Italie - Partie 2
CEVTDESC_462021;After Italy had lost all its African colonies and the Allies were landing in Sicily it was clear that the country could not continue the war. The Italian population was sick of it the armed forces were demoralized and humiliated and the economy was close to ruin. The long series of military disasters and defeats had ruined the credibility and popularity of Mussolini as a politician and as a leader. On July 24 1943 the Great Fascist Council met and voted to retire Mussolini from the government. Following the Dino Grandi proposal King Victor Emmanuel was restored to authority bringing the fascist regime to its end. The proposal was seconded even by Ciano Mussolinis son-in-law. The King assigned Field Marshal Badoglio to form a new government Mussolini was arrested and the first necessary measures to negotiate with the invading Allied forces were initiated.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462022;After the change of government in Italy Field Marshal Badoglio immediately initiated secret contacts with the Allied powers in order to abandon the war and seek a separate peace. The Allies offered Italy a two-part surrender agreement;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462023;The secret negotiations between Badoglio and the Allies eventually developed into an Allied final offer. The terms were harsh but Italy was exhausted and had little choice. The treaty stipulated that Italy leave the Axis and sign peace with the Allies and the Soviet Union return the prisoners on Italian soil surrender all military arsenal weapons and grant the Allies control over most of the country establishing a military government. Obviously Hitler was furious when Italy left the Axis and the German troops on Italian soil stationed in Rome and other important cities tried to take over the country but the defensive situation was desperate even for German forces. Finally Badoglio signed the armistice on September 8th 1943 as Allied troops advanced deeper into Italian territory.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462024;After the capitulation of Italy, United States took control of most parts of Italy to prepare for the advance on mainland Europe.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462025;After the capitulation of Italy, England took control of most parts of Italy to prepare for the advance on mainland Europe.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462026;The desperation of Mussolini was an evident sign that fascist Italy was about to crumble and seek a separate peace with the Allies. Since the very first signs the German High Command prepared plans to mobilize their troops in Italy to prevent the country from surrendering and to re-establish a fascist puppet government. On the night of September 8 1943 as Field Marshal Badoglio the new Italian prime minister was signing a peace treaty with the Allies German forces surrounded Rome and took over most of the northern provinces. Badoglio and the Royal family quickly fled to Allied territory while the Germans established a new puppet government in the controlled provinces. This was the Repubblica Sociale Italiana under the nominal command of Mussolini who was rescued from his imprisonment by German paratroopers.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462027;On the night of September 8 1943 as Field Marshal Badoglio the new Italian prime minister was signing a peace treaty with the Allies German forces surrounded Rome and took over most of the northern provinces. Badoglio and the Royal family quickly fled to Allied territory while the Germans established a new puppet government in the controlled provinces. This was the Repubblica Sociale Italiana under the nominal command of Mussolini who was rescued from his imprisonment by German paratroopers. After that half of Italy stood under the control of Germany and the new fascist regime and the other half was in Allied hands. The situation dictated that Allied Italy would have to fight alongside Allied forces to retake its lost territory.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462028;While the Italian armistice with the Allies was signed the Germans established the Repubblica Sociale Italiana with the objective of continuing the fighting in Italy. German troops in the Balkans prepared to take control of Axis-occupied provinces. Most Italian forces in the region received the news of the armistice with optimism wishing to receive orders to go home. Instead they were caught by surprise by the Germans. They were forced to turn their weapons over to Wehrmacht and SS units and then were taken prisoner. Some units thought this was a dishonor to the Italian army and chose to fight against the Germans. Though a few soldiers and officers were able to escape and return home before being captured most of the Italian Forces in the Balkans were imprisoned or executed.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462029;At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War Mussolini sent some commanders as military advisors or leaders of specific units to Spain. In contrast with Germany Italy didn't take as much advantage of the experience gained during the war possibly because its intervention was much less of a decisive factor in the war. Tons of Italian weaponry were shipped to Spain along with the means to manufacture them. If Germany had not shipped its weapons to Spain Franco would have been forced to rely on Italian weaponry to win the war and instead of the Mauser Rebel troops probably would have been armed with Mannlicher rifles.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462075;The German annexation of Austria posed a potentially great threat to Italian borders despite the creation of the Rome-Berlin Axis. Mussolini's dilemma was whether to follow the demands of his people who wanted to remain friends with the UK and France or those of his fellow fascist dictator Adolf Hitler and the third Reich.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462076;In the years preceding the Second World War many countries exported modern technologies to the USSR thus contributing to the rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union. Even countries whose ideology was in extreme opposition to Communism often decided to take the opportunity to earn money and influence from Soviet industrial development. Italy was one of these countries: their naval technology was vital to the development of the large Soviet Navy.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462077;After Haile Selassie fled to London the Italians discovered that it would not be an easy task to pacify Ethiopia. A few local Rases continued to resist and launch guerilla attacks on their conquerors. A few submitted but as long as Italy did not have the Ethiopian nobility on her side there would be no peace in Africa Orientale Italiana. Mussolini tried to bribe the exiled Emperor with 1 million pounds and nominal sovereignty in order to satisfy the Ethiopian people's desire to be led by their Emperor;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462078;Our military industry is highly dependent on coal imports from Germany with 6 to 12 million tons imported every year.;;;;;;;;;;X
CEVTDESC_462079;After stunning German success in France, Italy joined Axis and begin agressive moves in the Balkans and Africa. Mussolini's dream new 'Roman Empire' was visibly at hand. As a part of this plan Italy issued an ultimatum to the Greek dictator General Metaxas demanding several strategic provinces in Greece or face war. (historically on October 28th 1940).;;;;;;;;;;X