Fall of Mussolini / Salo Republic Flashcards
Growing Political Tensions
1943
First strikes in 18 years
Antifascism began to rise in Italy
Communist Newspaper L’Unita reemerged
Christian Democrats created - antifascist - CA memebers
However - antifascism was still largely covert
Conservative elites planned to depose Mussolini (1942)
Feared Hitler would invade Italy
Helped by the Allied Invasion of Italy
Allied invasion of Sicily
9th July 1943 - Allied forces land in Sicily
Conquered Western Sicily in a week
Hitler refused to send reinforcements
Mussolini successfully surrendered Sicily
By 17th August, Allies controlled Sicily
Deposal of Mussolini
Mussolini conviced to hold a Grand Council Meeting
At the meeting, Grandi’s resolution to remove Mussolini was passed 19:7.
Following the council, Mussolini met with the King expecting a normal meeting
At the meeting, the King interrupted Mussolini and announced his deposal
Mussolini was taken by ambulance to Prison
Italian Surrender
Signed 3rd September 1943 -
Badoglio had promised to; secure all of Italy’s airfields + ports and to hand over 60,000 Italian troops to help.
When surrender was made public on the 8th September, it was clear no effort to achieve these promises had been made.
From the 9th September - German forces poured into Italy
13th Sept - King + Badoglio flee to the South and declare war on Germany.
On 4th July 1944 - Rome fell to the Allies
2nd May 1945 - Northern Italy was under the control of the allies
Mussolini’s escape from prison
On 28th August 1944, Mussolini moved to a remote prison which they believed the Germans would not find.
On 12th September, German forces break Mussolini out via daring aerial raid and take him to Germany
13th Sept - Mussolini meets with Hitler, informed he must return to Italy and establish a new fascist Govt.
Mussolini’s return to Italy
25th September - Mussolini returns to Italy and establishes a new Govt. in Gargano.
How did the Nazis control Mussolini ?
Mussolini’s govt. was a puppet state
Govt. bodies spread out over 100 miles to prevent them from operating effectively
Foreign Ministry + Ministry of Popular culture established in Salo - given the name.
Appointed officials without Mussolini’s approval
Assisted Germans with the removal of Italian Jews to concentration camps c. 7,000
For every German soldier killed, 10 Italians were killed
Strengths of the Salo
Controlled the ‘industrial’ north of Italy such as Piedmont, Lombardy + Veneto
Mussolini established a new cabinet (radicals)
Ideology of Salo
Verona Manifesto - 1919 style fascism
Anticlerical Republic
Nationalised industry
Cooperative State
From Feb 1944, all private companies (>1 mil lira capital/ 100 employees) managed equally by workers / employer
Suppression of Fascist Grand Council Members
Ciano + 5 Grand Council memebers sentenced with treason for their role in the Grand Council deposition.
Grandi + 12 others could not be found
On 11th Jan 1944, the executions were carried out
Army of the Salo
Drew upon support from radicals
National Republican Guard (GNR) created
573,000 men part of RSI armed forces by start of 1944
RSI mainly conducted a civil war with partisans
Northern population terrorised in order to prevent the sheltering of partisans.
Features of the Kingdom of the South
Royal Govt.
Client state of the allies
Govt. not purged of all fascist cooperators
Conservative prefects / podestas remained in place.
Support of the monarchy was consistent
Badogolio replaced by Bonomi
King established a royal gov but had little say in its own affairs and under the control of the allies occupation
SOcial unrest beginning to take place, kings inadequate action after Mussolini’s deposition made him very unpopular
Govt. of Bonomi
Introduced conscription - resistance from population
c. 50,000 men did fight alongside the allies
anger at the king/ Badoglio actions in 1942 meant it was largely resisted
North/South divide very prominent
Civil war confined to the North.
Mussolini’s death
By April 1945, the Allies had claimed major areas in Northern Italy
Mussolini attempts to negociate surrender with partisan
German surrender negociation led M to flee to Switz.
On 28th April, Mussolini + Mistress were executed
Crowds attacked Mussolini’s body and it was hung upside down in Milan
German Surrender
On 29th April, German command signed the surrender documents and agree on a ceasefire on 1st May
On the day German organised surrender, Hitler killed himself.
