List of wars waged by Italy

From its founding in 1861 until the proclamation of the Italian Republic in 1946, the Kingdom of Italy mainly fought wars to enlarge its own territory. This includes the entry of the kingdom into the First World War , as well as the participation of the fascist- ruled Italy on the side of the Axis powers in the early campaigns of the Second World War . In the final stages of World War II, Fascist Italy then defended itself against Allied invasions . When the Kingdom of Italy dissolved its alliance with the Axis powers with the Armistice of Cassibile in September 1943 , the fascist Italian Social Republic continued to oppose the Allies until the end of the war.

Wars for the territorial expansion of Italy

Third Italian War of Independence , German War 1866 (defeat of Austria, decisive victory for Prussia), Italy receives Friuli and Veneto.
Conquest of the Papal States in 1870 (Italian victory), Italy conquers the remainder of the Papal States.
Eritrea War 1886–1889 (Italian victory), Italy colonized Eritrea and Somalia .

Mahdi uprising (1893-1894), Italy repels attacks by Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad's troops and in turn conquers Kassala .

Italo-Ethiopian War (1895–1896) (Italian defeat), Italy tries to annex Ethiopia, but fails.

Boxer Rebellion in China 1900–1901 (victory of the United eight States , including Italy), Italian troops are involved in the defense of the Legation Quarter in Beijing, especially the Xishiku Church , as well as in the Second Expeditionary Corps.

Italo-Turkish War 1911–1912 (Italian victory), Italy annexes the Dodecanese and parts of Libya .

First World War , Mountain War 1915–1918 (Victory of the Entente ), Italy receives Istria, South Tyrol and some other areas.

Vlora War 1920 (Italian defeat), Italy tries to annex the Albanian port city of Vlora, but fails.

Second Italian-Libyan War 1923–1932 (Italian victory), Italy completely occupies Libya.

Italian-Ethiopian War (1935–1936) (Italian victory), Italy occupies Ethiopia (until 1941).

Italian occupation of Albania in 1939 (Italian victory), Italy occupies Albania (until 1943).

Early campaigns of World War II

East Africa campaign 1940–1941 (Italian defeat), loss of Italian East Africa .
Africa campaign 1940–1943 (defeat of the Axis Powers), attempts to drive Commonwealth troops out of North Africa fail; After the battle of El Alamein and the Allied landings in Algeria and Morocco, the two-front war ends with a definitive defeat in the Tunisian campaign .

Greco-Italian War 1940-1941 (victory of the Axis Powers), Italy fails in the attempt to take Greece alone, but achieves its goals after the German Wehrmacht rushes to help.

Late World War II (Defense of Italy)

Fascist Kingdom of Italy

Operation Husky 1943 (Defeat of the Axis Powers), attempts to prevent the Allied troops from landing in Sicily fail.
Invasion of Italy in 1943 (defeat of the Axis powers), attempts to prevent the Allied troops from landing in Italy fail.

Fascist Italian Social Republic

Fight south of Rome in 1943/44 (defeat of the Axis powers), attempts to prevent the Allied troops from advancing through Italy fail.

Landing at Anzio in 1944 (defeat of the Axis Powers), attempts to prevent the Allied troops from landing fail.

Fights for the position of the Goths in 1944/1945 (tactical success of the Axis powers), the advance of the Allies is stopped until the end of April 1945.

Wars that Italy supported

Spanish Civil War 1936–1939 (victory of the nationalists supported by Italy ) Italy , Germany and Portugal support the formation of a fascist dictatorship in Spain.
Second World War:

Western campaign in 1940 (Germany's victory) Italy supported Germany in the war against France for a few days in June 1940 in order to secure some territories in southern France.
German-Soviet War 1941–1945 (Italy leaves the war in 1943) Italy supports German troops against the Soviet Union , but leaves the war after the defeat at Stalingrad .

Korean War 1950–1953 Italy supports the United Nations with medical personnel.
Second Gulf War 1990–1991 (victory of the Allies ) Italy actively supports the Allies against Iraq .
Kosovo War 1998–1999 ( NATO victory ) Italy actively supports NATO in the fight against Yugoslavia .
Iraq war 2003 (victory of the coalition of the willing ) Italy supports the USA in the war against the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.