-
Italy invades, conquers, and annexes Ethiopia.
-
Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy sign a treaty of cooperation on October 25; on November 1, the Rome-Berlin Axis is announced.
-
Italy invades and annexes Albania.
-
Italy enters the war. Italy invades southern France on June 21.
-
The Italians invade British-controlled Egypt from Italian-controlled Libya.
-
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
-
Italy invades Greece from Albania on October 28.
-
Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria invade and dismember Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia surrenders on April 17. Germany and Bulgaria invade Greece in support of the Italians. Resistance in Greece ceases in early June 1941.
-
Axis forces in Tunisia surrender to the Allies, ending the North African campaign.
-
The Allies took Sicily from the Axis (Italy and Nazi Germany).
-
The Fascist Grand Council deposes Benito Mussolini, enabling Italian marshall Pietro Badoglio to form a new government.
-
The Badoglio government surrenders unconditionally to the Allies. The Germans immediately seize control of Rome and northern Italy, establishing a puppet Fascist regime under Mussolini, who is freed from imprisonment by German commandos on September 12.
-
Mussolini and Petacci were both summarily executed, along with most of the members of their 15-man train, primarily ministers and officials of the Italian Social Republic.