World War II in Italy
This Southern European nation was controlled by fascists led by Benito Mussolini starting in 1922. In 1925 Mussolini, ended democracy in Italy by dismissing the Italian Parliament.
On October 25, 1936, Mussolini and Hitler announced a Rome-Berlin alliance -- the Axis.
The Italians attempted to surrender to the Allies in 1943, but German forces invaded.
The German forces finally surrendered on May 2, 1945.
For the Allies, the Italian campaign involved some of the hardest fighting in the war. It cost the United States some 114,000 casualties.
By the end of the war, the Italian economy was devasted and over 300,000 Italian men and boys were killed.
Casualties:
Military |
Civilian |
Total |
330,000 |
80,000 |
410,000 |
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (7/29/1883-(4/28/1945) was an Italian politician and leader of the National Fascist Party, ruling the country from 1922 to his ousting in 1943. In 1926 Mussolini seized total power as dictator and ruled Italy as Il Duce from 1930 to 1943.