De Stefanis leads Ariete as the Axis offensive opens against the British Gazala defensive line.
Ariete under De Stefanis attacks positions around Bir Hakeim during the opening phase of the Gazala battle.
Backs German invasion because he believes Cairo will be quickly captured
Malta retains independence & provides an Allied supply route
Calls off an invasion of Malta in order to support the Germans in Egypt, a mistake
Da Zara sails from Palermo with the 7th Naval Division to intercept the British Harpoon convoy approaching Malta.
Da Zara manoeuvres through British smoke screens and attacks escorts and merchant ships during the Battle of Pantelleria.
Da Zara's cruisers intercept the Harpoon convoy south of Pantelleria and open fire shortly after 05:30.
The threat from Iachino's battle fleet contributes to the British decision to turn the Vigorous convoy back toward Alexandria.
Trieste under Azzi participates in the Axis assault that results in the capture of Tobruk.
Bastico remains the senior Italian commander in Libya when Axis forces capture Tobruk after the Gazala campaign.
Ariete under De Stefanis takes part in the final attack that captures Tobruk from the British garrison.
Arena becomes acting commander of Ariete after De Stefanis moves to corps command.
Cavallero accepts the decision to continue the Axis pursuit into Egypt despite his earlier preference for an assault on Malta.
Mussolini supports exploiting the capture of Tobruk by continuing the Axis advance eastward into Egypt.
Trieste under Azzi operates around Bir Hakeim and the Axis supply corridor during the Gazala fighting.
De Stefanis leaves divisional command and takes over XX Corps during the Axis advance into Egypt.
After the fall of Tobruk, Cavallero's preferred plan to seize Malta is displaced by the decision to continue the advance into Egypt.
The Axis advance into Egypt is stopped at El Alamein before it can reach Alexandria or Suez.
Cavallero is promoted to Marshal of Italy while serving as Chief of the Supreme General Staff.
Ariete reaches El Alamein with depleted strength and attacks British positions under Arena's acting command.
After heavy fighting at El Alamein, the weakened Ariete Division is temporarily withdrawn from the front.
Becuzzi assumes temporary command of the Littorio Armoured Division during the summer fighting in Egypt.
The Italian 8th Army, known as ARMIR, is activated under Gariboldi for expanded operations on the Eastern Front.
Ariete returns to the El Alamein front after receiving limited replacement tanks and equipment.
Ricagno begins the transfer of the Julia Alpine Division from Italy to the Eastern Front.
Nebbia's Ravenna Division reaches the Stalino area while moving toward the Don with the expanded Italian 8th Army.
Lombardi is seriously wounded while commanding the Brescia Division during the First Battle of El Alamein.
Battisti's Cuneense Division receives orders for movement to the Eastern Front as part of the Alpine Corps.
Reverberi departs Italy with the Tridentina Alpine Division for service with the Italian army on the Eastern Front.
Ravenna under Nebbia reaches Voroshilovgrad and continues toward the Don front.
Infante assumes command of Ariete during the defensive phase around El Alamein.
Battisti leaves Cuneo with the divisional command as the Cuneense moves east by rail in a large series of troop trains.
La Ferla takes command of the Trieste Motorised Division in Egypt.
Cavallero attends Mussolini's Gorizia conference with commanders responsible for operations in Slovenia and adjacent occupied territory.
Mussolini convenes senior Italian commanders at Gorizia to review the military situation in occupied Yugoslav territory.
Roatta briefs Mussolini and senior commanders on the security and insurgency situation in Slovenia and neighbouring occupied areas.
Nasci brings the reconstituted Alpine Corps to the Eastern Front, where its divisions assemble in the Izyum region.
Zelik and the entire crew of Scirè are killed when the submarine is sunk off Haifa during a special-operations mission.
Bastico is promoted to Marshal of Italy while serving as the senior Italian commander in Libya.
Gariboldi retains the Alpine Corps under 8th Army control rather than allowing its divisions to be detached toward the Caucasus.
Ravenna under Nebbia enters heavy fighting during the first major Soviet attacks against the Italian positions on the Don.
Commands Italian mobile forces committed to Rommel's Alam Halfa attack.
Commands Italian X Corps during the Axis attack at Alam Halfa.
Nasci's Alpine Corps is redirected from projected Caucasus operations toward the Don sector and Italian 8th Army.
Battisti brings the Cuneense into the Eastern Front deployment of the Alpine Corps.
Ricagno's Julia Division completes its movement to the Eastern Front and joins the Alpine Corps.
Fecia di Cossato continues long-range Betasom operations in the Atlantic, extending Tazzoli's record against Allied merchant shipping.
Pellegrini's Sforzesca Division holds a sector of the Don during the first defensive battles faced by ARMIR.
Gariboldi deploys the divisions of the 8th Army along a broad defensive sector of the Don.
