In Branau am Inn, not far from the Danube, Klara Poelzl, third wife of Alois Hitler, already an old man, gave birth to a child who would become the greatest monster the world has ever known, Adolf Hitler. A school drop out, he tried himself at painting but fate brought him into politics and he eventually became the leader of the nazi party in Germany.

Hitler's rise to power

"January 28, 1933, Hitler, leader of the National Socialist Party, demands the Chancellery of the Democratic Republic of Germany he had once swore to destroy. The Third Reich [The Holy Roman Empire] rules Germany. One by one, border countries are annexed, first Austria, and after that, Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia are invaded by German troops while Europe, worried but passive, gazes upon the enslavement of entire populations by the expansionist Third Reich. Germany wants to conquer Europe, and the nazis [the S.S.] aim as far as the Mediterranean Sea and Iran.

Pre-war Europe

For this reason, pre-war Europe must compromise with Italy, henceforth in a position of power because of the pact with Germany. During the period preceding the demise of Pius XI, February 10, 1939, a great number of italians fear the growing influence of nazism and they see through Hitler's expansionist designs. The Axis Germany-Italy does not please the European countries. They know that Musssolini holds the balance of power and is ready to embark on the Roman chariot.

Such a state of things is unthinkable and the Vatican is about to condemn publicly nazism and fascism when Pius XI unexpectedly dies before delivering the much expected statement.

Two men, Churchill and De Gaulle dare denounce the despotism of the Third Reich but they are not in a position of power: Churchill had been dismissed from his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1929, and De Gaulle as Secretary of State of France in 1940.

However, at the onset of the 1939-45 war, they come back with even more power: both of them answer the call of duty, Churchill as Lord of the Admiralty once again, and De Gaulle, chief of the armed forces of France Libre and later on, President of the Provisory Government in 1945.

Later on, England recognizes the talents of Churchill: the first Lord of the Admiralty, is summoned by the king. He quits his post to form the new government May 10, 1940.

The birth and rise to power of Mussolini

Born in an isolated hamlet in the district of Predappio, Italy, Mussolini becomes a leader more cruel and sanguinary than Henry VIII and comes to power through force. First a teacher and a journalist, he becomes the head of the fascist party and, in 1922, he organizes a huge demonstration in order to throw out the government in place.

King of Italy for the past 22 years, Victor-Emmanuel III is distraught by the massive scale of the manifestation. He summons Mussolini and asks him to form the new government, thus finding himself with a revolutionary prime-minister. The fascist era has just begun and Italy comes under the yoke of the Duce, a cruel and much feared tyran that will later on force the king to abdicate..

Gradually, Mussolini follows on Hitler's heels. Italy's expansionism surfaces one again. The Duce, as he came to be called, maintains a close relationship with the Third Reich and now in a strong position because of his affiliation with Hitler who had just occupied Prague in 1939, he attacks and conquers Albania. The Albanians bring the crown of their country to Rome and offer it to king Victor Emmanuel as a sign of reddition.

The Italian Campaign

All is now set in motion for the most sanguinary epic in earth's history. Milan, Lucca and Florence must have bitterly regretted their support to fascism when, september 27, 1940, Mussolini signs a pact with Germany.

Thus was born the double-headed monster, Hitler-Mussolini, that were on their way to conquer the world. The AXIS is now at war with the rest of the world. Led by the United States, (it had declared war to Germany, Italy and Japan after Pearl Harbour) and England, the allied forces of the world join together to stop the expansionism of the Third Reich, about to invade Russia.

To this end, several meetings are held between the leaders of the allied countries. August 12, 1942, day of a solar eclipse, a summit conference between Churchill and Staline is held in Moscow. The two men discuss the timeliness to open a second front in Europe, but the allies favor a landing in the Mediterranean

June 10, 1940, Italy declares war on France, and in order to be in a better position when the France-Germany armistice is signed, it takes a last minute offensive against that country. However, the French resistance is much stronger than they expected. They cannot have an advantage over the French: the army of the Alps prevents them from capturing Bourg St. Maurice and repels the 16th Panzer corps of german general Hoepner. At about the same time, the Royal Navy is accomplishing a feat of arms when one of their warships, the Cyclone, rescues thousands of their troops that are retreating from France and Belgium, on the shores of Dunkirk.

