| Summary: | The liberation of Italy posed deeply rooted concerns from both the Axis' and Allies' sides. Was the American and British campaign in Italy worth the enormous loss of manpower and materiel and the near destruction of Italy? The Germans faced a similar dilemma: Could they afford the diversion of men and war machines from the Russian front for Italy's defense? Historians today still question whether it was all worthwhile. In Sideshow War: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945, George F. Botjer not only examines the social dynamic, including economic, political, and cultural factors, that influenced the unfolding of this campaign, but he also provides new, unpublished documentation highlighting Axis defensive operations in Sicily and their takeover of Italy and the internment of the Italian army. He includes new documentation of economic conditions in German-occupied northern Italy and the extent to which Germany exploited the industries of that region. Incorporating the German, Allied, and Italian points of view, this perspective on the Italian campaign will engross and inform military historians and anyone interested in World War II and the war's effects on social, economic, and political life.
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