Ugo Cavallero Ugo Cavallero ( September 20 , 1880 – September 13 , 1943 ) was an Italian military commander before and during World War II . He was also a recipient of the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross ( ) . The Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded by the Third Reich to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership . Biography . Born in Casale Monferrato , Piedmont , Cavallero had a privileged childhood as a member of the Italian nobility . After attending military school , Cavallero was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1900 . Cavallero later attended college and graduated in 1911 , earning a degree in mathematics . Still in the army , Cavallero fought in Libya in 1913 , during the Italo - Turkish War , and was awarded a Bronze Medal for Military Valor . World War I . In 1915 , Cavallero was transferred to the Italian Supreme Command . A brilliant organizer and tactician , Cavallero became a Brigadier General and Chief of the Operations Office of the Italian Supreme Command in 1918 . In this capacity , Cavallero was instrumental in forming plans that led to Italian victories at Piave and Vittorio Veneto during World War I . During his time as chief of the plan of Italian General Staff , he developed an antipathy with Pietro Badoglio the " Sottocapo di Stato Maggiore " ( vice chief of the staff ) of the army . Interwar period . Cavallero retired from the army in 1919 but later rejoined in 1925 , at which time he became Benito Mussolini ’ s Undersecretary of War . A committed fascist , Cavallero was made a senator in 1926 and in 1927 became a major general . After leaving the army for a second time , Cavallero became involved in business and diplomatic enterprises throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s . Cavallero rejoined the army for the third and final time in 1937 . Promoted to Lieutenant General , he became Commander of the combined Italian forces in Italian East Africa in 1938 and was made a full General in 1940 . World War II . After Italy entered World War II in June 1940 , Cavallero was made the Commander - in - Chief of the Italian Army Group in Albania . In October , when Italy invaded Greece , he was the commander of the invading Italian forces . In December , he replaced Pietro Badoglio as the Chief of the Italian Supreme Command ( " Comando Supremo " ) . Italian military activities in Greece remained part of Cavallero ' s responsibilities and oversight was added immediately of campaigns in the Western Desert and East Africa . As Chief of the Italian Supreme Command , Cavallero worked closely with German Field Marshal Albert Kesselring and often asked for Kesselring ’ s advice on military matters . Cavallero opposed Field Marshal Erwin Rommel ’ s invasion of Egypt and campaigned for Rommel ’ s dismissal in 1942 . But he was ignored by both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini . Under Cavallero ’ s leadership , Italy ’ s military forces performed poorly during the war . Nonetheless , he was promoted to Marshal of Italy ( " Maresciallo d ' Italia " ) in 1942 after the promotion of Rommel to Field Marshal . During his tenure as chief of general staff , his performance was very bad and he became famous for his optimistic view over the course of the war . In July 1943 , after several serious Italian setbacks ( such as the Allies ’ capture of Libya ) , Cavallero was dismissed as Chief of the Supreme Command ( " Comando Supremo " ) and replaced by Vittorio Ambrosio . In response to Cavallero ' s dismissal , members of the Fascist leadership like Galeazzo Ciano expressed their joy . At the same time as Cavallero ' s dismissal , Mussolini ’ s government was toppled by the King and newly appointed Prime Minister Pietro Badoglio . Cavallero was arrested by Badoglio for his Fascist and pro - German views . In his own defense , Cavallero wrote a letter to Badoglio claiming he despised Mussolini and Fascism . But Badoglio did not believe him . In September , when Badoglio ’ s government surrendered to the Allies , the Germans invaded Rome and rescued Cavallero . They planned to make him a commander of Italian military forces still loyal to Fascist ideals . However , the Germans found his anti - Fascist letter in Badoglio ’ s abandoned office and believed him to be a traitor . Now hated by both the Germans and by the forces loyal to Badoglio , a desperate Cavallero committed suicide . On 13 September , he shot himself in the head . Whether he did so willingly is still a matter of some debate .