Case Blue was the Wehrmacht's plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942, during World War II. The objective was to capture the oil fields of Baku, Grozny and Maikop for two purposes: to enable the Germans to re-supply their low fuel stock and also to deny their use to the Soviet Union, thereby bringing about the complete collapse of the Soviet war effort.
German troops take cover behind a knocked out T-70 light tank and beside a Sd.Kfz. 250 halftrack, summer 1942
Waffen-SS infantry and armor advancing, Summer 1942
Maximillian von Weichs
Alexander Löhr
The Italian Army in Russia was an army-sized unit of the Regio Esercito which fought on the Eastern Front during World War II between July 1942 and April 1943. The ARMIR was also known as the 8th Italian Army and initially had 235,000 soldiers. The bulk of this force was destroyed by the Soviet Red Army at the Battle of Stalingrad, after which Mussolini withdrew the remnants from Russia to the West.
75/32 gun of the Italian army on the Russian front
Italian soldiers on the Russian Front, with a Breda 30 machine gun. Breda Mod. 30 was the basic light machine gun of the Italian army during World War II
General Messe
Italian column moving towards new positions in the winter of 1942