During that time, the Allies are preparing for a landing in Europe. The Americans are in favor of a landing in Normandy , but because of the strategic position of Gibraltar, the British preferred a landing in Sicily whose location and military advantages speak for a landing in the south of Europe: in order to insure safe passage to Africa and the countries of the Adriatic Sea, the Allies needed Gibraltar.

A year before, Germany, France and Spain had tried, in turn, to conquer Gibraltar, but the fortress had remained impregnable: the British fort had withstood all attacks from the sea and it was a good guess to think that it would do so in the future.

In fact, the key to the conquest of Africa is the small island of Malta. To this effect, a first Conference of the chiefs is held in Casablanca and it is decided that Malta would be the ideal spot for a strategic Air Force base. Therefore, Sicily and Italy are chosen for the first mass landing of the Allies on the European soil.They will not have to regret their choice because Gibraltar would be a tremendous asset to the landings that would take place later on.

Partners of Italy in a common war [the Axis], the Germans occupy the whole country. Thus, it is not Mussolini, but Hitler that controls Italy.Thus, Naples, Palermo, and all Sicily, as well as the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the gulf of Salerno are already occupied by a foreign country when, in 1943, the allied forces invade Italy. Once again, another foreign country violates the italian territory, bombing Naples, Palermo, Syracuse and all Sicily.

The war has now spread all over Italy. July 19, 1943, allied bombers dump tons of bombs on Rome. Romans cannot not believe their eyes. Their town is being bombed and, at night, fires can be seen all over the Holy city.

Pius XII rushes up to the scene of the bombings, and surrounded by a crowd of faithful, he adresses the belligerents : Try to settle your differences and find a peaceful solution to the conflict!

That same day, Mussolini has an important meeting with Hitler. The german Fuhrer is in a rage because of a possible defection of Italy. He tries to convince Mussolini to say no to those who want to quit the Axis. The Duce accedes to the request, thus sealing his fate to that of Germany.

The landing in Sicily and Italy

In order to facilitate the landing, the Allies bomb the various cities of Sicily and Italy. Once the german and italian armies weakened by all the bombardments, the allies are finally for the next step, Sicily.

Arriving unexpectedly by boat in Barcellona, Sicily , the allied troops are ready to invade Italy. Stationed on the island of Malta, american, english and canadian troops are now ready for the next step. Thus it is that, in order to get a foothold on the italian continent, several of those regiments cross the straight of Messina, left without appropriate defenses by the Germans. ....It is the beginning of 'Operation Baytown: this new operation will take the allied armies to the shores of Calabria, in the south of Italy.

The landing catches the Germans off their guard. Commander-in-chief Kesselring tries to block the advance of allied soldiers but without success. In their retreat, the Germans leave total devastation in their wake, and the plundering stretches from Cittanova to Parenti.

The armistice

The italian people finally realize they have been fooled by the Germans. All along, Hitler had been using the italian armies to further his own plans of conquest and would probably have disarmed and conquered them, had they won the war. In the islands, there is much confusion and disorder when the germans find out the Italians are about to defect. All that is heard is the sound of war and cannons. The pillage is such an insult to Italians that they take sides with the allies and join them in their fight against Germany.

When, in september 1943, british general Alexander accepts the surrender of Italy and takes control of its armies in the name of the allied forces, the german army, thwarted in its plans of conquest, takes its revenge by occupying Italy. Everywhere, there is fighting and great loss of life. The german armies occupy all the major towns, Palerme, Naples, Rome, les Marches, Venise, thus alienating the whole population and creating a climate of fear and terror.

Mussolini is now rejected by his own countrymen. In spite of the many defeats of the german armies, he sides with Hitler. When general Alexander takes over the commandment of the italian army, King Victor-Emmanuel III, deprived of power and fearing the soldiers with the swastika (the Germans), flees Rome and takes refuge in Brindisi.

