The Fall of Mussolini: Italy, the Italians, and the Second World War

by Philip Morgan

In this powerful history, Philip Morgan tells the dramatic story of Mussolini's fall from power in July 1943, illuminating both the causes and the consequences of this momentous event.
Morgan recounts how King Emanuel first ousted Mussolini and how Germany then succeeded in putting him back in place, this time as a puppet of the Nazis. The resulting chaos included fighting by anti-fascist rebel groups, retributions on all sides, and mini civil wars throughout the country. When Germany finally surrendered, Italy was in complete disarray. The book shines light on how common people responded to and coped with the extraordinary pressures of wartime living and with the invasion, occupation, and division of their country by warring foreign powers. Morgan's descriptions of little known events from Italy's war, as well as vivid eye-witness reports from people who hid Jews, fought in the resistance, and killed collaborators, clearly show how much the country suffered during this time. And it proves how crucial the experience of this period was in shaping Italy's post-war sense of nationhood and its transition to democracy.
The book also debunks the myths that arose after the war, which depicted the nation as almost entirely anti-Fascist, with the heroes of the resistance movement fighting to rid their country first of Mussolini, then of their German occupiers. In truth, the situation surrounding Mussolini's removal from power, return to power, and eventual execution was far more complicated. This book presents an accurate history of Italy during the war years, rather than what Italians imagine or want their actions to have been.


"A clear and sensitive account of a forgotten conflict. Takes readers well past the jokes and romance which demean most other interpretations of Fascist Italy's war." --Richard Bosworth, author of Mussolini

Genres: Italy, History, Politics, World War II, War

284 pages, Hardcover

First published March 8, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Philip Morgan is Senior Lecturer in Contemporary European History at the University of Hull. His previous publications include Italian Fascism, 1919-1945 and Fascism in Europe, 1919-1945.

Reviews

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent history -- social and chronological - about the final phase of Italian fascism: the war (1940-1943) and the social collapse of the home front; and the brutal years of the Civil War (1943-1945) between the Salò Republic and the anti-fascist partisans. Sober, readable, filled with telling anecdotes or illustrations of popular opinion drawn from letters and memoirs. This book forms an excellent sequel to Morgan's more traditional book on Italian Fascism (1915-1945).

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, first off, the title is deceiving; this is not about Mussolini's fall from power. Rather, this book is about the Italian experience during World War II. Mussolini does appear in the book, but only in-depth at the beginning and end.

This book is not quite academic, but is not an easy read either. What I was hoping for was a book giving a good overview--but not in a scholarly way--of Italy's history during World War II. This book did not meet those expectations. I am not saying this is a bad read, simply that it was not what it appeared to be. I would recommend this book for those readers who already have a conceptual knowledge of Italy & World War II, and wish to explore further what actually was happening on the ground in Italy's cities and towns during the conflict.

I give this book three stars, due to the misleading title.

[Aleksandar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars for primarily due to the first two chapters which deal with the first fall of Mussolini in 1943, which contained interesting details which may be of use for people interested in Fascism in general.

The remainder of the book did not continue with the same quality, and the density of the chapters made me lose both interest and attention at points, leading me to forget what's the purpose of the book in the first place.

That being said, the book could have been approximately 70-80 pages shorter and completely retain its validity and make its point.

[Seth Zenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned an enormous amount about the lives of Italians from 1943 to 1945 from this book, so I can't give it less than 3 stars. I can't give it more than 3 stars either, though. It was very difficult to understand how the book was organized. It is annoying that "the fall of Mussolini" is a frame for the actual material of the book, contrary to what the title implies. And the book could likely have benefited from either more detail about the modern Italian perception of history and its political implications, or none at all.

[Russell Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to this book, Mussolini was removed from power three times -- twice in 1943 and then again in 1945. This book explains the events leading to his removals, presenting these fascinating stories. It's not a quick read -- not for me. Instead, it's a mixture of commentary and personal accounts which calls for reading in spurts to have time to think about what was read, to discuss with friends to absorb more of it.

Morgan uses excerpts from official documents and letters between officials to give insights of what Italians were doing and feeling from 1943 to 1945 as their country was in disarray. For example, he explains how when the Allied Forces were bombing the major cities in Italy, the government had no plan to minimize damage. There weren't typically air raid sirens, nor bomb shelters constructed or underground facilities reinforced. There weren't squadrons of air raid wardens like in London warning people to turn off lights and use black-out curtains, nor much in the way of emergency medical staff standing by to assist the wounded. All of this was because Mussolini felt he knew best and was minister of almost every thing. He recounts the situation with black market selling of food caused by short-sighted price controls, and about how families hid the young men so they wouldn't be drafted into the army, and how people were suffering and be abused by local Fascist leaders who used the opportunity to settle old grudges.

Morgan uses excerpts from personal diaries and letters between families and friends to give insights of what Italians were doing and feeling. For example, he tells of Italian soldiers who were forced to join German troops in Russia and then abandoned when the Germans retreated, and then how they walked home to Italy, seen staggering over the border from through the Alps and Dolomites, injured, starving, and in tattered clothes trying to get home to their mothers, wives, and children. He provides an excerpt from a letter from a fifteen-year old girl in northern Italy who was raised in Fascism, who tells her mother how proud she is to serve her country in the war effort, but wishes she would be allowed to do more like the boys -- and then accounts how the Italian opposition a few weeks later put her in front of a firing squad and killed her.

The depth of information is overwhelming. It's amazing the Italy survived. It gives background and changes one's view of the people -- and changes one's viewing of the movie, The Bicycle Thieves. The personal stories and accounts, the complicated situations are stunning. Italy in particular is interesting if you want to learn about life during World War II because they fought on both sides -- and were occupied by both sides at the same time. This book is worth reading. It may take quite some time to get through it, but you'll be richer for having read it.

[Emmett Hoops · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent little book: a good introduction to the craziness that was Italy in the years 1940 to 1945. The author makes an interesting point by showing how the war experiences of the south and north were partially the outcome of the incomplete union of the country in 1870.

Some reviewers were disappointed that the entire book was not about Mussolini. I feel they're mistaken. This entire book IS about Mussolini, because it was his Fascist structure that caused the suffering of the Fascist War (1940 - 1943) and the Civil War (1943- 1945.) The death of Mussolini was the death of Fascism, and that is what is chronicled in this marvelous book.

[Andrew Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike some of the other commenters, I actually felt this was a light read! There was always a really strong narrative, and it never got bogged down by little things or too much focus on tactics / #s of troops. It was intelligent discrimination by the author to include what he included, and leave out what he did. I thought this was a well above average book, and would be of interest to ppl w limited interest in history

[Alex Broughton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author managed to turn a fascinating topic into a boring book. The author does a reasonably good job discussing the challenges of switching sides mid-war to soldiers and the command structure. However, for the big historical events, I would expect more character sketches to understand why historical figures (e.g., Italy's king) took the decisions they did.

[Matthew Frerichs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the type of history that should be taught to all people who attend public school. Professor Morgan has done an excellent job of providing a 360° view at one of the most influential moments in modern times. No other war has ever affected the world in this manner or had such a massive effect on global politics. He neither tries to sway the readers opinion nor does he mislead the reader into assumptions. Read this book!

[Christopher Prosser]

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