Origins
The Axis plan to invade Malta had its origin in Italian military studies conducted in the mid-1930s during Italy's conquest of Ethiopia. By 1938, the Italian army command had estimated the amount of sea transport it would require to move significant military forces into North Africa and identified the seizure of Malta as a necessary prerequisite. An outline plan for a seaborne assault was drawn up and periodically updated but the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) initially showed little interest in it.
The concept was approved at a meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini on 29–30 April 1942.
Read more about this topic: Operation Herkules
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