Documenting the Italian political and military actions of World War Two
Graziani was the only Marshal to stay loyal to Mussolini and was appointed Minister of Defense of the RSI. He also commanded the mixed Italo-German “Armee Ligurien”. Arrested in 1945, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 1950, but released in the same year. He died in Rome on January 11, 1955.
In 1941, he became commander of the CSIR (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia) and fought with distinction on the Eastern front until 1943. When Rommel moved up to command Heeresgruppe Afrika in March of that year, Messe succeeded him as commander of Panzerarmee Afrika, now renamed the First Italian Army.
He remained in the background until the downfall of Mussolini on July 25, 1943 which he helped engineer. Badoglio then became Prime Minister of Italy and quickly arranged for an armistice with the Allies on September 3rd. On September 8th, Italy surrendered unconditionally. Badoglio dissolved the Fascist Party and declared war on Germany on October 13, 1943.
On July 19, 1941, he was named governor of Libya and commander of all troops on the North African Theater. He also had nominal command over Rommels troops.
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