Army Group West

Army Group West, known in Italian as Gruppo d'Armate Ovest, was a senior formation of the Royal Italian Army during the early years of the Second World War. It was established in northern Italy in August 1939 to coordinate Italian forces positioned along the Alpine frontier, particularly the border with France and the adjacent sector toward Switzerland. Its initial headquarters were at Bra in Piedmont, and its nominal commander was Crown Prince Umberto of Savoy. The formation initially controlled the First Army, commanded by General Pietro Pintor, and the Fourth Army, commanded by General Alfredo Guzzoni. These armies occupied defensive and later offensive positions across the mountainous frontier, extending from the area of Monte Granero toward the Ligurian coast and northward toward the Swiss border. The Seventh Army, under Filiberto of Savoy-Genova, was added as a reserve formation in June 1940. Italy entered the Second World War in June 1940, joining Germany after the campaign in France was already approaching its conclusion. Army Group West then directed the Italian offensive against France in the final days of June. Although Crown Prince Umberto held the formal command, the conduct of operations was heavily influenced by Rodolfo Graziani, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, who reported directly to Benito Mussolini. The offensive encountered difficult alpine terrain and strong French resistance, and the short campaign produced limited territorial gains relative to the size of the forces committed. The operation nevertheless represented the principal wartime employment of Army Group West in its original form. Following the Armistice of Villa Incisa, which ended hostilities between Italy and France, the headquarters moved from Bra to Turin. The formation was subsequently renamed Army Group at Disposal, or Gruppo d'Armate a disposizione. In this reorganized form, it was assigned a broader concentration of forces: the Second, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Armies, together with the Alpine Army Corps. The revised command was assembled in northern Italy for a proposed invasion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. That plan was later abandoned, and the planned operation was cancelled in October 1940. The cancellation removed the principal operational rationale for maintaining the reorganized army group. Army Group at Disposal was disestablished on 31 October 1940, after which its constituent armies were reassigned to other commands and theatres. It therefore existed for only a little more than a year and was not a commercial brand or continuing institution. Its historical importance lies in its role as the Royal Italian Army's principal western frontier command in 1939–1940, its participation in the Italian attack on France, and its subsequent transformation into a temporary reserve and planning headquarters for a proposed Balkan operation.

Army Group West was created in August 1939 as a Royal Italian Army command for the western Alpine frontier. Its headquarters were established at Bra, in Piedmont. The formation brought together the First Army and Fourth Army, deployed across the mountainous frontier with France and the adjoining border area toward Switzerland. Crown Prince Umberto of Savoy served as the nominal commander. The First Army, led by General Pietro Pintor, covered the sector from Monte Granero toward the Ligurian coast, while General Alfredo Guzzoni's Fourth Army held the sector between Monte Granero and the Swiss border. In June 1940, the Seventh Army under Filiberto of Savoy-Genova was added as a reserve. When Italy entered the Second World War, Army Group West became the command responsible for the Italian attack on France. The offensive began in late June 1940, after Germany had already defeated most of the French field armies. Formal authority rested with Crown Prince Umberto, but operational direction was substantially exercised by Rodolfo Graziani, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, who answered directly to Mussolini. The alpine environment, defensive fortifications, and surviving French resistance restricted the scale of Italian advances. The campaign ended with the armistice arrangements between Italy and France, including the Armistice of Villa Incisa. After the armistice, the headquarters transferred from Bra to Turin and the formation was renamed Army Group at Disposal. This reorganization gave it a wider reserve and planning role. It was composed of the Second, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Armies together with the Alpine Army Corps. The forces were concentrated in northern Italy for a proposed invasion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The proposed operation was cancelled in October 1940, eliminating the immediate purpose of the command. Army Group at Disposal was dissolved on 31 October 1940, and its armies were distributed among other commands and theatres. The formation consequently had a short operational life, extending from the prewar mobilization period through the French campaign and the subsequent, unrealized Balkan planning phase.

• 1940

  Seventh Army added as reserve

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  In June, the Seventh Army was added to the command as a reserve formation under Filiberto of Savoy-Genova.

• 1940

  Italian offensive against France

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  Following Italy's entry into the war, Army Group West conducted the Italian offensive against France in late June.

• 1940

  Renamed Army Group at Disposal

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  After the Armistice of Villa Incisa, the headquarters moved to Turin and the command was reorganized under the name Army Group at Disposal.

• 1940

  Planned Yugoslav invasion cancelled

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  The reorganized command was assembled for a possible invasion of Yugoslavia, but the plan was cancelled in October.

• 1940

  Command disestablished

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  Army Group at Disposal was dissolved on 31 October, and its constituent armies were transferred to other commands and theatres.

• 1939

  Army Group West formed

  [1]Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org

  The Royal Italian Army established Army Group West in northern Italy in August, with headquarters at Bra and responsibility for the western Alpine frontier.

A wartime command formation rather than a commercial brand; it coordinated Royal Italian Army forces on Italy's western Alpine frontier and later served as a temporary concentration command for planned operations in the Balkans.

• 1940Italian invasion of France

  France · Western Alps

  Army Group West coordinated the Royal Italian Army's offensive against France in late June 1940. The operation took place across difficult Alpine terrain during the final phase of the French campaign.

  Outcome. The campaign ended after the Armistice of Villa Incisa. The command was subsequently reorganized and renamed.

  Source

• 1940

  Reorganization for a possible invasion of YugoslaviaStrategy

  Background

  After the French armistice, the former western frontier command was converted into Army Group at Disposal and assembled with several armies and the Alpine Army Corps in northern Italy.

  Action taken

  The command was prepared for a planned invasion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

  Aftermath

  The Yugoslav operation was cancelled in October 1940, and the army group was dissolved on 31 October.

  Source

• 1940

  Transfer of headquarters to TurinOther

  Background

  The Armistice of Villa Incisa ended the immediate western campaign and changed the command's operational role.

  Action taken

  The headquarters was moved from Bra to Turin and the organization was renamed Army Group at Disposal.

  Aftermath

  The formation shifted from an active western frontier command to a temporary reserve and planning headquarters.

  Source

1. 1Army Group West (Italy)en.wikipedia.org