In at the Death: The fall of the Italian Social Republic

[CCA]

They say that history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. The last days of the Italian Social Republic seems to validate - if not outright proves this historical maxim.....

The second reincarnation of 'Fascism' in Italy in the form of the Italian Social Republic qualifies as a farce. The last days of the regime played out like a tragicomedic drama. The regime claimed to be "more totalitarian" - yet could not even maintain effective control over the countryside. It claimed to rule over all of Italy - yet it had to run it's affairs in a tiny little villa in Salo. It claimed that it would 'make Italy strong' yet Allied bombers were free to ravage Italian industry almost at will.....

The inherent contradictions and paradoxes, the essentially destructive impulse of fascism and the final delusions and illusions as the regime entered it's final paroxysms is revealed to us through primary documents including two very important ones: The Diarty of Mussolini and through the numerous repots published by Agenzia Stefani - the official propaganda news agency of the regime. Although we will be also using other documents - these two documents provide the closest and most indepth coverage of the last days.

An except taken from The Last Days of Salo by Roderigo Graziano

 

[MrCrispy109]

Sounds like this will be a good one.

 

[Myth]

Sounds like this'll be an interesting AAR. I take is this will be the '44 scenario?

 

[Lordban]

More than wondering where this will go, I'm wondering about the journey it'll be. You have piqued my curiosity

 

[unmerged(87984)]

This sounds interesting, wondering how this will play out.

 

[CCA]

Welcome Aboard MrCrispy109 - Thank you, I hope it will be a good one too Quite exciting trying to defend a failing regime!

Welcome aboard Myth Yes - this is the 20th June 1944 start! Thanks

Welcome aboard Lordban Hehe - I certainly hope I have - I've piqued mine too! Without giving too much of a hint I hope that Mussolini and the Salo republic to continue well past after the country gets occupied...

Welcome aboard Mædhric Thankyou! I too am wondering how this will play out!

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"...The 20th of June 1944 was an auspicious date for the Salo Republic - the nickname given to the Italian Social Republic for it's capital - and for Mussolinie. Although not necessarily a very special, or auspicious date for the Fascist movement, Mussolini notheless declared it the "Day of National Renewal." The Duce unveiled the new constitution of the regime and initiated 'new, bold totalitarian reforms' and called for the 'total economic moblization of Italy' and the 'service by requirement' that all citizens by virtue. The new radical constitution also abolished the monarchy and socialized 'all the forms of productive capacity necessary for the war effort.' Along with the new initiatives and bombast came a raft of new orders and decrees. The rump Salo Army consisting of 4 divisions numbering no more than 25,000 men was ordered 'fortwith to the frontlines to defend the land.' The Italian Arnaments industry was given orders to construct 'masses of new fighting beasts.' Although initially dismissed as an irrelevant rambling - for Mussolini had previously had periods of frantic activity which then died down to a deadened apathy - this was to be a turning point for the regime. From the 20th of June 1944, Mussolini - and therefore in a regime so personally oriented - had a new vigour. It was incidentally then that Mussolini started keeping a diary to keep his thoughts in..."

An excerpt froim 'A short history of Salo - 10th Edition'

Mussolini announcing the new constitution and the "Day of National Renewal" to a crowd in Milan

"....It is over. I know that I am a dead man, the regime is utterly and completely doomed and it is over. The war is lost. We can no longer win this conflict militarily - the end is coming. However, while the war may be over the campaign has not even begun! The real campaign is over the hearts and minds of future generations - I do not desire to be remembered as an incompetent buffoon or coward riding along the coattails of that damn Austrian! No! I shall give them an end so great! An end so spectacular that they will remember me for generations! I shall be remembered! Amidst the glory and tragedy of the last days! Figthing to the last grasp! And it is through my legacy that my enemies shall be destroyed! They shall fade away! Unrememered into the dark! My name shall live forever! As will those who choose to fight with me!I feel the hand of history on my shoulders! I will go down fighting to the bitter end! To glory! and to eternity! Long live death! ..."

An excerpt from the "Mussolini Diaries" dated 20 June 1944

"This is a new renewal for Italy! Soon there will be masses of tanks ready sweep the plutocrats and invaders off our land! Soon there will be masses of advanced jet fighter aircraft ready to sweep the skies! Soon our factories will all be producing these glorious arms! Soon there will be masses of soldiers, ready once more to fight the glorious fight! For Fascism! For Italy! For Mussolini!"

An excerpt from La Agenzia Stefani - dated 20 June 1944

Mussolini's 'masses of tanks' - Obsolete Great War vintage Armoured Cars - the Lancia IZ

"The Milan Declaration and the La Agenzia Stefani announcement is the typical example of propaganda employed by a fascist regime - a judicious mixture of lies, half-truths, partial-truths and exaggerations. For the purpose of brevity we shall content ourselves with analyzing this short excerpt of the La Aganzia Stefani dated 20 June 1944. The 'new masses of tanks' were in fact merely orders for 400 Lanzia IZ Armoured Cars, barely enough to outfit 3 brigades. These Lanzias were World War I vintage - these were the heaviest armour that Italian industry could produce at this stage in the war. The capacity for producing heavier had been stripped away to Germany at this point. The 'masses of advanced jet aircraft' appears to have been based on a promise extracted from Hitler by Mussolini to send 12 ME 262 Jet-Fighters earlier that day. "Our factories" - at this point the heaviest weapons that Italian industry could produce were vintage equipment from the Great War. And the "masses of soldiers' was a complete lie. Despite intensifying recruitment efforts and making 'service by requirement' - the total manpower available to the Salo Army, including existing divisions - would not number more than 100,000 at any given point in the war. However the seriousness and intensity of Salo propaganda this late in the war suggests a new vigour in the regime..."

