History of Italian resistance, the struggle of the partisans against the fascists and the Nazis

There Italian resistance or Partisan resistance It was the armed struggle that developed during the Second World War in the portion of Italian territory occupied by the Germans and fascists. It was conducted by anti -fascist parties (Communist Party, Socialist Party, Christian Democracy and others) through military formations composed of soldiers and civilians, the partisan brigadeswho collaborated with the Anglo -American troops, but also made part of the movement many Faithful soldiers to the monarchy. Resistance gave a Important contribution to the liberation of Italy And it allowed that, after the war, Italy received a more benevolent treatment than other defeated countries. The April 25th Italy’s liberation is celebrated from the fascist regime and the Nazi occupation by commemorating on the day of 1945 in which the popular insurrection took place in the occupied regions, the final act of the Resistance. This national feast was established in 1946 and was celebrated throughout Italy with processions and events.

What was the Italian resistance and how it was born

Italian resistance was the armed struggle against the Nazi forces and their fascist allieswhich took place in Italy from September 1943 in April 1945. It was a War of Liberation against the invaders, but also of one civil warsince both factions were made up of Italians. Italy entered the Second World War as an ally of Nazi Germany, but on 25 July 1943 the fascist dictatorship ended with the arrest of Mussolini, and on the following 8 September the government, led by Pietro Badoglio, announced that he had signed an armistice with the Anglo -American. The latter they landed in Salerno A few hours after the announcement. The Germans, already present in the peninsula with their armed forces, did not accept the exit of Italy from the war, freed Mussolini and put it on the head of a child state, the Italian Social Republic (RSI). Italy was therefore cut in two: in the south there were the Anglo -American and the Badoglio government, who had taken refuge in Brindisi together with King Vittorio Emanuele III; In the center and in the north the RSI was active, in fact controlled by the Nazis. In this context, from the south, the Anglo -American gradually advanced north.

The foreign armies present in Italy operated in a very different way: the Anglo -American, recognized by the legitimate Italian government, acted in a manner relatively friendly towards the population; of the occupation of the Germans, who considered the Italians of the traitors, are remembered massacres and abuses of all kinds.

The beginning of the resistance

The armed resistance began Immediately after 8 September. Military and civilians collided with the Germans who, after the advertisement announcement, had tried to disarm the Italian soldiers and to make looting. In some places in the South, between September and October 1943, the “Short resistance “: in view of the arrival of the Anglo -American, some citizens took the weapons against the Nazi -fascists. The most important case was that of Naples, where the population rose up in the famous Four days (from 27 to 30 September) and managed to free the city before the arrival of the allies.

The organization of the resistance: the partisan brigades and the CLN

To coordinate the activities of the partisans, after 8 September the National Liberation Committee (CLN), composed of the representatives of six anti -fascist parties, reborn after the collapse of the regime: Communist, socialist, Christian Democrat, action, liberal and democratic work. The political forces of the CLN were very different from each other, but they managed to collaborate in the name of the common fight against the invaders and against the dictatorship.

The partisans were organized in brigatethat is, military formations dependent on the parties. The most numerous were the Brigate Garibaldiorganized by the Communist Party. The brigades were associated with them Justice and freedom of the action party, the Brigate Matteotti of the Socialist Party, the Catholic brigadesas well as various formations not linked to specific political parties. Among the partisans, they appeared militants of the anti -fascist partiessome of which came out of prison or returned from exile after the fall of Mussolini; young referred to weapons from the RSI, who refused to fight for the Nazi -fascists; Army soldiers who supported the monarchy and the government. In the cities, small clandestine groups were also active, i Patriotic action groups (Gap), who performed sabotage actions against the Nazi -fascists.

Among the political-military leaders of the Resistance there were the communists Luigi Longo e Palmiro Togliattithe shareholder Ferruccio Parri, The Catholics Alcide De Gasperi and Enrico Matteithe socialists Sandro Pertini and Giuseppe Saragatboth future presidents of the Republic.

Stages of the resistance

The partisan brigades operated in the territory occupied by the Nazi -fascists. The Anglo -American were stuck on the Gustav linea German defensive line between Cassino and Ortona, until June 1944, when they passed it and freed central Italy, including Rome. Then they remained still at the Gothic linelocated in the Po Valley, and only in April 1945 they passed it and freed the rest of the country. Meanwhile, the partisans, who fought behind the front line, attacked the Nazi -fascists in various ways to facilitate the advance of the Anglo -American. The latter they supported the resistance By sending weapons and supplies, but on some occasions they also showed distrust for the presence of the communists, very linked to the Soviet Union (which, although allied in the fight against Germany, was potentially considered a rival).

The number of bands and partisans changed several times over the months. The resistance was very active from spring to autumn of 1944, when he managed to free, temporarily, some portions of the territory, establishing real Partisan republics. In the winter between 1944 and 1945 the partisans crossed a period of difficulty and were raised only in the following spring, when they actively contributed to the liberation of northern Italy. The number of partisans is estimated at about 240,000part of which are active only for some periods; Among them, 35,000 were women. The fallen, including those killed by the Nazi -fascists after being caught, were about 44,000. The figures, however, are approximate and there are also different estimates.

To the armed resistance, the passive resistance of the great majority of Italianswho tried to escape deportations, requisitions and other abuses made by the Germans.

Consequences and legacy of the Resistance

The partisans gave a important military contribution To liberation and, although the largest war effort was supported by the Anglo-American, they engaged numerous Nazi-fascist forces. In some places, the partisans made reprisals against the former fascists To take revenge on the abuses they had undergone during the war, but it was a “accounts surrender” that took place after each civil war.

Resistance, more generally, constituted a moment of political and moral redemption For Italy, which had started the warning war of Nazi Germany and, thanks to the partisans, could recover a part of the lost prestige and receive a more benevolent treatment in the peace treaty compared to other defeated states, Germany and Japan. After the war, the same anti -fascist parties who had played in the Resistance, could establish the Republic and equip the country with a democratic constitution.