ABSTRACT
The war in North Africa was not the product of some master plan, as Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union was. It began as a struggle between Italy and Great Britain, escalated when Germany sent in what became known as the Afrika Korps, and was decided when the United States launched its first offensive operation in the west. Benito Mussolini was an opportunist who sought to make the most of his alliance with Germany. When war came in September 1939, he stayed on the sidelines at first because he did not want to be on the losing side. Evidence indicates he had decided even before Adolf Hitler's invasion of France to enter the war at some point, and apparently he anticipated a negotiated settlement in which he would take part to Italy's advantage. The Italian army was badly led, poorly trained, and almost entirely lacking in fighting spirit. Finally, Italy's industrial base was too primitive to sustain a wartime economy.
