Marshal Badoglio of Italy
"Pietro Badoglio"
Note about Italy and World War Two: Italy played a significant part in World War Two in Europe and North Africa. Benito Mussolini was the dictator of Italy, leader of Italian Fascism, and Adolf Hitler's closest ally. The Italian military generally performed poorly during the war, although there were times when Italians units fought as well as those from other nations. Italy entered the war in June of 1940 against Britain and France, but by July of 1943, Mussolini was deposed by his own Fascist Party and then arrested on the orders of King Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele). The King named Pietro Bodoglio as Prime Minister of Italy and the new government signed an armistice in September 1943. The Italian government then formed some military units to fight on the side of the Allies. Meanwhile, Mussolini was rescued in a daring mission by German commandos, who were glider-landed atop a mountain resort where the former dictator was being held. Mussolini then set up a "new" government in northern Italy, complete with military units to fight along side the Germans, who had occupied Italy. A growing Italian resistance (partisan) movement led efforts behind German lines to defeat the Germans and their Italian fascist allies.* This brought Italy into a virtual state of civil war. The stubborn German defense of Italy was finally broken by the Allies and the German forces in Italy surrendered.
While there were some prominent Italian military commanders during World War Two, I've chosen Pietro Badoglio to represent Italy, mainly because he headed the post-Mussolini government. Just for the record, "some" important Italian military commanders during World War Two: Ugo Cavallero, Alfredo Guzzoni, Giovanni Messe, Italo Gariboldi. For those interested in any of these generals or others not listed, check your local library. Please support your local library!
Pietro Badoglio was born in northwestern Italy. He attended military school and served in the army in Italian colonial wars in East Africa and in Libya.** Badoglio rose to general during World War One, although his role in a major Italian defeat in one battle during the war has been criticized by historians. He then became Army Chief of Staff. he was not especially fond of Mussolini at first, but Mussolini later promoted him to "Marshal" (equivalent to field marshal in other armies) and he was put in charge of the colony of Libya. When the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in East Africa lagged in the early going in 1936, Mussolini put Badoglio in overall charge of operations there. Almost immediately he had poison gas used on Abyssinian troops. Following the Italian victory, Badoglio was made Governor General of the newly conquered colony, but he quickly returned to his post as Army Chief of Staff.
While skeptical of Italian military fortunes in a major war, he remained on when Mussolini took the country into World War Two. When the poorly planned Italian invasion of Greece went awry, Badoglio resigned his post, although the exact reason for his resignation is unclear. It wasn't until the Allies invaded the large Italian island of Sicily that Badoglio reemerged to play a role in the war. Mussolini was deposed and arrested, and the King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Badoglio as Prime Minister of Italy. The new Badoglio government almost immediately began secret negotiations with the Allies for an armistice. The Italian government had to be careful, as there were many German troops in Italy, and the German weren't stupid. They knew of the possibility of an Italian surrender and they made plans to send in more troops to help secure the country. The armistice was announced as Allied troops were making a second landing in Italy on September 8 (an Allied force had initially landed on September 3), but the Germans successfully disarmed most Italian units over the course of the first few days, although there was some heavy fighting in places in Italy and in Yugoslavia. The government escaped the Germans and then declared war on Germany. Badoglio remained as Prime Minister until June of 1944, when he resigned. He died in 1956 at the age of 85. Marshal Badoglio was an important figure in the Italian surrender, but his use of poison gas against the Abyssinians stands as a blemish on his overall record.
* It was Italian partisans who captured and executed Mussolini and his entourage in late April 1945.
**Italy had Eritrea in East Africa as colony from the late 1800s, and Libya (in North Africa) was occupied and made into a colony by Italy in 1911. In both colonies, not all people accepted the Italians as rulers, and there were rebellious outbreaks that were suppressed by the Italian military.
WORD HISTORY:
Wife-This is another common word of uncertain ancient origin, and I'm not sold on some of the theories, but Old Germanic had "wiban," which meant "woman, female person." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "wif," with the same meaning, but also later in Old English with the notion of "female spouse, wife" being a secondary meaning, which later became the primary meaning, as it is today. "Midwife" retains the original meaning of "woman," in general. Later too, the spelling varied from "wif" to "wyf," before the modern version. Common in the other Germanic languages (except Norwegian), although not necessarily used by all to the same degree: German has "Weib," which is used more in old style language for "woman, wife," as it was replaced by "Frau" as the common modern term. For those learning German, it is a word best avoided, as it has a derogatory tone to it for a woman now, with implication of "babe" or "doll," if you get my drift. Low German has "Wief" (female, woman); Dutch has "wijf" (female, woman); West Frisian has "wiif" (female, woman); Swedish and Danish have "viv" (woman); Icelandic has "víf" (woman). I did not find a modern form in Norwegian, where the term has undoubtedly died out, as one of the words for "woman" in Norwegian is related to English "queen," a word that also once simply meant "woman, lady" in English, before taking on the notion of a woman married to a tribal chieftain or king, and then later a "female ruler in her own right."
