Part 2/11:
At the onset of World War II, Italy lacked the concrete military strategies that characterized Germany's planning. Mussolini's declaration of war against the Allies on June 10 was driven by a desire for territorial expansion, including the hope of gaining control over the French fleet, occupying France and its colonies, such as Tunisia, and possibly even extending influence over Greek territories. However, Italy’s military efforts quickly faltered. Though Italy contributed troops to the German invasion of France, their performance was inadequate, culminating in minimal gains after France's surrender on June 22.