Opaque Lucidity

Today In History

Since my voice is still on the mend, I've decided to type out today's foray into what was.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of Benito Mussolini's death. The Italian dictator (and the man who created facism, not Hitler) was 61. His mistress was with him that day and also died.

Mussolini actually lost power in Italy in 1943 soon after the Allied invasion. He was imprisoned, but a daring raid by German commandos helped him regain his freedom. He was placed in charge of northern Italy (the area not yet controlled by the Allies) as a puppet dictator.

As the end of the war approached in the spring of 1945, Mussolini tried to escape to Switzerland. Finding his way blocked by Italian partisans, he tried to sneak across the border into Austria dressed as a German soldier. He was caught and arrested. Wasting no time, the partisans drove him and his mistress to Milan, where they were shot. Their bodies were then hung up so that the adoring masses could beat them.

You can't say Italians don't have passion.