''Italians welcomed the Fascist salute because they were tired of putting up both hands.' Such dismissals of Italy's military morale in World War I remain the subtext of much work on the subject. Wilcox makes a correspondingly major contribution by concentrating on compliance as central to sustaining fighting power in a war where motivation was otherwise limited. Italy's soldiers, still subjects as much as citizens, came from a culture of obligation tempered by reciprocity and negotiation. Wilcox demonstrates how that balance, often unstable, nevertheless sustained a war effort often brave and ultimately victorious.' Dennis Showalter, Professor Emeritus of History, Colorado College
1. Introduction; Part I. Army Policies and Morale: 2. Leadership, command culture and organisation; 3. Incentivising high morale; 4. Discipline; 5. Combat readiness; Part II. Italians under Arms: 6. Endurance: experience and the negotiation of identity; 7. Consent and compliance; 8. Refusal: indiscipline, protest and nervous collapse; 9. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.