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Italy Reborn: From Fascism to Democracy
A major new account of the emergence of Italian democracy after the Second World WarThe rebirth of Italy after the Second World War is one of the most impressive political transformations in modern European history. In 1945, post-fascist Italy was devastated by war and its reputation in the international arena was nil. Yet by December 1955, when Italy was admitted to the United Nations, the nation had contested three acrimonious but free general elections, had a flourishing press, and was a leader in the re-building of Europe. The contrast with Fascism was stark.This book charts the descent of Italy into Fascism, the scale of the wartime disaster, the Italian resistance to Nazi occupation, and the establishment of the Republic in 1946. The Cold War divided, in 1947, the coalition of parties that had led the resistance to Fascism and Nazism.The book’s final chapters deal with the consolidation of Italian democracy and with the statesmanship of Alcide De Gasperi, the premier from December 1945 to August 1953. The book argues, first, that De Gasperi deserves more credit than he has typically been accorded for Italy’s post-war democratization and, second, that Italian democracy was constructed on a sound foundation – which is why it has been able to survive its many post-war crises.Largely based on contemporary Italian sources, the book is written in an engaging, lively way for both the general reader and specialists in Italian history.
544 pages, Hardcover
Published June 13, 2024
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May 16, 2025
This is the third book in my project to understand how the Axis powers grew back into members of the community of nations after WWII. I am most interested in the psychology of dealing with responsibility for millions of deaths, but also with the physical recovery from leveled cities and the reconstruction of political systems.
The most interesting aspect of Gilbert's book is how the various political groups in Italy, from the fall of Mussolini to the creation of a constitution, both fought and cooperated to draft political structure that has survived decades of contentious and sometimes violent back and forth. Gilbert's contention is that the Communist and centrist leaders deserve great credit for their willingness to work together for at least a short time on this project. In this respect, Italy Reborn reminded me of one of my favorite history books, The Anatomy of a Moment: Thirty-Five Minutes in History and Imagination. That book describes how the leaders of Spain's Communist party and the supposed puppet of the Francoist right resisted efforts by Franco's survivors to continue his politics after his death.
The other two books I've read for this project are Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945–1955 and Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. I think that 'Embracing Defeat' is the best of the three, being both comprehensive and deeply informed about this period on both the Japanese and American occupation sides. 'Italy Reborn' is interesting because it was a somewhat different political case. The Italian resistance was actively involved in driving the Germans out of Italy, so that the country felt it had some grounds for being treated as an ally of sorts in peace negotiations and reconstruction. On the other hand, the extraordinary poverty in much of Italy before the war was a burden that posed far more intrinsic reconstruction problems than the physical damage in Germany and Japan. But I have to say the plethora of factions and party acronyms was sometimes overwhelming. 'Aftermath' was good, but I still don't feel that I have a good grasp of the psychological evolution of Germany after the war. I suppose it is just too complicated for one book. Any suggestions, fiction or non-fiction, would be welcome.
The most interesting aspect of Gilbert's book is how the various political groups in Italy, from the fall of Mussolini to the creation of a constitution, both fought and cooperated to draft political structure that has survived decades of contentious and sometimes violent back and forth. Gilbert's contention is that the Communist and centrist leaders deserve great credit for their willingness to work together for at least a short time on this project. In this respect, Italy Reborn reminded me of one of my favorite history books, The Anatomy of a Moment: Thirty-Five Minutes in History and Imagination. That book describes how the leaders of Spain's Communist party and the supposed puppet of the Francoist right resisted efforts by Franco's survivors to continue his politics after his death.
The other two books I've read for this project are Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945–1955 and Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. I think that 'Embracing Defeat' is the best of the three, being both comprehensive and deeply informed about this period on both the Japanese and American occupation sides. 'Italy Reborn' is interesting because it was a somewhat different political case. The Italian resistance was actively involved in driving the Germans out of Italy, so that the country felt it had some grounds for being treated as an ally of sorts in peace negotiations and reconstruction. On the other hand, the extraordinary poverty in much of Italy before the war was a burden that posed far more intrinsic reconstruction problems than the physical damage in Germany and Japan. But I have to say the plethora of factions and party acronyms was sometimes overwhelming. 'Aftermath' was good, but I still don't feel that I have a good grasp of the psychological evolution of Germany after the war. I suppose it is just too complicated for one book. Any suggestions, fiction or non-fiction, would be welcome.
