Crucial but Overlooked: The Italian Naval Contribution to the Conquest of Sevastopol

Abstract

Axis land forces overran most of the Crimea in October 1941, but were unable to capture Sevastopol. Realizing that sea power was now necessary, Hitler ordered that light boats be transferred to the Black Sea. However, the Germans did not have a sufficient number of small boats at their disposal and asked the Italians to supply them. Based on a critique of archival sources, this article analyses this little-known aspect of the Black Sea campaign and argues that the Italian Flotilla made a crucial, although overlooked, contribution to Sevastopol's conquest, concluding that its activity prevented essential Soviet supply missions.