Italy invaded Greece late 1940
Italy invaded Greece at the end of 1940, but was pushed back by Greek resistance — forcing Hitler to divert German troops from his planned invasion of Russia.
Snapshot · Fin vs History
Italy’s Greatest Weapon Is Surrender | Monty vs Rommel (Part 2/4)
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Jul 2, 2026
Where this was said
The Baby Fox
At 18:35 · chapter starts 17:06
With the hiccup interlude behind them, Fin and Horatio dig into the real story. General Wavell and Richard O'Connor lead Operation Compass out of Egypt in December 1940, methodically picking off Italy's disconnected pasta kitchens one by one. The result: 130,000 Italian POWs — a haul so enormous it becomes an Allied liability, as keeping prisoners alive consumes the same logistics the enemy otherwise would. [1] — Fin Taylor "130,000 Italian POWs taken: Operation Compass resulted in the capture of 130,000 Italian prisoners of war, creating a logistical burden gre…" 17:28 The hosts riff on the absurdity of four British soldiers guarding fifty Italians, and compare wartime POW conditions to battery farming. Meanwhile, Italy has also invaded Greece, only to be humiliatingly repelled by Greek resistance — a failure so embarrassing it forces Hitler's hand. [2] — Fin Taylor "Italy invaded Greece late 1940: Italy invaded Greece at the end of 1940, but was pushed back by Greek resistance — forcing Hitler to divert…" 18:35 Afraid of total Italian collapse and the morale boost a British victory would give, Hitler sends German troops into Greece (they make quick work of it), and agrees in January 1941 to bail out Italy in North Africa too. This delays Operation Barbarossa from the planned May 1941 launch — a decision Fin argues may have been the decisive strategic error of the entire war. The segment closes on a digression about Elon Musk standing up, the Greek economy, and the Stephen Bartlett-ification of wellness culture.
130,000 Italian POWs taken
Operation Compass resulted in the capture of 130,000 Italian prisoners of war, creating a logistical burden greater than the Italians' fighting force.
How Italy Accidentally Lost the War for Hitler
Italy's catastrophic failure to conquer Greece forced Hitler to divert German troops, delaying Operation Barbarossa from May 1941. That delay meant German forces hit the Russian winter unprepared — and Italy's incompetence may have been the single biggest strategic gift to the Allies.
Operation Sunflower: Rommel Ignores Orders and Wins
Rommel launched Operation Sunflower on 24 March 1941 against explicit orders, driving his Ghost Division through the desert for three days on Pervitin (Nazi methamphetamine) and pushing the Allies back across the Egyptian border by 3 April. His fake parade in Tripoli had already convinced British spies there were far more Germans than existed.
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