August 25, 2025
I believe I came across Mark Gilbert’s Italy Reborn: From Fascism to Democracy while looking to see if there were any promising biographies published on Benito Mussolini. But Italy Reborn turned out, it would seem, to be the far more interesting suggestion.
I believe this incredibly well-researched and cited book is deserving of a five star rating, thanks to the invaluable information it provides for the first time - to most US/English-only speaking readers. Information which, rather unbelievably (and incredibly unfairly to Italy, its citizens, and its government) had been omitted or overlooked from the post World War II reports on the recovery of nations following such a grave fascist threat.
Before reading Gilbert’s book, like a lot of the general public, my knowledge of Italy during and after WWII was very limited and very misguided, something like: Mussolini took over Italy in a coup with his infamous Black Shirts army, forcing papal authority to accept his government in order to maintain Vatican independence. While many Italians attempted protests and Mussolini was far from popular, he still had enough power - and not enough of the population challenging that power - to hold onto it (I could be slightly off on this assessment, this is just my recollection, so if I’m wrong, feel free to correct me).
Then, as we’re all aware, after repeated military losses and the realization that Italy’s army was far too weak to fight the wars it had started, it was also a very disappointing and difficult situation Mussolini caused for Hitler and his Nazi Party, who had originally admired Mussolini as a role model. Instead of Italy and Germany fighting separate wars and coming together to fight larger wars like the two Axis powers had planned, Hitler’s armies instead found themselves constantly having to fight Italy’s battles for them if they were to have any hope of winning the battle.
After these repeated weak shows of force, Mussolini was finally dragged before the King, who took away his right to rule, then sending him to a house high up on a mountain side where he’d be held on house arrest until the public was ready to try him for his crimes. Of course, no one expected Hitler’s “suicidal” rescue mission to free his old ally to work, but work it did. Still, Mussolini remained of little help to Hitler’s fight, and as we know, ended up back in Italy again where he and his lover, Clara Petacci, were executed by firing squad, then had their bodies left hanging in the public gallows where the enraged and frenzied public mutilated their corpses beyond recognition.
It almost seems as if the story ends there, with the world believing Italy continued to struggle for decades following Mussolini’s rule and all of the damage Italy had incurred during the war, both real and psychological. Yet, this popular perception is very far from the truth, obfuscating the fact that Italy’s emerging new leaders had actually done a tremendous job of protecting democracy and ensuring that fascism remained in the past.
Alcide De Gasperi is by far the most influential figure of this time, and as such, takes on the role of the main character in the story. Despite the opposition of two other major politicians, Palmiro Togliatti and Pietro Nenni, both leaders of political parties with considerable support, De Gasperi was able to comprehend their propaganda and efforts at provocations to provide a context for seizing power - and by remaining calm, rational, and united, De Gasperi staved these warring leaders off, continuing to implement liberation reforms and keep Italy’s citizenry from rioting.
It took an extraordinary amount of political savvy and ability to maintain electoral majorities with allies often very much at odds with De Gasperi’s agenda, but De Gasperi proved himself capable of making difficult and often unpopular decisions that would benefit Italy in the long term.
Unfortunately, as I finished this book several months ago, I don’t remember all of the details quite like I wish I did. However, to show how De Gasperi operated in the midst of potential national chaos, here’s an example from the book, after Togliatti, leader of the PCI, was nearly assassinated. His supporters were thus considered to be planning a potential retaliation threat to De Gasperi and his party if not placated immediately:
”De Gasperi and the government meanwhile did not escalate the conflict by outlawing the PCI (though thousands of people were arrested for public-order offenses, many for serious crimes, above all, the possession of arms). He believed that what was happening was a spontaneous popular expression of anger, not a deliver maneuver by the PCI to seize power, and the premier limited himself to appealing against the use of violence and respect for the outcome of the vote on 18 April. De Gasperi and other DC leaders ostentatiously visited Togliatti in hospital to offer their sympathies.”
