Did the Italian Nation change between 1943-1946 KT4

Allied Invasion:

• Churchill felt an attack on Italy would be useful for the Allied forces by gaining more air fields to attack Germany, opening a second front in the Balkans
• Allied command had hoped the invasion would be quick - Quickly shown false as AI became slow, difficult war
• Key problem was Marshall Badoglio in control had begun negotiating Italy's surrender to Allied forces. Signed on 3 Sep 1943, he promised to secure all of Italy's airfields + ports, assistance of 60,000 soldiers, and give entire Italian navy + air force
• Made public on 8 Sep, Badoglio nor King secured these promises. Italian soldiers left in confusion. Some surrendered with over 1mil taken prisoner, some tried to get home,  others wanted to keep fighting
• Greek Islands- fighting took place between German + Italian forces- 1200 italian soldiers killed + 4800 captured soldiers shot
• Hitler had planned German invasion of Italy. 9 Sep, German forces invaded Italy. King + Badoglio refused to issue orders to army, thought it would cause Germans to attack civilians, meaning Rome was poorly defended + taken over. 13 Sep- Italy declared to be at war with Germany.  Clear that the 60,000 troops promised would not be given, so Allies had to do majority of fighting.
• Germans put up fierce defence of Italy. Allies hampered by weather + geography (Wet + freezing, Mountains- brutal war)
• Invasion did help Allies as it drew 1 million German soldiers- diverting them from France. 4 June 1944, Rome fell to Allies

Republic of Salo:

• 28 Aug, M was transferred to prison on Gran Sasso- extremely isolated location. 12 Sep, he was rescued by German commandoes + brought back to Germany. Hitler then demanded M return to Italy at head of new fascist gov the Nazis would create.
• 25 Sep, M returned to Italy + established his capital in Gargano on Lake Garda. His gov was a puppet of Nazi G, Germans had great control (Appointed officials without consulting M)
• Salo controlled richest + most populated areas of Italy
• 14 Nov, first congress of new fascist party held in Verona. They drew up Verona Manifesto that tried to take fascism back to og…