Submarine chiefs carried doctrinal responsibility

Mario Falangola and Antonio Legnani directed the submarine service across the war's main phases and therefore bore responsibility for doctrine, communications, and supporting systems. Both chose Mussolini's Italian Social Republic after the September 1943 armistice. That political choice suggests that ideological loyalty shaped senior professional judgment. Their record contrasts a materially capable force with leaders who failed to translate its design into effective wartime employment.