Saturday, January 26, 2008

Mussolini Museum to Open in Salò

The ANNOTICO Report

 

There are 13 US Presidential Libraries/Museums, one for Every US President from Herbert Hoover  to Bill Clinton, whether a majority of the populace believes they are deserving. However the Library /Museum is less a Testimony as it is an Archive for Documents, to permit Historians to examine, and often are analyzed when hysteria or idolizing has had an opportunity to subside, and the record  evaluated in a calmer time with the help of perspective, and propaganda to wither.

 

As Roberto Chiarini, a State University of Milan history professor, who is in charge of the project, stated: "At last the demonisation of Mussolini has stopped and we can look seriously at the history," he said "Until now there were more than 70 historical institutes in Italy devoted to partisans but not one that looked at Salò."

 

People tend to forget that Mussolini was the Prime Minister of Italy 21 years (1922-1943), and that US President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a delegation to Italy to study Mussolini's Social Reforms, many of which he incorporated into FDR's "New Deal" that saved the US from the Depression. Mussolini was lauded by ALL European Powers, and the US for the "turn around" he performed in Italy, and he was Highly Respected.

 

Mussolini's reputation started to decline with: 

(1) The Occupation of  Protectorate Ethiopia, in 1935, (previously approved by Haore -Laval/ England and France Foreign Ministers), Later criticism by European powers was Very Hypocritical, since they had  carved up Africa , and engaged in horrific atrocities.  

(2) The Racial Purity and Loyalty Laws of 1937, that were to discourage Italian troops marriage with Ethiopian women, and to require Jews in many Italian government high positions in, to sign Loyalty oaths to Italy, to prevent them from acting as "tools" of Britain to Italy's disadvantage. Jews were numerous and important Mussolini Fascists at the beginning, and signed such oaths, and held their positions.

(3) Moving closer to Hitler, when Mussolini's attempts to join the England and France Alliance were rejected by Anti-Italian Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden in 1937-8.

(4) Joining the war on Hitler's side, when Hitler was at Paris gates, not wanting Italy to be Invaded, or being made a "puppet".

Unfortunately, Hitler did Not advise Mussolini in advance that Hitler was going to Invade the USSR . Mussolini was in Shock!!!!!

 

Mussolini was able to navigate these well thought out actions, even though they back fired, until Hitler's Invasion of the USSR.
He was never the same again. He then realized he had linked his fortunes not to a Rising Star Anti-Communist, but to a Sinking Rock.

He then became a "sad" shadow of his former self, knowing the depressing "cataclysmic" outcome.

 

Italy Opens Benito Mussolini Museum

Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
By Malcolm Moore
January 26, 2008

 

A museum dedicated to Benito Mussolini has been opened in response to requests by German tourists.

The museum in Salò, on the shores of Lake Garda, examines the last days of fascism in the town that Mussolini used as his headquarters in the final 19 months of the Second World War.

The Republic of Salò was set up by the Nazis after their paratroopers liberated Mussolini from prison in Gran Sasso in September 1943.

From here Il Duce spent his time oppressing Italian partisans.

He even executed Galeazzo Ciano, his own son-in-law.

Salò still has resonance for many extreme-Right political parties, including the Tricolour Flame, which refers to it as an ideal in its manifesto.

However, Roberto Chiarini, a State University of Milan history professor who is in charge of the project, denied that the museum would encourage nostalgia for Italy's fascist era.

"At last the demonization of Mussolini has stopped and we can look seriously at the history," he said.

"Until now there were more than 70 historical institutes in Italy devoted to partisans but not one that looked at Salò."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/26/wmuss126.xml

 

 

 

The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed (and are Archived) on:

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