As the book points out following this paragraph, De Gasperi may have been necessarily cautious in this situation, yet his caution was a strategy, rather than a weakness. He took a hard line when necessary. Ultimately, De Gasperi is the man viewed as Italy’s savior of democracy in the decade immediately following the end of the war: despite rumors that fascism would make a comeback, Communism would take hold, and that the three post-World War II elections would be a major disaster, Italy’s elections were instead highly contentious - yet ultimately free - with record high voter turnout from all regions.
Thanks to the efforts of De Gasperi and politicians surrounding him, Italy had managed to pull off a fair, balanced and thriving press, with its democracy built so soundly that it survived many challenges in the years to follow. Italy was a phenomenal example for all European nations looking to successfully rebuild democracy in the years following WWII, - not a struggling nation unable to gain its bearings, like history and other European nations would have us believe.
I’m grateful for having read this book to learn so much influential Italian history that has been sadly misrepresented. The only thing that drove me a little crazy was the incredibly large number of political parties, leaders, ideologies, and alliances that readers had to keep track of. Gilbert can hardly be blamed for this, lol, and the number of newly emerging parties only gives more credibility to Italy’s postwar success.
Highly recommend for those who love history and learning about facts widely unknown to most (excluding only those inside the country who lived this history).
I believe this incredibly well-researched and cited book is deserving of a five star rating, thanks to the invaluable information it provides for the first time - to most US/English-only speaking readers. Information which, rather unbelievably (and incredibly unfairly to Italy, its citizens, and its government) had been omitted or overlooked from the post World War II reports on the recovery of nations following such a grave fascist threat.
Before reading Gilbert’s book, like a lot of the general public, my knowledge of Italy during and after WWII was very limited and very misguided, something like: Mussolini took over Italy in a coup with his infamous Black Shirts army, forcing papal authority to accept his government in order to maintain Vatican independence. While many Italians attempted protests and Mussolini was far from popular, he still had enough power - and not enough of the population challenging that power - to hold onto it (I could be slightly off on this assessment, this is just my recollection, so if I’m wrong, feel free to correct me).
Then, as we’re all aware, after repeated military losses and the realization that Italy’s army was far too weak to fight the wars it had started, it was also a very disappointing and difficult situation Mussolini caused for Hitler and his Nazi Party, who had originally admired Mussolini as a role model. Instead of Italy and Germany fighting separate wars and coming together to fight larger wars like the two Axis powers had planned, Hitler’s armies instead found themselves constantly having to fight Italy’s battles for them if they were to have any hope of winning the battle.
After these repeated weak shows of force, Mussolini was finally dragged before the King, who took away his right to rule, then sending him to a house high up on a mountain side where he’d be held on house arrest until the public was ready to try him for his crimes. Of course, no one expected Hitler’s “suicidal” rescue mission to free his old ally to work, but work it did. Still, Mussolini remained of little help to Hitler’s fight, and as we know, ended up back in Italy again where he and his lover, Clara Petacci, were executed by firing squad, then had their bodies left hanging in the public gallows where the enraged and frenzied public mutilated their corpses beyond recognition.
It almost seems as if the story ends there, with the world believing Italy continued to struggle for decades following Mussolini’s rule and all of the damage Italy had incurred during the war, both real and psychological. Yet, this popular perception is very far from the truth, obfuscating the fact that Italy’s emerging new leaders had actually done a tremendous job of protecting democracy and ensuring that fascism remained in the past.
Alcide De Gasperi is by far the most influential figure of this time, and as such, takes on the role of the main character in the story. Despite the opposition of two other major politicians, Palmiro Togliatti and Pietro Nenni, both leaders of political parties with considerable support, De Gasperi was able to comprehend their propaganda and efforts at provocations to provide a context for seizing power - and by remaining calm, rational, and united, De Gasperi staved these warring leaders off, continuing to implement liberation reforms and keep Italy’s citizenry from rioting.
It took an extraordinary amount of political savvy and ability to maintain electoral majorities with allies often very much at odds with De Gasperi’s agenda, but De Gasperi proved himself capable of making difficult and often unpopular decisions that would benefit Italy in the long term.
