Reasons why Italy was a weak Axis power

Italy

But ultimately why the Axis as a whole failed was a lack of coordination. Hitler and Mussolini talked frequently, but the El Duce was commonly bullied into following Der Fuhrer's goals and interests. Mussolini's zone of conquest was the Mediterranean (to rebuild the Roman Empire), whereas Hitler was focused on expanding Germany from the French Atlantic coast to the Ural mountains. Fighting the Soviet Union would not have benefited Italy, even if they had won, yet Mussolini had most of his army fighting on the Eastern Front in 41-42 to support Hitler's war on Stalin.