SETTING FORTH ON THE ROAD TO DISASTER
As the Italian troops advanced into Egypt, they appeared to be a formidable fighting force. But the reality was otherwise. Their tanks were so flimsy they split apart under fire. Their solid-tired trucks were no match for desert boulders and shook to pieces. And many soldiers were poorly trained.
Nevertheless, at the start of the campaign, all went well. Four days out, the Italians occupied Sidi Barrani – a 60-mile advance uncontested by the British. Here they halted to consolidate their gains before the final push and here they had their first real taste of the desert.
The land was barren and the life spartan. The officers were contented. They were well fed and slept on sheets; to them victory seemed sure and adversity worth bearing. But the enlisted men had poor food and dismal living conditions, and their morale sagged.
“This is an evil that must pass quickly,” wrote one. Others began to wonder why they were there. One commented: “This is a European war fought in Africa with European weapons against a European enemy. We take too little account of this … We are not fighting the Abyssinians now.”
On December 9 (1940), the storm hit. The British who had used the respite to build up their forces, launched a counterattack – and the Italians were suddenly routed.
As the Italian troops advanced into Egypt, they appeared to be a formidable fighting force. But the reality was otherwise. Their tanks were so flimsy they split apart under fire. Their solid-tired trucks were no match for desert boulders and shook to pieces. And many soldiers were poorly trained.
Nevertheless, at the start of the campaign, all went well. Four days out, the Italians occupied Sidi Barrani – a 60-mile advance uncontested by the British. Here they halted to consolidate their gains before the final push and here they had their first real taste of the desert.
The land was barren and the life spartan. The officers were contented. They were well fed and slept on sheets; to them victory seemed sure and adversity worth bearing. But the enlisted men had poor food and dismal living conditions, and their morale sagged.
“This is an evil that must pass quickly,” wrote one. Others began to wonder why they were there. One commented: “This is a European war fought in Africa with European weapons against a European enemy. We take too little account of this … We are not fighting the Abyssinians now.”
On December 9 (1940), the storm hit. The British who had used the respite to build up their forces, launched a counterattack – and the Italians were suddenly routed.
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