TY - JOUR A1 - Scianna, Bastian Matteo T1 - A prelude to total war? BT - the Abyssinian War (1935-36) in the Eyes of Foreign Military Observers JF - International Journal of Military History and Historiography N2 - The conflict between Italy and Ethiopia in 1935–36 has been framed as a prelude to the Second World War and as a watershed towards ‘Total War’. One perspective has so far been neglected: the assessments of foreign military observers. This article examines American, British, German, and Austrian views on the operations and thereby also analyses the mindset of European officers at the time. The core argument emerging from these reports is that the war was perceived as a rather ‘normal’ colonial conflict. Neither the use of gas, nor the employment of aircraft against civilians was seen as a taboo or created significant outrage among the military observers. Instead, they lauded the Italians’ steady logistical efforts and employment of artillery and airpower to overcome nature and the enemy’s resistance. KW - Italy KW - Ethiopia KW - Abyssinian War KW - Fascism KW - Military Attaches Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1163/24683302-03801001 SN - 2468-3299 SN - 2468-3302 VL - 38 IS - 1 SP - 5 EP - 33 PB - Brill CY - Leiden ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scianna, Bastian Matteo T1 - A Blueprint for Successful Peacekeeping? BT - The Italians in Beirut (Lebanon), 1982-1984 JF - The international history review N2 - On 6 June 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon to fight the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Between August 1982 and February 1984, the US, France, Britain and Italy deployed a Multinational Force (MNF) to Beirut. Its task was to act as an interposition force to bolster the government and to bring peace to the people. The mission is often forgotten or merely remembered in context with the bombing of US Marines’ barracks. However, an analysis of the Italian contingent shows that the MNF was not doomed to fail and could accomplish its task when operational and diplomatic efforts were coordinated. The Italian commander in Beirut, General Franco Angioni, followed a successful approach that sustained neutrality, respectful behaviour and minimal force, which resulted in a qualified success of the Italian efforts. KW - Peacekeeping KW - Italy KW - Lebanon KW - Middle East KW - Beirut Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/07075332.2018.1431804 SN - 0707-5332 SN - 1949-6540 VL - 41 IS - 3 SP - 650 EP - 672 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scianna, Bastian Matteo T1 - Forging an Italian hero? BT - The late commemoration of Amedeo Guillet (1909-2010) JF - European Review of History: Revue européenne d'histoire N2 - Over the last two decades, Amedeo Guillet (1909–2010) has been turned into a public and military hero. His exploits as a guerrilla leader in Italian East Africa in 1941 have been exaggerated to forge a narrative of an honourable resistance against overwhelming odds. Thereby, Guillet has been showcased as a romanticized colonial explorer who was an apolitical and timeless Italian officer. He has been compared to Lawrence of Arabia in order to raise his international visibility, while his genuine Italian brand is perpetuated domestically. By elevating him to an official role model, the Italian Army has gained a focal point for military heroism that was also acceptable in the public memory as the embodiment of a ‘glorious’ defeat narrative. KW - Italy KW - Second World War KW - Amedeo Guillet KW - colonialism KW - Italian East Africa KW - collective memory Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/13507486.2018.1492520 SN - 1350-7486 SN - 1469-8293 VL - 26 IS - 3 SP - 369 EP - 385 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - GEN A1 - Scianna, Bastian Matteo T1 - A blueprint for successful peacekeeping? BT - the Italians in Beirut (Lebanon), 1982–1984 T2 - The International History Review N2 - On 6 June 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon to fight the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Between August 1982 and February 1984, the US, France, Britain and Italy deployed a Multinational Force (MNF) to Beirut. Its task was to act as an interposition force to bolster the government and to bring peace to the people. The mission is often forgotten or merely remembered in context with the bombing of US Marines’ barracks. However, an analysis of the Italian contingent shows that the MNF was not doomed to fail and could accomplish its task when operational and diplomatic efforts were coordinated. The Italian commander in Beirut, General Franco Angioni, followed a successful approach that sustained neutrality, respectful behaviour and minimal force, which resulted in a qualified success of the Italian efforts. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Philosophische Reihe - 143 KW - peacekeeping KW - Italy KW - Lebanon KW - Middle East KW - Beirut Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-412937 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Scianna, Bastian Matteo T1 - Forging an Italian hero? BT - the late commemoration of Amedeo Guillet (1909–2010) T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Philosophische Reihe N2 - Over the last two decades, Amedeo Guillet (1909–2010) has been turned into a public and military hero. His exploits as a guerrilla leader in Italian East Africa in 1941 have been exaggerated to forge a narrative of an honourable resistance against overwhelming odds. Thereby, Guillet has been showcased as a romanticized colonial explorer who was an apolitical and timeless Italian officer. He has been compared to Lawrence of Arabia in order to raise his international visibility, while his genuine Italian brand is perpetuated domestically. By elevating him to an official role model, the Italian Army has gained a focal point for military heroism that was also acceptable in the public memory as the embodiment of a ‘glorious’ defeat narrative. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Philosophische Reihe - 152 KW - Italy KW - Second World War KW - Amedeo Guillet KW - colonialism KW - Italian East Africa KW - collective memory Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-416866 SN - 1866-8380 IS - 152 ER -