 Hitler later blamed the failure of his invasion of the Soviet Union , which had to be delayed , on Mussolini 's failed conquest of Greece . This explanation for Germany 's calamitous defeat by the Soviet Union has been refuted by the majority of historians , who have accused Hitler of trying to deflect blame for his country 's defeat from himself to his ally , Italy . It nevertheless had serious consequences for the Axis war effort in the North African theatre . Enno von Rintelen , who was the military attaché in Rome , emphasizes from the German point of view , the strategic mistake of not taking Malta . 
