The 10th Indian Division in the Italian campaign, 1944-45: training, manpower and the soldier's experience

Kavanagh, Matthew David (2015). The 10th Indian Division in the Italian campaign, 1944-45: training, manpower and the soldier's experience. University of Birmingham. M.A.

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Abstract

This dissertation will observe the capabilities and experience of the Indian Army in the Second World War, by examining the 10th Indian Division’s campaign in Italy. The focus will be on three themes of the division’s deployment to Italy; its training, manpower and the experience of the Indian soldier. Whilst these themes are part of the wider historiography of the Indian Army; there has been no significant study of these topics in relation to Italy, which this work seeks to redress. Observing the division’s training and manpower will indicate its capabilities during the Second World War. How did the Indian Army maintain an expeditionary force far from its home base, given the structural weaknesses in its recruitment and organisation? Did the Indian Army’s focus on the war in Japan, and jungle warfare, have a detrimental effect on the training of troops deployed to Italy? The reforms that the Indian Army, made to its training and organisation were critical in overcoming the difficulties that arose from campaigning in Italy. Studying the experience of the Indian soldier through morale and censor reports will demonstrate their attitude towards military service, and how this shaped their attitudes on the post-war future of India.

Type of Work: Thesis (Masters by Research > M.A.)
Award Type: Masters by Research > M.A.
Supervisor(s):
Supervisor(s)EmailORCID
Snape, MichaelUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Licence:
College/Faculty: Colleges (2008 onwards) > College of Arts & Law
School or Department: School of History and Cultures, Department of History
Funders: None/not applicable
Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D731 World War II
D History General and Old World > DS Asia
U Military Science > U Military Science (General)
URI: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/5632

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