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Partisan Brigades

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The turning point of Nazi-Fascism under Mussolini’s leadership begins at the end of 1942, when the battle of El-Alamein (Egypt) was won by the Allies. After the Ally invasion of Sicily on July 10, 1943, Mussolini called an extraordinary session of the Gran Consiglio del Fascismo (Great Counsil of Fascism) where he conceded to a motion calling for his dismissal.  The morning following this surprising event, Mussolini approached King Vittorio Emanuele III for support. Instead, the king had Mussolini arrested and appointed Pietro Badoglio, Field Marshal of the Italian army, as the new prime minister.

Italy was ecstatic at this turn of events and celebrated by destroying statues of Mussolini and partying in the streets. Italians believed that the overthrow of Mussolini indicated, along with Fascism, that the war was over. However, Badoglio quickly quelled this notion and the new government under King Vittorio undertook a risky and ambiguous political strategy - simultaneously assuring the Germans of their continued allegiance, while beginning peace negotiations with the Allies.