A Nation Collapses revises the traditional understanding of a critical moment in the history of World War II: the collapse of the Italian fascist regime and Italy's unconditional surrender in September 1943. Drawing on mostly unpublished documents, the book analyses the secret negotiations between Italy and Britain before the overthrow of Mussolini in July 1943 and finds that both parties negotiated in bad faith and with a great deal of duplicity. The Italians therefore both underestimated the extent of the Allies' strategic commitment in Italy and promised their conquerors a degree of military assistance which they were in no condition to deliver. The situation disintegrated into a civil war as the Anglo-American military government which controlled southern Italy invaded the German-occupied north. Already traumatized by unconditional surrender, Italy now endured a civil war waged by foreign powers on both sides for twenty long and brutal months.

"This fine case study uses recently released documents to chronicle the chaotic weeks following Italy's capitulation to the Allies..." Foreign Affairs

"A Nation Collapses is a seminal, ground breaking work of historical significance for both political and military studies of the European Theater in World War II." Wisconsin Bookwatch

"Italian historian Elena Agarossi offers a thorough examination of what is sometimes regarded as the great missed opportunity in Italy..." Douglas Porch, The Journal of Military History

"Worth reading for anyine interested in the Second World War." NYMAS Newsletters