[BluH2o]

Upon learning that Mussolini's Italy had allied themselves with Germany in the early years of WWII it was passed off as no big deal by the Allies. It was said, at the time ... 'We (Allies) had Italy in WWI you can have them in this war'. So many Italians were surrendering in North Africa it overwhelmed the British and American forces. They simply couldn't allocate manpower to deal with the problem ... it wasn't unusual for a half dozen Allied soldiers to escort a column of a thousand or more Italians back to a holding area in the rear.

[Strategerist]

Higher level Italian leadership was execrable in WWII.

However their troops were not nearly as bad as their reputation. Many fought hard and well under Rommel.

But then as the war wore on the Italians really lost enthusiasm for the war and for fighting the Allies.

[Wilhelm Tell]

If I were being used as cannon fodder for Hitler and that doofus Mussolini, I would be quick to surrender to the Allies, too.