ABSTRACT
Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 without consulting its Axis partner. Italy remained neutral. It was not an heroic posture and the Duce found the situation extremely embarrassing. The swift German victory over Poland turned embarrassment into humiliation. Germany needed no assistance from Italy and Europe no longer required the Duce’s mediation. As he said to his generals on 31 March 1940,
If the war continues, to think that Italy can remain outside it to the end is absurd and impossible… Italy cannot remain neutral for the whole duration of the war without resigning from its role, without disqualifying itself, without reducing itself to the level of Switzerland multiplied by ten.1