Note about Italy and World War Two: Italy played a significant part in World War Two in Europe and North Africa. Benito Mussolini was the dictator of Italy, leader of Italian Fascism, and Adolf Hitler's closest ally. The Italian military generally performed poorly during the war, although there were times when Italians units fought as well as those from other nations. Italy entered the war in June of 1940 against Britain and France, but by July of 1943, Mussolini was deposed by his own Fascist Party and then arrested on the orders of King Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele). The King named Pietro Bodoglio as Prime Minister of Italy and the new government signed an armistice in September 1943. The Italian government then formed some military units to fight on the side of the Allies. Meanwhile, Mussolini was rescued in a daring mission by German commandos, who were glider-landed atop a mountain resort where the former dictator was being held. Mussolini then set up a "new" government in northern Italy, complete with military units to fight along side the Germans, who had occupied Italy. A growing Italian resistance (partisan) movement led efforts behind German lines to defeat the Germans and their Italian fascist allies.* This brought Italy into a virtual state of civil war. The stubborn German defense of Italy was finally broken by the Allies and the German forces in Italy surrendered.
While there were some prominent Italian military commanders during World War Two, I've chosen Pietro Badoglio to represent Italy, mainly because he headed the post-Mussolini government. Just for the record, "some" important Italian military commanders during World War Two: Ugo Cavallero, Alfredo Guzzoni, Giovanni Messe, Italo Gariboldi. For those interested in any of these generals or others not listed, check your local library. Please support your local library!
Pietro Badoglio was born in northwestern Italy. He attended military school and served in the army in Italian colonial wars in East Africa and in Libya.** Badoglio rose to general during World War One, although his role in a major Italian defeat in one battle during the war has been criticized by historians. He then became Army Chief of Staff. he was not especially fond of Mussolini at first, but Mussolini later promoted him to "Marshal" (equivalent to field marshal in other armies) and he was put in charge of the colony of Libya. When the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in East Africa lagged in the early going in 1936, Mussolini put Badoglio in overall charge of operations there. Almost immediately he had poison gas used on Abyssinian troops. Following the Italian victory, Badoglio was made Governor General of the newly conquered colony, but he quickly returned to his post as Army Chief of Staff.
While skeptical of Italian military fortunes in a major war, he remained on when Mussolini took the country into World War Two. When the poorly planned Italian invasion of Greece went awry, Badoglio resigned his post, although the exact reason for his resignation is unclear. It wasn't until the Allies invaded the large Italian island of Sicily that Badoglio reemerged to play a role in the war. Mussolini was deposed and arrested, and the King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Badoglio as Prime Minister of Italy. The new Badoglio government almost immediately began secret negotiations with the Allies for an armistice. The Italian government had to be careful, as there were many German troops in Italy, and the German weren't stupid. They knew of the possibility of an Italian surrender and they made plans to send in more troops to help secure the country. The armistice was announced as Allied troops were making a second landing in Italy on September 8 (an Allied force had initially landed on September 3), but the Germans successfully disarmed most Italian units over the course of the first few days, although there was some heavy fighting in places in Italy and in Yugoslavia. The government escaped the Germans and then declared war on Germany. Badoglio remained as Prime Minister until June of 1944, when he resigned. He died in 1956 at the age of 85. Marshal Badoglio was an important figure in the Italian surrender, but his use of poison gas against the Abyssinians stands as a blemish on his overall record.
* It was Italian partisans who captured and executed Mussolini and his entourage in late April 1945.
**Italy had Eritrea in East Africa as colony from the late 1800s, and Libya (in North Africa) was occupied and made into a colony by Italy in 1911. In both colonies, not all people accepted the Italians as rulers, and there were rebellious outbreaks that were suppressed by the Italian military.
WORD HISTORY:
Wife-This is another common word of uncertain ancient origin, and I'm not sold on some of the theories, but Old Germanic had "wiban," which meant "woman, female person." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "wif," with the same meaning, but also later in Old English with the notion of "female spouse, wife" being a secondary meaning, which later became the primary meaning, as it is today. "Midwife" retains the original meaning of "woman," in general. Later too, the spelling varied from "wif" to "wyf," before the modern version. Common in the other Germanic languages (except Norwegian), although not necessarily used by all to the same degree: German has "Weib," which is used more in old style language for "woman, wife," as it was replaced by "Frau" as the common modern term. For those learning German, it is a word best avoided, as it has a derogatory tone to it for a woman now, with implication of "babe" or "doll," if you get my drift. Low German has "Wief" (female, woman); Dutch has "wijf" (female, woman); West Frisian has "wiif" (female, woman); Swedish and Danish have "viv" (woman); Icelandic has "víf" (woman). I did not find a modern form in Norwegian, where the term has undoubtedly died out, as one of the words for "woman" in Norwegian is related to English "queen," a word that also once simply meant "woman, lady" in English, before taking on the notion of a woman married to a tribal chieftain or king, and then later a "female ruler in her own right."
Labels: Benito Mussolini, English, Ethiopia/Abyssinia, etymology, Fascism, Germanic languages, Germany, Italy, Pietro Badoglio, World War Two
posted by Randy at 1:43 AM
3 Comments:
I'd say the use of poison gas is more than "a blemish on his record."
Your comment has given me an idea for an article about poison gas in the era between World Wars One and Two. As a regular reader, I'm sure you'll check it out. I'm currently working on it.
I guess it has to be put in the perspective of those times about poison gas. Im looking forward to your article on the subject. Dont really know much about Italy in the war, many details, that is. Another GREAT word history.
Post a Comment
<< Home