Figure 1.--Italy was devestated by the War. One of the many problems faced by the AMG was the devestated economy. There were large numbers of displaced children. |
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The Allied Military Government (AMG) was first established in Sicily after the invasion (July 1943). The same basic system was used in Italy after the Armistace and Allied invasion (September 1943). The AMG attempted to cooperate with civilian authorities as much as possible. Article 37 of the Instrument of Surrender (September 29) gave the Allies the authority to establish a military government. The Allies created a Control Commission to administer the AMG (November 10, 1943). As in the rest of war-torn Europe, the economic conditions were very difficult. Italy was treated differently by the Allies than Germany and Japan. It is difficult to say if Italy was liberated or occupied. Before the War, Mussolini's Fascist seems to have had a firm grip on the population. This seems to have disappeared by the time the Allies arrived. Most Italians seem to have seen the Allies as liberators, in part because the Germans had occupied the country. Many Itlalians were also glad to see the allies arrive because as the front moved north it mean essentilly that the war was over. This was somewhat complicated because while the Communists cooperated with the Allies to fight the Germans, they wanted to create a Communist-controlled government after the War.
Although there was no real Resistance movement in Italy before the Resistance, the Communists played a role in the resistance fighting after the Armistice. The guilt for the War was laid on Mussolini and the Fascists and not on the new government established after Mussolini and the Fascist fell from power. There was no elaborate proheam in Italy similar to the De-Nazification effort in Germany. After the War there was a referendum over the monarchy which resulted it its abolisment. The AMG Control Council was closed down after the finalization of the Italian Peace Treaty (1947).
Italy was not a rich country before the outbreak of World War II. The country despite Fascist propaganda to the contrary was not prepared militarily to enter the War or to support an extended War effort. The war was a disaster for Italy. Over 0.3 million Italian military personel were killed or missing. Thre were bombing raids before the Allied invasion (September 1943). Most of the civilian casualties and destruction occured, however, after the Allied invasion. Much of this occurred in connection with Allied assaults on German positions. The Germans set up a series of defensive lines as the Allies pushed then north. The Allies to minimize battelfield losses would use their superority in artillery and air power to heavily shell German positions. As a result of the inaccuracy of aerial bombing at the time, large areas around or near German positions including tows and villages were destroyed. The result was an Italy with large areas devestated by the War. About 70,000 civilians were killed. Such numbers while a tragedy were relatively small compared to other countries devestated by the War. The physical damage in Italy, however, was very substantial. Many towns and villages were heavily damaged or competely destroyed. One estimate suggests that about 10 percent of the physical plant of Italy was destroyed in the fighting.
The story of Italian POWS in World War II is a mixed one. Large numbers of Italians were taken prisoner by the Allies in the North African campaign. The Allies did not take prisoners when they invaded the Italian mainland. Italy just before the invasion quit the war and joined the Allies. Some Italian POWS were shipped to POW camps in America and Canada. Most of the Italian POWS were held by the British. POW camps were set up in America at the request of the British who were having trouble caring for the large numbers of POWs taken in North Africa. The Allied took about 0.6 million Italian prisoners in World War II.
Some 52,000 Italians were held in American camps. Here their living conditions were better than before they were captured--an almost unique experience in warfare. For some of the POWs the living conditions (especially the food) was better that at home in civilian life. (Here we are taling of course about nutrition and not cooking.) Something like 90 percent of the Italian POWs in America agreed to support the Allied war effort by joining what would be called Italian Service Units.
The POWs were repatriated quickly after the War. Few Itlian POWs died during their incarceration. The Germans after Italy quit the War took large numbers of Italians prisoner. They were transported back to camps in the Reich. There were substantial deaths during the period in which the Germans seized the Italian soldiers and during the period they were encacerated in camps. Mussolini also committed Italian armies to the NAZI campaign in the Soviet Union. Large numbers were killed in the fighting or persished in the Soviet Gulag. Most of the Italians captured by the Sviets were taken during Operation Saturn--the offensive which cur off the German 6th Army in Stalingrad (November 1942). The Germans had used the Italians, Hungarians, and Romanians to protect their northern and southern flanks while they foicused on Stalingrad. The Armata Italiana in Russia (ARMIR) was decimated. The ARMIR consisted of about 235,000 men. The Italians reported 84,830 men missing in Russia. About 30,430 men were killed during the Stalingrad fighting and withdraw. The Soviets reported taking 54,400 Italian POWs. Of these men, 44,315 died in the camps, most apparently during the winter of 1943. The Soviets repatriated 10,085 Itakians during 1945-54.
I don't have much information on how Italy treated Allied POWS. They did not have many American and British POWs. (I'm not positive if the British taken in North Africa were encarcrated in German or Italian camps.) There were Greek and Yugoslav POWs taken mstly in 1941. I'm not sure just how they were treated.
The Allied Military Government (AMG) was first established in Sicily after the invasion (July 1943). The same basic system was used in Italy after the Armistace and Allied invasion (September 1943). The AMG attempted to cooperate with civilian authorities as much as possible. Article 37 of the Instrument of Surrender (September 29) gave the Allies the authority to establish a military government. The Allies created a Control Commission to administer the AMG (November 10, 1943).
Italy was treated differently by the Allies than Germany and Japan. It is difficult to say if Italy was liberated or occupied. Before the War, Mussolini's Fascist seems to have had a firm grip on the population. This seems to have disappeared by the time the Allies arrived. Most Italians seem to have seen the Allies as liberators, in part because the Germans had occupied the country (September 1943). Many Itlalians were also glad to see the allies arrive because as the front moved north it mean essentilly that the war was over.
The Italians had somewhat mixed feelings about the British--not hostile, but mixed. The Americans were a different matter. Not only were there large numbers of Italian-Americans in the American Army, but many Italians had connections with America. Large numbers of Italians had lived in America or had relaives in America. Italians immigrants were one of the most important immigrant groups entering America during the late-19th abd early-20th century. And Italians were almost unique among the immigrant groups in the number who returned to Italy. Precise numbers are not available, but perhaps half of the Italuabs returned. Unattached men were particularly prone to compiling a nestegg and then returning to Itly to buy a small farm or store. Usually countries are invaded by countries with a history of hostility. This was not the case of the American Army which invaded Italy.
The relationship between the Allies and the resistance movement in Italy was somewhat complicated. Although there was no real Resistance movement against the Fascists in Italy before the German occupation. The Communists played a major role in the resistance fighting after the Armistice. The Communists cooperated with the Allies to fight the Germans. They wanted to create a Communist-controlled government after the War.
The guilt for the War was laid on Mussolini and the Fascists and not on the new government established after Mussolini and the Fascist fell from power.
The Fascists governed Italy for 20 years, longer tha the NAZI era in Germsany. There was, however, no elaborate Allied program in Italy similar to the De-Nazification effort in Germany. The Allies largely left that to the Italians themselves. I am not sure at this time just how the Italians handled this.
After the War there was a referendum over the monarchy which resulted it its abolisment. The AMG Control Council was closed down after the finalization of the Italian Peace Treaty (1947).
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