Gariboldi directs the 8th Army through the first sustained Soviet offensive against its Don positions.
Reverberi's Tridentina is moved to help close a dangerous gap that develops in the Italian line during Soviet attacks.
Predieri assumes command of the Brescia Division on the El Alamein front.
Fermi's group begins receiving and preparing uranium and graphite for construction of Chicago Pile-1.
Olmi takes acting command of the Pasubio Division while it serves with the Italian 8th Army in Russia.
Arena returns to command Ariete as the division rebuilds for the next British offensive.
Bitossi resumes command of the Littorio Armoured Division before the decisive autumn fighting at El Alamein.
Nasci's Alpine Corps takes responsibility for the northern sector of the Italian 8th Army line on the Don.
Gariboldi reorganises ARMIR's defensive deployment after the August fighting and maintains the army along the Don.
Dupont assumes command of the Ravenna Division while it is deployed on the Don.
Predieri is killed while commanding the Brescia Division on the El Alamein front.
Ferrari Orsi is killed by a mine while inspecting forward positions shortly before the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Brunetti assumes command of Brescia during the final days before the British offensive at El Alamein.
Bignami assumes acting command of Folgore after Frattini leaves the division.
Frattini leaves command of the Folgore Division shortly before the main British offensive at El Alamein.
Holds senior Italian command responsibility in Libya as Italian and German forces fight at El Alamein.
Commands the Folgore paratroopers holding the southern sector during the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Bignami's Folgore defends the southern sector against repeated British attacks during the opening of the El Alamein offensive.
Monitors the North African crisis from Comando Supremo during the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Arena commands Ariete, initially held in the southern armoured reserve during the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Bitossi commands Littorio when the British offensive begins at El Alamein.
La Ferla leads Trieste as the British Eighth Army opens the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Brunetti's Brescia sector comes under heavy British attack during the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Arena moves Ariete north toward Deyr el-Murra for an Axis armoured counter-move during the El Alamein battle.
Reverberi's Tridentina is shifted to the left of the Alpine Corps in the Podgornoje area.
Zingales takes command of the former CSIR formation, redesignated XXXV Corps, within Gariboldi's 8th Army.
Messe relinquishes command of the former CSIR and XXXV Corps after prolonged service on the Eastern Front.
Arena leads Ariete during the final large Axis armoured counterattack, which fails to restore the El Alamein front.
Mussolini supports Hitler's order that Axis troops hold their ground despite Rommel's request to retreat.
Ariete moves north under Arena in an attempt to contain the widening British breakthrough.
Littorio suffers catastrophic losses during the British breakthrough and ceases to function as an effective armoured division.
Bignami receives orders to withdraw the battered Folgore formations after days of defensive fighting in the southern sector.
Arena reports that Ariete has been surrounded and its tanks are still fighting as British armour breaks through.
Fecia di Cossato begins another long Atlantic patrol in Tazzoli, continuing operations against Allied merchant shipping.
Cavallero confronts the military crisis created by the collapse at El Alamein and the urgent need to preserve forces in North Africa.
Brunetti's Brescia withdraws westward from El Alamein, much of the division moving on foot under pressure from British forces.
Mussolini faces a new strategic emergency when Anglo-American forces land in French North Africa during Operation Torch.
Fermi's group begins round-the-clock construction of Chicago Pile-1 beneath the west stands of Stagg Field.
Ciano's advice reflects growing Italian recognition that the war is becoming unsustainable.
Bastico again has formal authority over Italian forces retreating from Egypt as the Axis withdraws across Libya.
Nebbia commands the remnants of X Corps as surviving formations withdraw from the El Alamein front toward Fuka.
Claims that the war is lost & advises surrender to avoid useless slaughter
Cavallero directs the rapid commitment of Italian forces to Tunisia as the Axis seeks to establish a bridgehead after Operation Torch.
Boselli assumes command of the Pasubio Division during the deteriorating winter situation on the Don.
Nasci's Alpine Corps begins facing renewed Soviet attacks against its sector on the Don.
Gariboldi's 8th Army is struck by the Soviet offensive later known as Operation Little Saturn, breaking key sectors of the Don front.
Japan informs Mussolini they are about to attack the US, Mussolini offers full support
Japan informs Mussolini they will attack the US, Mussolini offers his full support
Battisti's Cuneense holds positions on the northern Italian front while the wider ARMIR line begins to collapse farther south.
Reverberi's Tridentina maintains its Alpine Corps positions while Soviet operations threaten the flanks of the Italian deployment.
Ricagno's Julia remains committed on the Don as Soviet pressure intensifies against the Italian 8th Army.
dvises Hitler to make peace with Russia & concentrate against Britain & America
Italy's invasion of Libya is thwarted by Britain who decode messages from Rome
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