The escape of Mussolini
The government of Salo

Before leaving, the king reunites the Great Council: Mussolini is revoked as head of state, and when he complies with the king's summon to the palace, he is arrested. Released to the military police, he is then secretly taken to a hotel set high up in the Gran Sasso mountains.

Aware of the fact that Mussolini still has a great hold on italian fascists, Hitler organizes his escape. To this end, german captain Otto Skorzeny and his group take off heading towards the Gran Sasso mountains in enemy territory. He pretends to release Mussolini, but instead, he takes his important prey to Germany where the duce remains at Hitler's disposal.

Thus, when the germans disarm the italian army and take control of Rome and Italy, the seat of a new fascist government is transfered near Venice. The Duce himself is taken to Salo, where he presides over a puppet government under german supervision.

It is during that period that the fascist government commits one of the last atrocities of its regime: italian partisans organize a rebellion against the fascists and kill a fascist superintendant., The attack does not remain long unpunished. Seventeen anti-fascists and prisoners are brought and shot without further ado.

Occupation of Rome
Destruction of Monte Cassino.

After the liberation of Calabria and the region of Naples, the allies head for the capital. Hitler's watchword to Kesselring: Rome must be defended at all costs! Having made their way to Monte Cassino, last stage of their advance towards Rome, the allies are stopped by a regiment of german paratroopers that have taken refuge in the monastery. It has been impossible to dislodge them! In last resort, allied aviation decides to bomb Monte Cassino but, before the attack, tracts are thrown from the air to warn the occupants that those antique walls will be bombed. February 15, 1944, the monastery is destroyed from top to bottom and the paratroopers still alive surrender to the allies. June 4, the americans enter Rome and are acclaimed by the romans who finally regain possession of their Basilica, the Vatican.

The Germans beat a retreat

The allies are now progressing speedily and everywhere, the germans beat a retreat. In the Mediterranean Sea, english destroyers attacks the island of Pantelleria and surrounding islands, in order to block the passage to and from Africa. The reddition of Pantelleria and the surrounding islands gives a great advantage to the allied forces and the german forces of Africa are isolated from the german armies of Italy and cannot come to their help.

Inland, the town of Siena and nearby islands surrender after a remarkable breakthrough of the allied forces. However, a controversy arises between Hitler and general Kesselring concerning the capitulation of Siena and other towns. Many times, Hitler had insisted that Kesselring stop the retreat of the armies. Therefore, he sent for the later but, strangely enough, Kesselring has the last word and can, from then on, he could fight the war on his own terms.

However, it is already too late for the Germans. Only the Gothic and Rimini Lines are still holding and it is a matter of months before the whole german army surrenders. Using a stratagem, general Alexander sends troops in the region of Ancone behing the Polish that are already stationed there, in order to deceive the Germans concerning his true intentions. At the same time, he sends the 5th american and the 8th british army through the mountains, in the Marches. Alarmed,Kesselring asks himself the question: will the attack come from Ancone or from the mountains? However, the die is cast and he decides to defend Ancone. It is only when he sees the armies of Alexander go down the mountains that Kesselring realizes his mistake. The Germans try, without success, to correct that mistake by reuniting their troops, but the two armies will not be able to join at the pass of Muraglione in the Apennines.

On the Rimini Line, both sides fight relentlessly for the control of the rivers, and to this end, the american headquarters in Naples and the canadian base in Leonforte, Sicily, give their consent for the attack in the direction of Sensoli, Coriano, Ospedaletto and the Marano in order to capture the Rimini Line.

This strategy was crowned with success: after a fierce battle, the german troops are driven out of Rimini and Prato, but they also fight furiously in Lombardy and near the Pisciatello, called the Rubicone, the outcome of the battle is uncertain. The enemy is tough and, worst of all, a sudden rise in river level prevents the transport of troops and ammunitions. The problem is finally solved and the bridgehead falls in the hands of the allies.

