Britain and Italy, 1943–1949 – The Decline of British Influence

This book examines British policy towards Italy from the fall of Mussolini on the 25th July 1943, to Italy's joining the North Atlantic alliance on the 4th April 1949. The author shows that British policy as it was shaped prior to the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943 was designed to weaken Italy to such an extent that it would never be able to engage in future aggression and would be subject to British hegemony. That Britain was unable to carry through this strategy rested on the simple truth that the strategy was in inverse proportion to Britain's military, economic and political power.