ABSTRACT
Notoriously, Italy entered the Second World War (in June 1940) as a result of one of the most ill-judged, incoherent, many-sidedly foolish series of decisions that have been taken by any leader in the entire history of the peninsula. 1 It was by now becoming evident to countless people who had previously supported Mussolini that his mental faculties were declining, and that he was rapidly losing those charismatic powers of persuasion that had previously duped so many otherwise intelligent people into rallying to the fascist cause. During the next three years the Italian contribution to the war could hardly have been handled more clumsily, and it was only a matter of time before some of the Duce’s closest colleagues ganged up against him: the urgent motion of no confidence, which (with the king’s willing co-operation) finally toppled him from real power during the night of 24–25 July 1943, was supported by a large majority of the fascist Grand Council, including (hardly surprisingly) Bottai.
