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Images of Italian Colonial Postcards from the 1920s to the 1940s

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second_libyan_battalion
Image: 1/8

The Second Libyan Battalion. The quotation on stone, by Mussolini, states that, if the soldier advances, he will continue to do so; if he retreats, he will choose death; and if he dies, he will be avenged. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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soldier_as_colonist
Image: 2/8

The “heroic militia” (the soldier as colonist in Libya) plows the earth using as a camel as a draft animal. Note the ruins of classical columns in the foreground. On the verso of the card is a quote from Mussolini, stating that the soldier should harmonize himself with the colonist because after the Roman legionnaires had conquered their territories, they also built roads and plowed the soil. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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army_corps
Image: 3/8

The 21st Army Corps, Cyrenaica. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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first_battalion
Image: 4/8

These postcards celebrate the First Battalion of African Hunters (cacciatori), characterized on this postcard as being an “unbreakable phalanx.” On the verso of the card are listed the various battles in Libya they had taken part in, ranging from 1914 to 1931 in places such as Mizda, Zanzur, Misurata, and Sidi Gilani. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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colonial_forces
Image: 5/8

This card celebrates the feats of Italian and colonial forces at the Battle of Bir en-Némua (near Misurata) in January 1915. On the verso is stated that one Italian carabiniere and thirteen colonial zaptiè (local gendarmes trained by the Italians) attacked a numerically superior enemy, fighting to the last bullet and dying heroic deaths. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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first_colonial_artillery
Image: 6/8

First Colonial Artillery Regiment, Tripolitania. 1935. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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colonial_division
Image: 7/8

Colonial Division, Libya. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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libyan_battalion
Image: 8/8

The 7th Libyan Battalion. This postcard commemorates the battle at Agedabia (Ajdabiya) on April 21, 1923. Ajdabiya, which is south of Benghazi, has been the scene of much fighting between Libyan rebels and the forces of Mu‘ammar Gadhafi in March 2011. (African Pictorial Collection, Hoover Institution Archives)

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