In the plains of Perugia, Kesselring troops are defeated in Elba, Grosseto and June 20, 1944, the allies enter Perugia. Unfortunately for the latter, general Eisenhower decides to remove the 6th army from the Ravenna sector, which gives rise to a controversy between the commander-in-chief and general Alexander who does not approve of such a move. Such a decision had a desastrous effect and Alexander's armies would suffer the effects of this subordination.

The capture of Ravenna gives rise to many exploits and feats of arms when, attacking the installations and communications, the 28th brigade Garibaldi [the italian partisans] throws into confusion the german troops fighting in the vicinity of Ravenna. This initiative makes it easier for its capture by the allies. December 4, 1944, after a series of victories, the Royal Canadian Dragoons and the Princess Louise Dragoon Guards are the first to enter Ravenna, thus immortalizing their name for posterity. Another feat of arms, this time by the the Batallion of Special Service: on the Rimini Line, we find the Apeninnes, a chain of mountains extremely difficult to cross and it needs special troops to climb its slopes. In 1942, special troops had been trained for this type of exercice. This army corps was called 'The Batallion of Special Service'. The unit was sent in the Apennines in order to dislodge the germans stationed there. On a period of three months, the seven battalions of Special Service Forces, joined together under the command of colonel Frederick, conquer the Apennines, thus clearing the way for the two armies of general Alexander.

The end of the war is near and one by one, the towns previously occupied et pillaged by the german army, are liberated by the allied forces. Once so beautiful and friendly, Italy is now half destroyed.

From Monaco to Sicily, the shores are in a state of complete desolation. No suburb, village or town has been spared the pillage and destruction caused by war.

Witnessing such a devastation 450 years in advance, Nostradamus laments over the towns of Nice, Monaco, Pisa, Genoa, Savone, Siena, Capua, Modena, Malta.

He laments also over Naples, Florence, Faenza et Imola, Milan, Ferrare, Turin et Aquileia, that have also suffered the horrors of war. and the cruelty of the nazis.

The end of Mussolini

The time to settle the scores has arrived. Deserted by the Germans, Mussolini is now a hunted man. Just before the surrender of the german army, he plays his last card: he needs the help of his old friend, cardinal Schuster of Milan.

His son organizes a meeting at the bishop's palace in the presence of italian partisans. The two men have a lenghty discussion, but Mussoliniu refuses an unconditional surrender. His fate is in the hands of the partisans who now hunt down the germans and all those who have been involved in the puppet government of Salo. After so many years of disaster and misfortunes, the italian partisans vent their anger on fascist revolutionaries.

Disguised as a german soldier, Mussolini flees to Switzerland, but the astuteness of a partisan blows the Duke's cover and he is arrested near Dongo.

However, fearing they might be short-cut by the allies, and to avoid another kidnapping on the part of the germans, the partisans shoot Mussolini and his associates and hang them on a girder of the Milan market.

For all the tears shed, they are hanged, head down, on a unique perch, as the pigs are hanged, by the feet.

The end of the war in Italy
Berlin falls in the hands of the allies

The powerful Italy is but ruins and devastation while the Germans are still fighting for their Third Reich. Fortunately, with the help of the partisans and the italians who sided with the allies, the Germans are put to rout.

Finally, after so much destruction and loss of life, the allies are victorious. Decimated and entrenched in the north of Italy, the german armies are thrown out of the Gauls. They are chased back to their far country, but they will not be pursued beyond the border.

On May 5 of the same year, the Germans evacuate the Eagle's Nest [Hitler's bunker] at the arrival of the Allies in Berchtesgaden.

In Italy, the Germans capitulated May 2, 1945.

At the end of the war, the allies discover the atrocities of the german armies and the S.S. against the Jewish people. The whole world finally sees that they closed their eyes and let Germany trampled underfoot the divine laws. Establishing their own laws, the nazis have sent millions of Jews to the gas chambers and robbed them of their gold and silver, thus accumulating more than 12 000 000 000 in jewelries and currrencies.

Post-War Germany