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Full article published in: War in History | 2024
On 1 September 1940, the Italian Navy established the Command
of the Atlantic Submarine Group in Bordeaux. Between that date
and the signing of the armistice on 8 September 1943, 32 Italian
submarines sank 109 ships, amounting to a total of 593,864 tons
– representing 5.9 per cent of the successes achieved by U-boats
in the Atlantic. While Italy’s overall contribution to the Battle of the
Atlantic was peripheral, effective naval diplomacy between the two
nations bolstered the Axis naval position, complicating Allied
merchant shipping operations and causing significant, though not
decisive, losses of personnel and equipment.
The contribution of Italian submarines to the Battle of the Atlantic
may appear marginal in isolation. However, when viewed through
the lens of effective naval diplomacy and coalition warfare, their
role becomes more significant. The collaboration between the
Kriegsmarine and the Regia Marina, though imperfect, helped
sustain the Axis war effort in the Atlantic for longer than would
have otherwise been possible, complicating Allied logistics and
inflicting meaningful, though not decisive, losses.
Research & Innovation
Newsletter
Volume 2 l Issue 4 - 2024
To read more
Effective Naval Diplomacy: German–Italian
Submarine Cooperation in the Atlantic, 1939–41
Dr. Massimiliano Fiore
Assistant Professor
Homeland Security Program
Rabdan Academy