Booklet 8: The Fall Of The Fascist State 1940-1946 Flashcards
Invasion of Greece
Made Italy look weak, Germany had to send troops to support
Mussolini’s dictatorship was seen to be weaker than Greece
Only took Germany 2 weeks to defeat Greece
Economic weakness during WWII
Steel production fell
Italy depended on Germany for coal, only received 1 million tonnes a month
Equipment was outdated
Relationship with Germany during WWII
Very reliant on Germany, not receiving enough supply’s
Italys military needed German support
Germany estimated that Italian economy was only operating at 25% of its potential
Military weaknesses in WWII
Mussolini made all major decisions
M was bored by detailed discussions
M held the positions of war minister, minister of navy, minister of air force
Main reason for Italys failures in WWII
Mussolini’s leadership- made himself all major military positions
Made Italy heavily reliant on Germany
Didn’t receive enough supplies to make it through the war
Allied invasion of Sicily
British and American commonwealth troops invaded Sicily
Conquered western half in 1 week
Mussolini asked Hitler for troops
Allied planes bombed Rome for 2 hours
Why did Mussolini call a meeting of the fascist grand council
Due to the bleak position that Italy was taking in the war
What did grandi 8 days before the meeting
He started drafting a document for the removal of mussolini
What happened at the FGC meeting
The removal was voted and passed by 19 votes to 7, Mussolini had little concern
What did the king do and why was Mussolini surprised
The king removed Mussolini and replaced him with Badaglio
Mussolini was surprised as he believed the king was on his side
1943 economic turmoil in Italy
Rationing and food shortages
First strikes in 16years
Government agreed to increase money for evacuees
United front against Mussolini
All groups except republicans agreed to work together against fascism
Discussion began about new political system after fascism
Salo republic
Mussolini returned in sept 43
Puppet state of Nazi germany
Appointed officials loyal to Germany, not consulting M
Pay Germans 7 billion lire a month
100 miles across north Germany
Verona manifesto
Attempted to take fascism back to its original form, back to 1919
Italy was to be a republic, nationalised industry
Workers and employees would manage companies equally
Brutal actions of salo republic
5 fascists including ciano were sentenced to death for treason, involved in removing M
Fascists were assisting German plans to send Italian Jews to Nazi death camps
7,500 Jews sent to death camps, declared as enemy of RSI
GNR
New military formed under salo
573,000 men recruited
20,000 men in navy
RSI battle
war in the north between anti-fascist partisans and German RSI forces
German policy, every German that died, 10 Italians executed
Mussolini’s health
Ill health
Not popular
Wanted to retire
Kingdom of the south
King wanted Podestas to stay, and resist communism and socialism
Gov had little say in its own affairs
Under allies control
Allies wanted mass purge of fascists (didn’t happen)
Kingdom of south military
Allies occupied Rome 1944
Gov tried to conscript 100,000 men
Strikes were resisted
Around 50,000 men ended up joining the military
Birth of Italian republic
1946 Italy voted for a constituent assembly to draw up new constitution
Italians voted to end monarchy and establish a republic
12.7 mil to 10.7
New government 1946
Christian democrats won 207 seats
PCI gained 104
PSI 114
President placed as head of state
Kingdom of south economy
The allies directly ruled Sicily and most of southern Italy
Many Italians lived in poverty
Corruption widespread, USA used mafia
Not well made economy, supported by USA
