June 1940: Italian invasion of Egypt

On 10 June 1940, Mussolini declared war on France and Britain, joining World War II on the side of the Axis. Prior to this point, despite having signed the Pact of Steel in May 1939, Italy had not honored its obligations and remained at peace throughout the Battle of Poland and the majority of the Battle of France. Following its entry into World War II, Italy invaded southeastern France and occupied Nice. More significantly, Italian entry into World War II started a military campaign in North Africa, over control of Libya and Egypt, and in the Horn of Africa. Italy invaded Egypt in September 1940 and initiated a back and forth war with the British over control of the border territories of Egypt and Libya.

The Italian role in East Africa and France was brief and minimal. Italy joined the war only two weeks before French surrender and failed to breach the French fortifications of the Alpine Line. Its contribution to the Battle of France was marginal and brief. Italy was the only Axis power in East Africa, but its forces in that theater were unprepared and poorly supplied. Despite initial successes in Somaliland, Italian forces were totally defeated by Britain by Spring 1941.

At the time of the Italian invasion of Egypt in September 1940, neither Italy nor Egypt had substantial military preparations. Mussolini had not planned to become involved in the war, knowing that Italy was not prepared to fight a modern war and would not be prepared until at least 1943. Mussolini only entered the war due to the surprise success of Germany in the Battle of France and did so without preparing the Italian army for any specific operations. The Italian invasion of Egypt, undertaken to connect Italian possessions in Libya and East Africa, was done without proper equipment or intelligence. Fortunately, British forces in Egypt were similarly unprepared and unable to offer effective resistance. The lack of planning on both sides led to a back and forth conflict over the outlying areas of Libya and Egypt. The conflict only became more serious with the entry of additional German and Indian forces, on the Axis and Allied sides, respectively, in 1941. Only at this point did the Axis collect forces sufficient to seriously threaten Allied control of Egypt.

Italian entry into the war opened up new theaters of conflict in North Africa and East Africa. Although fighting in East Africa remained marginal, North Africa transformed into a major theater of the Second World War. Axis threats to Egypt were particularly serious, as control of Egypt determined control of the Suez Canal. Axis control of the Suez Canal would both enable Axis naval operations to threaten shipping, including oil supplies, in the Indian Ocean and restrict Allied access to the eastern Mediterranean. This outcome would have allowed for direct Axis intervention in Western Asia, potentially threatening Allied oil supplies.