Pietro Badoglio

By this act, all ties with the dreadful past are broken, and my government will be proud to be able to march with you on to the inevitable victory.

Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 – November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. He was a member of the National Fascist Party and fought alongside his nation's troops under Benito Mussolini in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War; his efforts gained him the title Duke of Addis Abeba. He eventually signed an armistice with the Allies. Eventually from Malta on October 13, Badoglio and the Kingdom of Italy declared war against Nazi Germany. Badoglio did not stay as Prime Minister for long however, as world opinion at that stage desired a person with a non-Fascist past to head the government. By 1944, Badoglio was replaced by Ivanoe Bonomi of the Labour Democratic Party. He was never tried for war crimes by the allies because he helped them in the invasion of Italy.

Quotes

• If I announce the armistice and the Americans don't send sufficient reinforcements and don't land near Rome, the Germans will seize the city and put in a puppet fascist government.
  • Quoted in "A Special Mission" - Page 9 - by Dan Kurzman - Political Science - 2007

• There is no doubt that Jacomoni and Visconti Prasca have a large share of the responsibility in the Albanian affair, but the real blame must be sought elsewhere. It lies entirely with the Duce's command. This is a command that he, the Duce, cannot hold. Let him leave everything to us, and when things go wrong let him punish those responsible.
  • To Pavolini. Quoted in " Albania in the Twentieth Century: A History" - Page 68 - by Owen Pearson - 2006

• Militarily it was impossible to invade with the dispositions we had made. We had only seven divisions in Albania. Two of them were necessary to hold the Albanian population from going into revolt. Two others were in reserve. That left us three divisions with which to undertake an offensive. Against us, the Greeks disposed of fifteen divisions. We might have been able to undertake an offensive had those figures been reversed.
  • Quoted in "We Cannot Escape History" - Page 85 - by John Thompson Whitaker - Europe - 1943

• I think if we call in the experts we can draw up the full scheme, with the rallying points arranged.
  • Quoted in "Twenty Angels Over Rome: The Story of Fascist Italy's Fall" - Page 72 - by Richard McMillan - 1945

• By this act, all ties with the dreadful past are broken, and my government will be proud to be able to march with you on to the inevitable victory.
  • In a letter to General Eisenhower. Quoted in "World War II" - by Michael Armitage, Lord Lewin, Terry Charman - History - 2004 - Page 19

• Sir, give me a single battalion of the Royal Carabineers and I will drive these upstarts into the sea.
  • Quoted in "The Civilizing Mission" - Page 232 - by A. J. Barker - 1968

• The Germans will make a few scattered attacks, then go away. The Romans will enjoy a fine September.
  • Quoted in "Italy Betrayed" - by Peter Tompkins - Page 218

• When Mussolini decided on war he did not take my advice or that of any other Army chief. In August 1939 the Duce had not been so sure about the invincibility of the Germans, and he told us that he had sought to persuade Hitler not to act.
  • Quoted in "Twenty Angels Over Rome: The Story of Fascist Italy's Fall" - Page 70 - by Richard McMillan - 1945

• Il soldato è come il monaco, per cui l'ordine si chiama obbedienza.
  • The soldier is like the monk, for whom order is called obedience.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio‎" - Page 140 - by Silvio Bertoldi - 1967

• Io ho conquistato all'Italia un impero e Mussolini l'ha buttato via.
  • I have conquered an empire for Italy and Mussolini has thrown it away.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio Risponde‎" - Page 243 - by Vanna Vailati - Italy - 1958

• Non sono mai stato un generale ribelle e l'ho dimostrato sino all'ultimo.
  • I've never been a rebel general and I've proven that until the end.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio Risponde‎" - by Vanna Vailati - Italy - 1958

• (A Mussolini) Vostra Eccellenza può contare ora e sempre sulla mia completa e assoluta devozione.
  • (To Mussolini) His Excellence can count, now and forever, on my complete and absolute devotion.
  • Quoted in "Rodolfo Graziani: L'uomo"‎ - Page 78 - by Giovanni Battista Madìa, Emilio Faldella, Titta Madia - 1955

• Io i miei nemici li strangolo lentamente col guanto di velluto.
  • I slowly strangle my enemies with a velvet glove.
  • Quoted in "Italienisch-ostafrika(1936-1941)"‎ - Page 18 - by Stefan Plenk - 2008

• Non posso abbandonarmi a voli di fantasia perché ciò è contrario alla mia natura.
  • I can't let myself fly with my fantasy because it is against my nature.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio Risponde‎" - Page 225 - by Vanna Vailati - Italy - 1958

Translation help is needed for these.

• Io sono un militare e non so nulla di correnti politiche.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio: Un militare al potere"‎ - Page 228 - by Giovanni De Luna - 1974

• Se orgoglio ho io, è quello di aver sempre servito fedelmente e con devozione illimitata voi, Duce.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio: duca di Caporetto"‎ - Page 14 - by Carlo De Biase - 1965

• C'è un veleno che corrode le dittature: l'incenso. La rovina delle dittature sono i ras osannanti.
  • Quoted in "Badoglio"‎ - Page 148 - by Silvio Bertoldi - 1967