Unfortunately, as I finished this book several months ago, I don’t remember all of the details quite like I wish I did. However, to show how De Gasperi operated in the midst of potential national chaos, here’s an example from the book, after Togliatti, leader of the PCI, was nearly assassinated. His supporters were thus considered to be planning a potential retaliation threat to De Gasperi and his party if not placated immediately:
”De Gasperi and the government meanwhile did not escalate the conflict by outlawing the PCI (though thousands of people were arrested for public-order offenses, many for serious crimes, above all, the possession of arms). He believed that what was happening was a spontaneous popular expression of anger, not a deliver maneuver by the PCI to seize power, and the premier limited himself to appealing against the use of violence and respect for the outcome of the vote on 18 April. De Gasperi and other DC leaders ostentatiously visited Togliatti in hospital to offer their sympathies.”
As the book points out following this paragraph, De Gasperi may have been necessarily cautious in this situation, yet his caution was a strategy, rather than a weakness. He took a hard line when necessary. Ultimately, De Gasperi is the man viewed as Italy’s savior of democracy in the decade immediately following the end of the war: despite rumors that fascism would make a comeback, Communism would take hold, and that the three post-World War II elections would be a major disaster, Italy’s elections were instead highly contentious - yet ultimately free - with record high voter turnout from all regions.
Thanks to the efforts of De Gasperi and politicians surrounding him, Italy had managed to pull off a fair, balanced and thriving press, with its democracy built so soundly that it survived many challenges in the years to follow. Italy was a phenomenal example for all European nations looking to successfully rebuild democracy in the years following WWII, - not a struggling nation unable to gain its bearings, like history and other European nations would have us believe.
I’m grateful for having read this book to learn so much influential Italian history that has been sadly misrepresented. The only thing that drove me a little crazy was the incredibly large number of political parties, leaders, ideologies, and alliances that readers had to keep track of. Gilbert can hardly be blamed for this, lol, and the number of newly emerging parties only gives more credibility to Italy’s postwar success.
Highly recommend for those who love history and learning about facts widely unknown to most (excluding only those inside the country who lived this history).
October 1, 2024
That was a good book about a period in history, I hadn't learned much about. I now know more about Alcide De Gasperi, than I thought I ever would! Now when I am in Italy, I think I will have an additional level of information and appreciation for this most amazing country. I am sure I'll be fun at any cocktail where this subject is likely to come up. Now to just wait for my party invite!! Good book if you are interested in Italian history.
December 20, 2025
This book sang to my poli sci heart with its thoroughly engrossing accounting of fascism's fall and demise during WWII and the subsequent political rebuilding of a functional democracy.
There was nothing straightforward in the fall of Mussolini and the dissolution of the pact of steel with Nazi Germany, like any Italian mountain road, there were enough twists and turns to terrify the casual observer, as German Nazis turned on their former Italian allies and everyone from communists to monarchists were forced to band together to save the country.
Gilbert tells the story of these competing political ideologies and how they came together and split apart in equal measure to create a political entity that brought Italy to the center of European politics and economic production.
a very interesting book, very well written. As the Cold War takes shape in the wake of the WWII armistice there is a great depiction of the foundation upon which our modern world was built.
There was nothing straightforward in the fall of Mussolini and the dissolution of the pact of steel with Nazi Germany, like any Italian mountain road, there were enough twists and turns to terrify the casual observer, as German Nazis turned on their former Italian allies and everyone from communists to monarchists were forced to band together to save the country.
Gilbert tells the story of these competing political ideologies and how they came together and split apart in equal measure to create a political entity that brought Italy to the center of European politics and economic production.
a very interesting book, very well written. As the Cold War takes shape in the wake of the WWII armistice there is a great depiction of the foundation upon which our modern world was built.
September 3, 2025
Not being familiar with the subject of Italy’s transition to democracy post-Mussolini, this was an incredibly well-researched and well-written book that is easy to read for those wanting to know more on the topic.
The biggest strength of the book is how Gilbert provides in-depth analysis won Alcide De Gasperi, the powerful centrist statesmen who led Italy towards a robust democracy.
I also found interesting the parts that dealt with 1) How De Gasperi used funds from the Marshall Plan to provide large scale investment in construction and industry, which greatly assisted Italy’s growth and 2) The communist parties of Italy - particularly the PCI and its relationship to Moscow.
