Why did Italy change sides from the Axis alliance to the Allies in WWII?
It was a nominal change. The Italian soldiers had been very unenthusiastic about fighting with the Axis and had done little in Africa, with the possible exception of the Ariete and Trieste Divisions. They surrendered in such droves that they prompted such jokes as “How many gears does an Italian tank have? Answer, 5, 4 are reverse gears and 1 is forward in case they were attacked in the rear.” Shortly before the Allies landed at Salerno in 1943, Italy surrendered. A year later Italy declared war on the Axis. This was symbolic, but it also enabled the Allies to provide more aid and money for recovery in Italy (it is easier to justify aid to an ally than to justify funds for an occupied and restive defeated enemy power). Italy gave little practical support to the Allies from 1944-45, but stronger Allied aid helped ensure that Italy did not fall to Communism in 1945 (the Communists were a very strong anti-Fascist minority). Indeed, Italy fought a little known post war struggle to prevent
