The Journal of Military History

Polycracy, Fascism, and the Armed Forces: The Development of Italian Air-Naval Cooperation, 1919–1940

and

Article · Vol. 89, No. 1 · January 2025 · pp. 33–56

Abstract

During World War II, joint operations between the Italian Royal Air Force and the Italian Royal Navy revealed significant shortcomings, which negatively impacted the military effectiveness of the two services. This article examines how the failure to develop effective interservice cooperation was rooted in the 1920s and 1930s and was due to a lack of direction from Mussolini and the General Staff. The air force and navy also opposed cooperation, considering it risky to their own institutional survival.

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Cite this article

Jonathan Pieri and Fabio De Ninno, “Polycracy, Fascism, and the Armed Forces: The Development of Italian Air-Naval Cooperation, 1919–1940,” The Journal of Military History 89, no. 1 (January 2025): 33–56.

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