Giovanni Messe (December 10, 1883 - December 19, 1968) was an Italian soldier, politician, and quite possibly the most distinguished Italian Field Marshal (Maresciallo d'Italia). Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank
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Early life and career
Born on December 10, 1883 in Mesagne near the city of Brindisi, Giovanni Messe pursued a military career in 1901. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Brindisi can also refer to a song in which a company is exhorted to drink such as the "Tea-Cup Brindisi" in Gilbert and Sullivan 's " The He saw action in the Italian conquest of Libya and in the First World War. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All During this conflict, he gave an important contribution to the creation and training of the "Arditi" (the Courageous), special infantry units, and with the rank of Maggiore was the commander of the IX Nono Reparto Arditi that fought in the zone of Monte Grappa. The 9º Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti (9th Parachutist Assault Regiment it Col Moschin ("Peak Moschin" is the it fiore all'occhiello Mount Grappa is a tall mountain in the Veneto region of Italy. Emerging considerably decorated from these conflicts, he became aide-de-camp to King Victor Emmanuel III, holding this post from 1923 to 1927. Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele III 11 November, 1869 – 28 December, 1947) was a member of the House of Savoy and From this date until 1935, Messe commanded a unit of Bersaglieri and held the rank of Colonel. The Bersaglieri (bersaʎˈːɛri are a Corps of the Italian Army created by General Alessandro La Marmora in 1836 to serve in the Piedmontese Army Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country
Abyssinia
In September 1935, Messe assumed command of a motorised brigade in Verona, with the rank of Brigadier General. Italian East Africa ( Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana, or AOI was a short-lived (1936-1941 Italian Colony in Africa consisting of A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. Following a successful period of service with this unit in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, Messe was promoted to rank of Major General and he became commander of an Italian armoured division. See also First Italo-Ethiopian War. The Second Italo–Abyssinian War (also referred to as the Second Italo-Ethiopian War) was a Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries
The Second World War
On April 1939, following the Italian invasion of Albania, Messe was appointed to serve under Albania's governor, General Ubaldo Soddu. The Italian invasion of Albania ( April 7 &ndash April 12, 1939) was a brief military campaign by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Ubaldo Soddu (1883 - 1949 was an Italian military officer who commanded the Italian Forces in the Greco-Italian War for a month
Greece
Messe commanded a corps during the Greco-Italian War of late 1940 and early 1941 and achieved some success against Greek forces commanded by Alexandros Papagos. The Balkans Campaign was the Axis Powers ' invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia during World War II. This article is about a military unit For alternative meanings see Corps (disambiguation. The Greco-Italian War ( Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος Ellēnoїtalikós Pólemos or Πόλεμος Marshal Alexander Papagos ( Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος, December 9, 1883, Athens — October 4, 1955, Athens Before winter had even set in however, the Italian forces were forced onto the defensive, as Greek forces launched a counterattack and moved into parts of Italian controlled Albania.
