The page below helps provide site users with a more detailed look into the progression of the Italian Resistance and Italian Campaign.
Italians, at the time of the Italian Resistance War, often received their information about the war through the workings of an organization called LUCE. LUCE, or L’Unione Cinematografica Educativa, was created in 1924 to oversee the production of newsreels and documentaries. LUCE’s main role was to inform and educate the public about key events in Italy and the world. But, these roles often consisted of generating propaganda about Mussolini and the Fascists and ensuring that information distrubuted to the public presented the State and its ruler in the best way possible. Below are some important snapshots taken from LUCE that represent the progression of the Italian Resistance and Italian Campaign.
The snapshot from above depicts the movement of Allied troops from southern Italy to the north during the Resistance War. Around this time in 1944, Allied troops worked their way north from the south as they liberated Italy from the Fascists and German occupation. The Allies reached a new line of German defense called the Gothic Line, which proved to be much more resilient than the Allies first had hoped. This was one of many lines of defense from the Germans as the Allies progressed further north into Italy.
The snapshot above uses a medium shot to frame the partisan troops as they prepare for combat. During the Allied invasion of Italy, many of the partisans troops helped with the war effort by providing aid to the Allies alongside them in battle. Others carried out acts of sabotage and Guerilla Warfare in German occupied areas. These acts of rebellion would often help deter the Fascist and German war effort, however, despite their contribution to the war effort, the Allies often advised against these acts of rebellion from the partisans within German occupied Italy.
The snapshot above displays one of the many organizations set up by the National Liberation Committee during the Resistance War called the Volunteer Freedom Corps. This organization had the backing of all the heads of the partisan organizations. This included the Action Party, the Communists, the Christian Democrats, the Socialists, and the Liberals (see Fighting Back for more information about these parties). The Volunteer Freedom Corps became one of many important organizations in fighting back against the Fascist and German occupation in Italy during the Resistance War.
The events of the Italian Campaign and the Italian Resistance War did not happen over night. Over an extensive amount of time from 1943-1945, Italians and Allies together fought to liberate Italy from the Fascist and German occupation. Below you will find a variety of snapshots showing the progression of the war effort in Italy.
As the Allies invade from the south of Italy, German defensive lines cause problems for advancement into northern Italy. These lines were strongly fortified to help keep back the invading forces. However, with the help of the partisan resistance, uprisings in various cities such as Milan, and the large contribution of Allied troops, the war effort progress, leading to the liberation of Italy from German occupation on May 2, 1945.
Italian Resistance War through Film 