The biggest strength of the book is how Gilbert provides in-depth analysis won Alcide De Gasperi, the powerful centrist statesmen who led Italy towards a robust democracy.
I also found interesting the parts that dealt with 1) How De Gasperi used funds from the Marshall Plan to provide large scale investment in construction and industry, which greatly assisted Italy’s growth and 2) The communist parties of Italy - particularly the PCI and its relationship to Moscow.
September 28, 2025
Best historical book I have read in a while. Brings exactly the value it promises. I really liked the description of political interplay between different forces and ideologies.
November 5, 2025
Readers can only bother to learn about the specifics of a few select periods salient to them. When thinking about events between 1945 and 1950, one often remembers the Berlin airlift, Indian independence, or the outcome of the Chinese civil war.
But Italy was a hot mess. The "soft underbelly" of fascist Europe - to use Churchill's phrase - was soft at the risk of bursting. And the home of 2 of those famed pillars of Western civilization - Roman law, Christian morality - was at high risk of turning communist.
Mark Gilbert effectively argues that Alcide de Gasperi prevented that outcome. The northern liberal Christian democrat was an enemy of fascism and communism, but a protector of democratic institutions. After "Mussolini's war" ended and the Germans were expelled from the peninsula, the desperately poor country lacked credibility, credo, and credit. The weak Italian military achieved little but barbarism. The church had often supported Mussolini and pleaded for collaboration with neo-fascists to oppose the communists. And very high percentages of the whole country lived in packed habitation with meager wages and rations.
With the advance of communism in Eastern Europe, there were no guarantees coups wouldn't extend into its Western half. Skillful coalition-building excluding radical elements, a new constitution centered around rights and civic duties with strong safety nets, and generous American aid made the Italian Communist Party (PCI) the less attractive option. De Gasperi had a hand in all three of these processes.
This book almost unintentionally explains much about the general instability of the Italian Republic. It's deliberate: no fascists should be able to rule again. No communists could seize power unilaterally. Coalitions are fragile and governments fall quickly. The system is worth the liberty it tries to guarantee.
Gilbert exposes the history of 1945-1954 in enough detail that it's hard to disagree with him. While the book is overall positive on De Gasperi, Gilbert does mention his improvident actions and decisions.
This story is another example of why alliances are so important. The Marshall Plan might have saved Italy from communism: the grants made it possible for Italians to invest and consume at a time the public coffers were empty. The PCI couldn't go with an "American imperialist plot to chain Italy to debt slavery," and naturally opposed it. What a gift to the Christian Democrats; but more importantly, to the world. It'd be fun to ask Americans of the time if the money was worth it.
But Italy was a hot mess. The "soft underbelly" of fascist Europe - to use Churchill's phrase - was soft at the risk of bursting. And the home of 2 of those famed pillars of Western civilization - Roman law, Christian morality - was at high risk of turning communist.
Mark Gilbert effectively argues that Alcide de Gasperi prevented that outcome. The northern liberal Christian democrat was an enemy of fascism and communism, but a protector of democratic institutions. After "Mussolini's war" ended and the Germans were expelled from the peninsula, the desperately poor country lacked credibility, credo, and credit. The weak Italian military achieved little but barbarism. The church had often supported Mussolini and pleaded for collaboration with neo-fascists to oppose the communists. And very high percentages of the whole country lived in packed habitation with meager wages and rations.
With the advance of communism in Eastern Europe, there were no guarantees coups wouldn't extend into its Western half. Skillful coalition-building excluding radical elements, a new constitution centered around rights and civic duties with strong safety nets, and generous American aid made the Italian Communist Party (PCI) the less attractive option. De Gasperi had a hand in all three of these processes.
This book almost unintentionally explains much about the general instability of the Italian Republic. It's deliberate: no fascists should be able to rule again. No communists could seize power unilaterally. Coalitions are fragile and governments fall quickly. The system is worth the liberty it tries to guarantee.
Gilbert exposes the history of 1945-1954 in enough detail that it's hard to disagree with him. While the book is overall positive on De Gasperi, Gilbert does mention his improvident actions and decisions.
