The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-18
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harder than eVer-there was no let- down. His eyes were now on the mainland of Italy, just across the strait, and the intimate conquest of Europe, Ho set about making sicily Q great supply base for the next invasion, Shlploads Of men, munl- tions, and supplies poured In from North Africa. Day and night the Allied bolnbers ralded the Italian coast from the tip of the boot to the outskirts of Rome.
 Were playing In tho big leagues now" General Eisenhower ex- claimed. "You can't hit Q home run by bunting. You have to step up there and take your cut. The time has come Co discontinue nihbllng at islands and hit the Germans where 1t hurts. don't believe in fighting battles to chase someone out of somewhere, Our object iS to trap and smash the enemy"
 While subduing Sicily, the Allies began an all-out air offensive against the Italian mainland which left that nation reeling,
 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill on July 10 sent this message to the Italian people,; 'The time has now come for you, the Italian people, to consult your own desire for 0 restoration of no. tlonal dignity, security, and peace. The time has come for you to dee eide whether Italians shall die for Mussollni and Hitler--or live for It. ally and civilization"
 The appeal was punctuated by the roar of Allied planes over Italy, but they did not carry bombs-they bombarded Italy with this message In printed leaflets. The following day the heaviest Allied force ever to raid the Italian mainland smashed at Naples. Three days passed without any apparent reac- ton ln Italy. On July 70 the Allies struck at the Italian capital At Rome.
 General Eisenhower was demand Ing his answer. After six more days of terrific bombing, on July 20, ie4S, the answer came, and 1t astounded the world.
 Mussollnl has fallenl
 Eisenhower had driven MuSSolinl from power after 2i years of ruthless dictatorship. An exultant world re- eelved the news. It was revealed that in q dramatic meeting with King King Victor Emmanuel In Rome, Mussollni had been voted down by his own Fascist Grand council through opposition led by his son-in-law, Count Ciano (who, later, upon the demand of his own father-in-law, was put to death be. fore q firing squad In oermany)' The fallen dictator was held prlS. oner In protective custody,
 Italy hailed "the end of the pain. ful nightmare that has dominated our lives for the past 20 years" Demonstrations sprang up spon. taneously everywhere, and anti. German sentiment ran high as crowds cried for peace. Thousands of Italian workers stormed the plant of the Fascist "Popolo dTtalia," Mussolinis official newspaper, In Milan and laid 1t in ruins,
 The fall of Mussollni caused the avnootation of surrender to mount high, General Eisenhower granted italy c reprieve from ineessant bombing in order to give the new padoglio government on opportun. ity for surrender. Badoglio, for req. sons of national pride and lack or military strength, did not tako cd. vantage of the opportunity. General Eisenhower put the issue squarely to the Italians on July Si:
 "italiansi Tonight VIC send you a solemn warning. Listen carefully and tell your friends to listen, for what we say affects the lives Of every one Of you.
 "1ix days have passed since the overthrow of Mussoiinl, In those six days the Italian people have achieved much. But while you were working for your liberation, the Germans, too, were busy. When they first heard the news of Mussos llnln's downfall, the Germans were stunned. They said to themselves, We Germans In Italy are caught like rats in c trap if Badoglio makes peace immediately. But since then, day by day, they watched the in. activity of the Badoglio govern mont. You know better than we what has happened. There has been no sign of German withdrawal ..
 ''Italiansl You knoy that on July 2b we lot up on the aerial lombard. ment of Italy. We hoped thereby to give Italy c breathing space wherein to unite for peace and freedom. But the Germans, too. have used that breathing space to strengthen their own position, and for that, full and sole responsibility rests with tho new government in Rome ...
 "Itailansl We cannot tolerate this, and we issue you this solemn warns ing; the breathing space has ended. De pFeparedi"
 Riots approaching revolution broke out in northern Italy. Soldiers joined civilians in demanding the immediate overthrow of Badogllc, They demanded peace.
 Underground radio stations broad. cast appeals to the people to refuse to cooperate with the Badoglio gov. ernment and begin organized resiSt- ance. Italy was ln turmoil. Dads oglio had to declare martial law and milltarlge the railroads and high. ways and communication lines, Tn Milan, the Ceilark jail was stormed and 200 prisoners Of the Fascist govs