Italy

Italy (the Italian Republic), a country of 61 million people (2015 estimate) in southern Europe, has been unified as a country only since 1861. The Italian regions and populace have had a strained relationship with the military. This entry discusses the roles of the Italian military, the evolution of a sense of national unity, and the changing attitude of the Italian people toward the military.

[Page 908]After the Second World War, the attitude of Italians toward the military was one of doubt. This attitude has now been quite forgotten; Italian soldiers fought bravely on many fronts and are recognized as excellent soldiers, especially in peacekeeping operations. However, between the Renaissance and the Second World War, Italians lost their military identity. The explanation for this can be ...