This story is another example of why alliances are so important. The Marshall Plan might have saved Italy from communism: the grants made it possible for Italians to invest and consume at a time the public coffers were empty. The PCI couldn't go with an "American imperialist plot to chain Italy to debt slavery," and naturally opposed it. What a gift to the Christian Democrats; but more importantly, to the world. It'd be fun to ask Americans of the time if the money was worth it.
September 2, 2024
Thanks to Penguin for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book offers a well-researched, insightful and revisionist account of a turbulent and highly impactful series of events in the history of not just Italy but Europe more generally. As Gilbert points out in the introduction, many people in Britain are uneducated as to the history and merits of Italian democracy. Often clichés and stereotypes obscure the deeper truths, and despite my passion for Italian history I was unaware of the complex emergence of democracy in the wake of Mussolini's overthrow. As this book makes clear, figures such as De Gasperi, Togliatti and Nenni are almost unknown in Western Europe, yet each of them played significant roles in the formation of the modern Italian state out of some incredibly challenging circumstances. Particularly, the first of these three emerges as a flawed but quasi-heroic figure. Strong, principled and able to take unpopular decisions with the long-term best interests of the nation in mind (qualities which seem to be tragically lacking in many of our current crop of politicians), De Gasperi's role in delivering Italy from the twin evils of a return to fascism and Soviet-style Communism cannot be overstated. His career is very much the focal point of this excellent volume. Gilbert's enormous research and usage of many Italian-language sources provides a perfect grounding in this unfairly overlooked period, as well as the myriad memorable characters who populated it (even 80 years on I am still staggered by the courage and sacrifice of the Italian Resistance and other similar anti-fascist movements across Europe, whose presence marks an unbearably moving section of the book(. On the whole, Italy Reborn is simultaneously a gripping account of the seminal years when the shape of Italy as we know it was constituted as well as a potent lesson on the importance of good governance and the role individuals can play in shaping our societies. Highly recommended for fans of politics and Italian history.
This book offers a well-researched, insightful and revisionist account of a turbulent and highly impactful series of events in the history of not just Italy but Europe more generally. As Gilbert points out in the introduction, many people in Britain are uneducated as to the history and merits of Italian democracy. Often clichés and stereotypes obscure the deeper truths, and despite my passion for Italian history I was unaware of the complex emergence of democracy in the wake of Mussolini's overthrow. As this book makes clear, figures such as De Gasperi, Togliatti and Nenni are almost unknown in Western Europe, yet each of them played significant roles in the formation of the modern Italian state out of some incredibly challenging circumstances. Particularly, the first of these three emerges as a flawed but quasi-heroic figure. Strong, principled and able to take unpopular decisions with the long-term best interests of the nation in mind (qualities which seem to be tragically lacking in many of our current crop of politicians), De Gasperi's role in delivering Italy from the twin evils of a return to fascism and Soviet-style Communism cannot be overstated. His career is very much the focal point of this excellent volume. Gilbert's enormous research and usage of many Italian-language sources provides a perfect grounding in this unfairly overlooked period, as well as the myriad memorable characters who populated it (even 80 years on I am still staggered by the courage and sacrifice of the Italian Resistance and other similar anti-fascist movements across Europe, whose presence marks an unbearably moving section of the book(. On the whole, Italy Reborn is simultaneously a gripping account of the seminal years when the shape of Italy as we know it was constituted as well as a potent lesson on the importance of good governance and the role individuals can play in shaping our societies. Highly recommended for fans of politics and Italian history.
November 15, 2025
Very good, very detailed. I read it to imagine what an equivalent journey might look like in America, but history is likely too unique. We aren’t in a Cold War, and even if we were Italy’s success was very much driven by Italians but buttressed by the west.
If America were to fail, who would save it?
If America were to fail, who would save it?
October 25, 2025
Actually easy to read and quite accessible to a non-historian pleb for the most part!
Quite a complicated journey with many similar acronyms but this has been condensed and explained by Mark Gilbert, I am geared up to read the next phase of the Italian politics!
Quite a complicated journey with many similar acronyms but this has been condensed and explained by Mark Gilbert, I am geared up to read the next phase of the Italian politics!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews