Page 42 - History of War - Issue 29-16

MUSSOLINI’S DOWNFALL

that he was the ‘victim of a serious physical disguise. They gave him a greatcoat, helmet, in which Mussolini’s fate was argued over and
and moral collapse’. Also crumpling was the sub-machine gun and the fateful sunglasses, he was disguised once more, this time by the
German military position, on every front. The in a futile attempt to obscure the most familiar partisans as they attempted to keep him alive
Allies broke through the Gothic Line in April, at face in Italy. Recognised quickly when the until they had decided what to do with him. The
the same time as they approached Berlin from column was searched, Mussolini was arrested. decision, when it came, was brutally simple.
the West and the Russians approached it from He had fallen into the hands of the communists Alongside his mistress, Mussolini was riddled
the East. in the form of the 52nd Garibaldi Brigade. with sub-machine gun bullets on 28 April 1945.
On 25 April, the partisan leadership met Although many initially claimed to have been
with Mussolini in Milan to work out terms for The fi nal act the man to kill Il Duce, confusion still reigns
the surrender of his fascist militia groups. His The communists were determined not to hand over who actually pulled the trigger.
attempt to work out a deal with them failed, Mussolini, or the other members of his retinue The remaining members of his retinue
only unconditional surrender was acceptable at – including his mistress, Claretta Petacci – over were also executed and the bodies, including
this stage. to the Allies. A miserable few hours followed, those of Mussolini and his mistress, were
Leaving Milan, at 8pm, Mussolini embarked unceremoniously dumped in the Piazzale Loreto
on a desperate bid to escape the country. He Below: The battered and mutilated corpse of Mussolini in Milan. On the morning of 29 April, the bodies
made it to Como that night and by 27 April and his mistress, Claretta Petacci were discovered and a mob quickly gathered
had fallen in with a column of German troops, to spit, kick and otherwise abuse the corpses.
wearily heading home after their exhausting Mussolini, his mistress and others were strung
campaign in Italy. up by their feet, their already stiffened bodies
A partisan roadblock stopped the column and hanging grotesquely. The following day, Hitler
after protracted discussions, the Germans were committed suicide.
told they could continue their journey – but that Even then, however, Italy’s misery was not
all Italians had to be left behind. The Germans over. Mussolini was gone but the partisans Images: Alamy, Getty
were unconcerned about the fate of their Italian had plenty of other targets. An orgy of violence
passengers, but did agree to allow Mussolini, erupted as thousands of fascists, and
and Mussolini alone, to travel with them in suspected fascists, were summarily executed.
After executing the fascist leader, Italian
partisans hung him, along with his retinue,
in one of Milan’s public squares

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