I had only planned to do one Blog this year on Remembrance Day but a conversation last eve has caused me to double my intended production.
Why So?
Specifically, to address a matter of Revisionist History on the part of Italy.
A few years back, my wife and I were in Italy when we encountered a National Holiday. I enquired as to its basis and was told that each year on April 25th the Italians mark the fall of Mussolini and their Liberation from German occupation which occurred on April 25, 1944.
Freedom from Mussolini and Liberation from Germany?
Wasn't Italy one of the three founding members of the Axis Powers along with Germany and Japan?
Didn't Italy declare war on the Allies at the same time their other Axis Buddies did in 1939?
And was it not Italy that invaded a defenceless Ethiopia in 1935 with the intent to create a "Second Roman Empire".
Surely I had heard wrong. I didn't though - they have such a day and continue to celebrate it annually.
Now to my conversation with our guests last eve.
They too had visited Italy and were recently back from their venture.
Both he and she - albeit mostly he, waxed eloquent about the "key role the Italian Resistance had played during WW II".
I nearly choked on my cappuccino; did I hear correctly - " Key Role Played by the Italian Resistance"?
I pointed out to our friends, to no apparent avail, that the Italians were our Enemy in the Second World War - and that they strongly supported their charismatic, albeit clownish, Leader Benito Mussolini. So why did they think there would be an organized resistance in Italy against the forces of evil during WWII?
Forces of Evil I might add in which Italy held prominent membership.
Apparently their Hosts had spoken at length about the fine work of the Italian Resistance during the War and they had visited numerous Museums built to propagate this fantasy.
Speaking of which, I was beginning to think I had landed in Alice in Wonderland where 'up was down and down was up'.
I quickly came to my senses though recalling my own father, who fought up through Italy, saying to me that the Canadian Soldiers never felt safe or liked in Italy; we were always viewed as the enemy. It wasn't until they reached Holland that they were amongst friends and appreciative citizenry.
But to be sure, I took the time to do some research.
Until September 3, 1943 there "is no evidence to suggest the existence of an Italian Resistance".
The significance of Sept. 3rd is that on that day, Italy surrendered to the Allies who were by then marching north up through their country.
So from the 20s and 30s Italy worked hand-in-glove with their Fascist Friends but it was not until the time of their surrender, did a Resistance begin to emerge.
Coincidence? Or more to the point, by then, the Writing was on the Wall?
Not only that, the early Resistance Groups, post Sept. 3, 1943, more often than not "fought amongst themselves" which was not surprising given the broad political spectrum these so-called freedom fighters sprung up from.
Rather than assisting the Allies, I submit this late in the day Resistance was directed more to having some say in how Italy would be run Post War. In other words, it was a bald power play on their respective parts.
At least Germany has never attempted to down play their misguidedness - they are the first to say, they erred and vow never again to put themselves in such a nefarious position.
And I respect them for that.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
