A military history of Italy

"This book follows Italy's military history from the late Renaissance through the present day, arguing that its leaders have consistently looked back to the power of Imperial Rome as they sought to bolster Italy's status and influence in the world. As early as the late 15th century, Italian city-states played important roles in European conflicts. After unification in 1861, the military became the nation's unifying force, the melting pot of the state. Italy's industrial and then colonial expansion brought it into the wars of the twentieth century. The rise of the fascist movement was the disastrous consequence of Italy's desire for colonial and military power, and it is a history the nation still confronts as it seeks to play a role in world politics."--BOOK JACKET.