In April 1941, with the help of the German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht), the Battle of Greece ended in an Axis victory. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 The Battle of Greece (also known as Operation Marita, Unternehmen Marita was a World War II battle that occurred on the Greek mainland and in southern Albania The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries
Russia
In other circumstances, the armoured warfare experience Messe possessed might have caused him to be given a command alongside Erwin Rommel in North Africa. The Italian participation in the Eastern Front of World War II began after the launch of Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of Armoured fighting vehicles in Modern warfare. Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ( 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) (also known as the " Desert Fox " Wüstenfuchs North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan But, instead, he was chosen to be the commander of the "Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia" (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR). The Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia ( Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR) was a unit of the Italian Royal Army ( Regio The CSIR was a mobile infantry and cavalry unit of the Italian army that took part in Operation Barbarossa. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II Barbarossa was the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
Initially, the number of Italian troops in southern Russia numbered around 60,000. Messe never thought that this force was properly outfitted or supplied for the extreme conditions of the "Russian Front. " By July 1942, the far larger "Italian Army in Russia" (Armata Italiana in Russia, or ARMIR) replaced the CSIR and General Italo Gariboldi replaced Messe. The Italian Army in Russia ( Armata Italiana in Russia, or ARMIR) was a unit of the Italian Royal Army ( Regio Esercito Italia) which Italo Gariboldi (born 20 April 1879, Lodi; died 3 February 1970, Rome) was a senior officer in the Italian Royal Army On November 1, 1942, Messe left Russia. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The number of Italian troops in Russia had grown to about 200,000. Although the troops fought well, after the German defeat at Stalingrad the campaign in the Soviet Union turned against the Axis powers. The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the Italian forces had been severely mauled during Operation Saturn on the flanks of Stalingrad while trying hold back the Soviet forces. Operation Saturn was a Red Army operation on the Eastern Front of World War II that led to battles in
Tunisia
At the end of January 1943, Messe was appointed as the new commander of Tank Army Africa (Panzerarmee Afrika) which had been commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. The Tunisia Campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia was a series of World War II battles that took place in Tunisia in the North African Campaign As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ( 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) (also known as the " Desert Fox " Wüstenfuchs The army was now re-named the "Italo-German Tank Army" (Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee). As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate The name was changed in recognition of the fact that the army consisted of one German and three Italian corps.
Although Messe was to replace Rommel, he diplomatically deferred to the German. The two commanders co-existed in what was theoretically the same command until mid-March. At that time, Rommel departed Africa for good.
Under the "theoretical" co-command with Rommel, Messe fought a defensive campaign against the advancing American and British forces. Rommel had already left Africa because of health reasons. But his departure was kept secret by the express order of German dictator Adolf Hitler. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately This was done both to maintain the morale of the Axis troops and to continue to inspire fear and caution in their enemies.
In February 1943, the Italo-German Tank Army was re-named "Army Group Africa" (Heeresgruppe Afrika). As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate
While in sole command of all Axis forces in Tunisia, General Messe ably achieved a defensive victory of the Mareth Line. The Mareth Line was a system of fortifications built by the French between the towns of Medenine and Gabès in southern Tunisia, prior to World War But his continuous tactical delay of the Allied offensive could not prevent the inevitable defeat of the Axis in North Africa. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan
On May 12, 1943, Messe was awarded with the rank of Marshal of Italy (Maresciallo d'Italia). Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marshal of Italy (Italian Maresciallo d'Italia) was a rank in the Italian Royal Army ( Regio Esercito) On May 13, after the collapse of the 5th German Tank Army, the fall of Tunis and the surrounding of the 1st Italian Army, still holding the line at Enfidaville, he formally surrendered the remnants of Army Group Africa to the Allies. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. The 5th Panzer Army, also known as Panzer Group West and Panzer Group Eberbach (German 5 The Italian First Army was an Italian army formation in World War I, facing Austro-Hungarian and German forces and in World War II In general allies are people groups or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose
Post armistice
As a loyal supporter of the Royalist cause, like many Italian officers Messe soon found himself re-employed, when after the Italian armistice in September 1943, he was made Chief of Staff of the "Italian Co-Belligerent Army" (Esercito Cobelligerante del Sud), consisting of those units loyal to King Victor Emmanuel, many of which were reconstituted from Italian POWs and armed by the Allies. The Italian Co-Belligerent Army ( Esercito Cobelligerante Italiana) or the Army of the South ( Esercito del Sud) was the army of the He served in this post with distinction until the war's end and then retired from the military in 1945 after 44 years of distinguished service.
Life after the army
His later life was not uneventful. Following the conclusion of the war, he wrote a book about his experiences, entitled Come finì la guerra in Africa. La "Prima Armata" italiana in Tunisia (How the war in Africa ended. The "First Army" of Italy in Tunisia). Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. His military popularity remained with him in civilian life and from 1953 to 1955, Messe was a democratically elected representative in the Italian Senate. He was also President of the Italian Veterans Association, a post which he held until his death.
Giovanni Messe died on December 19, 1968, at the age of eighty-five. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
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