The Secret War in Italy

by Will Fowler

The war in Italy was characterized by a host of Special Forces actions. The fact that the Italians had formed two governments, one backing the Allies and one a puppet German government, meant that the secret war was vital to the Allies conventional forces and partisans, the SAS, SOE, the US OSS (precursor to the CIA) all played important roles. On the night of 20/21 April 1945, the last operational jump of World War 2 took placeAE"Operation Herring. Operation Herring lasted over 72 hours instead of the 36 initially foreseen, but it turned out to be a success. The action did presage the end of the Italian campaign and the war in Italy, but until now little has been written about this, and other secret operations, on the Italian front. It will be an essential reference for students of World War 2.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military History

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Will Fowler is Professor of Spanish at the University of St Andrews, where he has taught since 1995. He earned his PhD at the University of Bristol and worked as a lecturer in Spanish at Leicester Polytechnic (subsequently renamed De Montfort University) for four years before joining the University of St Andrews.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I happened to find this book on a shelf whilst holidaying in Italy and reading the blurb it had an instant appeal. For me, the Italian campaign of the Second World War is something I have been aware of, but never properly known, hidden as it is between the North African campaign and on one side and the Normandy landings on the other. Then there are the lesser known stories within that lesser known campaign - the subject of Fowler's The Secret War in Italy.

The book is mostly about the SAS, SBS, SRS and the short lived Italian SAS operations in Italy during the Second World War. Fowler approaches them through writing about the Italian campaign and detailing the operations when they take place and in relation to the objectives of the greater campaign. The stories of the operations are thoroughly exciting, full of the daring, heroism and tragedy you would expect and the extracts from letters, diaries and communications really bring them to life. This is what I was looking for in the book and is the best part.

The books main fault is that Fowler should have focused much more on this 'secret war' and less on the overall campaign. The descriptions of the army's movements through Italy too often became a long dry list that was often hard to follow and seemed to be out of place amongst the action. The idea of writing about the lesser known but very interesting operations of a lesser known campaign was a great premise and I feel that the book could have been much better had it been more focused.

However, I did enjoy the book and even the digressions served to give me a better understanding of the Italian campaign. The most lasting aspect of Fowler's book, and what I think he hoped for, is that the stories captured my imagination. Operations TOMBOLA and HERRING stand out in particular and for days after reading I have thought about these operations, the war, the bravery, tragedy and the dullness of my life in comparison.

[Leopoldo Nuti · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit confusing and not particularly well written, even for a military history buff like me. Full of interesting information and stories - particularly the part about operation Herring and the "F" Recce squadron, but the author's style and the structure of the book are somewhat disappointing.

[Erik Empson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting information in this book, in particular about Operation Herring, in which small groups of Italian soldiers - called the Italian SAS - were dropped behind the German lines in the last few weeks of the war in Italy, with the aim of causing confusion and disrupting the German retreat. Which they did. However the book itself lacks clear signposting for the reader and the first twenty or so pages are quite badly written, although it does improve once the author gets in his stride.

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting history of the work of the Italian SAS in WWII. Incredibly moving in places, it gives an insight into the sacrifices made by so many young men at the end of the War