An excerpt taken from the "Last Days of Salo" by Roderigo Graziano

 

[Myth]

Mussolini basically aims to go down with a ludicrous explosion then. This seems to be a tendency for all dictators, so he's in good company.

 

[CCA]

Mussolini basically aims to go down with a ludicrous explosion then. This seems to be a tendency for all dictators, so he's in good company.

Think Downfall.

With Italians.

 

[Lordban]

A war to win the hearts? Well, at least Mussolini still has hope left

 

[L Lawliet]

Think Downfall.

I was like "That's awesome"

With Italians.

And then I went :rofl: trying to imagine Mussolini yelling like Mr. Hilter


Still this is going to be a nice AAR methinks. Have fun going down in flames

 

[hebelecan]

I was like "That's awesome"



And then I went :rofl: trying to imagine Mussolini yelling like Mr. Hilter


Still this is going to be a nice AAR methinks. Have fun going down in flames

Mussolini: DAS WAR EIN BEFEHL !

Something is not right there ...

 

[L Lawliet]

Mussolini: DAS WAR EIN BEFEHL !

Something is not right there....

I thought of it something along the lines of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhuOicPFZY

Or any scene of an italian soap opera.

 

[Lord Valentine]

Oh yes the Republic of Salo! A fascinating topic! Mussolini going back to his socialist roots only to be bossed around by his German guardians at every step.

I will be following this with great interest!

~Lord Valentine~

 

[unmerged(87984)]

To go down with flying colours, the way it's meant to be for a fascist dictator

He certainly hasn't lost his energy. I wonder how well he will fare, Graziani seems pretty disillusioned...

 

[Friedrich2]

Well, this definitely will be interesting to follow. Here's Mussolini's second chance for an Italian Mediterranean. Only this time around Germany controls half of his glorious empire.

 

[crGrc]

Excellent. I've been waiting for an AAR on this fascinating, and oft-ignored, aspect of WW2 history. The RSI was an intriguing experiment in "back to basics" fascism, though it turned out to be - as you say - a farce. I'm looking forward to your updates

 

[CCA]

Dear Readers,

This AAR is officially on hold while I campaign for public office. Polling is in a few weeks so I should have this back on track in a couple of weeks time.

Regards,
CCA

 

[Myth]

Oooh, exciting. I guess its a good enough reason to put an AAR on hold.

 

[CCA]

Hello everyone!

Thank you all for your kind words and comments - keep em coming

I am back from my intensive campaign

I managed to lose by about 9 votes and then was dumped by my girlfriend a few days later so I've had quite a few turbulent weeks - but things have calmed down somewhat and it's time for another update

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Italians reading about the Battle of Fabriano

"The month of July was crucial for the Salo Republic. Although the bombing raids into Italian factories and war production continued it's slow, brutal and methodical destruction - the resistance - and victories offered by the Salo Army at the Battles of Fabriano as well as the destruction of the "Second Front" in France by Hurricane Maelstorm meant that the regime began to gain a semblance of popular support. Whether by the grudging acceptance of the regime or the startled realization that the Axis might actually prove to win the war or the ultra-repressive secret police apparatus or the savagery of the American and British bombings, the Italian public was slowly beginning to embrace the new Salo Republic. Bit by bit - Mussolini was beginning to win credibility and public support once again."

"...an example of the essentially Mussolini-centred Totalitarian regime that the Salo Republic had become was the speed by which decisions were reversed and history revised. Particularly in the production orders - Although the records we have pieced together indicate that an initial construction run was ordered to 3 brigades of "Armor" - highly likely mere armoured cars. These were revised the next day in favour of raising 3 more divisions staffed by the remaining loyal party cadres - Militia in other words and also 3 brigades of anti-aircraft units. The totalitarian obsession with controlling history is scene in the modified versions of Agenzia Stefani and the destruction of the old. "

An excerpt from 'An economic history of Salo - 1st Edition' by Roger Ducos

An example of the chaos caused by Hurricane Maelstorm

"The natural disaster that struck Northern France in early July has no paralell - for almost 3 straight weeks hurricans ravaged the Britanny and the coast of Northern France - destroying vital port equipment, thus preventing resupply and also crucially preventing air support of the still-vulnerable allied forces. Hitler believed that this was a divine act of intervention and transfered a substantial portion of the OKW reserve to crush the Allied beachead. By July the Allied forces had been completely driven off France. The "Second Front" had failed. All due to a freakish weather pattern which has no parallel in human history."

An excerpt from 'The World's Worst Natural Disasters'

Soldiers from the "Italia" division - crucial towards holding up the Allied advance on Fabriano

"...Not all was flowers and roses for the Axis powers in July. Although the British-American forces had been eliminated from France - this put the attention to the Italian Front with the Allies deciding that Italy - not France was to be the "2nd Front." The Battle of Fabriano, where the outgunned and outnumbered Salo Army managed to defeat an allied Army that was twice the size only added to the conviction that there was not enough being done on the Italian Front. News from the Eastern Front had become increasingly grim for the Axis - Romania had fallen to Red Army troops on 24 July and the Red Army began to increasingly pour into Bulgaria. Elsewhere along the Eastern Front - German troops were being inexorably pushed back in the long and tortous road towards Berlin..."

An excerpt taken from "European Front: July 1944"

(Next update will be a 'gameplay update' where I show the dear readers the illustrious position of the Italian Social Republic.)

 

[Myth]

Hey, it's back!

Mussolini certainly wants all his fingers in every pie in the Salo Republic, but unlike back in the day when he had to answer to the King, now he actually can!