The Ro.58's failure to reach production becomes part of a wider argument about states entering war before their armament programs were ready. Italian operations in Africa and the war in Ethiopia had consumed logistical capacity and hollowed out parts of the armed forces, creating a need to rebuild, rearm, and modernize. Mussolini sought assurances that a wider war would be delayed. Germany also lacked the motor transport it wanted and depended heavily on horses for last-mile supply. Political gambles can still trigger a major war when the participating powers recognize their own material unreadiness.
Notable Point · 32:36-35:43
Italian readiness, logistics, and the timing of war
Italy entered the Second World War before rebuilding forces and logistics depleted by its African campaigns, limiting what advanced designs could achieve.