'My Italians', were the USA troops considered so inferior by their British counterparts in WW2?

Question

I read a book as such, as Germans would consider their Italians counterparts who surrendered too easily without a fight.

Answer 1

are you asking why Itallian or US troops were considered infrior by our troops and the Germans during WWII?

The Italians were not as such inferior troops, but had much older equipment, and were not happy about being in the war. They were easier to catch in North Africa, than the very well organised Africa Korps, who gave us hell. Thus, they were seen by the average Desert Rat (British & Commonweath 8th Army) as a much inferior force.

The Royal Navy were up against a much harder task, as Mussolini had invested heavily in the Navy, and it had the latest equipment. Italian submarine engerneering was very advanced, and we only sunk the grand fleet because we had old biplanes (sopwith Camels) which flew slower than the automatic range finders on the AA guns.

The Italian Airforce was so antiquated, it was a joke.

US troops were considered inferior by the British, Partly because they entered the war late in 1942, and the first troops were so green that they caused too many incidents of friendly fire - As soon as the US got stuct in however, they were well equiped, and well trained on the whole. The main slur arose, because many US airmen were stationed in the UK, with the girlfriends of the UK troops fighting in India and Italy.

Answer 2

Yes, the Brits in North Africa began calling the Americans "our Italians" after the Longstop Hill battle at Christmastime 1942. It wasn't a matter of surrender, but of failure to push through, so even if the US troops had been experienced it still would have been a case of the pot calling the kettle black, and considering that Monty, having made his name in Libya, never took another risk until Market Garden, it was a continuing sore point. The GI's, of course, noted that when confronted with a problem, the Brits coped, while the Americans fixed.

Answer 3

I don't know what they fought like but when London was bombed the americans were always first to run to the air raid shelters.

Answer 4

Not in courage.