Temporizing

The Government of Pietro Badoglio squatted on the Italian volcano between the German devil and the deep Allied sea.

The political dictatorship of Benito Mussolini had given way to a military dictatorship propped up by the generals, aristocrats and high clerics. But the people, having broken the bonds of 21 years of artificial national unity, did not want the new regime. From lukewarm collaboration they shifted now to bitter hostility. Italy had reached the opening stage of civil war.

Behind the immediate issue of peace or war pressed a greater issue: who would rule Italy in the future? The Volcano. To the people who cried for peace and liberty the Badoglio Government replied with a sop and a stick.

The crusade against Blackshirt Fascists continued. The Party and its trappings had vanished (TIME, Aug. 9). Now Party "profiteers," the big shots who had lined their pockets well, were rounded up, their property confiscated. Marshal Badoglio, erstwhile partner of the Blackshirts, hoped thus to convince the people of Fascismo's demise. But the rule now was comparable in harshness to the rule in Fascismo's harsh era. Saber-wielding carabinieri cowed peace demonstrators and strikers in northern Italy. New decrees muzzled the press. The jails filled with a new batch of political prisoners. Six Socialists were executed as traitors.

The people were told: "The Allies have no intention whatever of giving peace to our country." The Army was told: "Your duty includes the 'disciplining of the civilian population.' " High Churchmen lent their voices to the Palace's. Said Cardinal Fossati, Archbishop of Turin: "It is a crime ... to interfere with [Marshal Badoglio's] work in any way, even by criticism."

The people turned frustrated and sullen under the new repression. Those of their leaders who had not been seized by the Badoglio police in the first days of open jubilation over Mussolini's fall went underground again. Now by clandestine press and radio they declared civil war: "Italy arise! . . . Insorgere (revolt)! . . . The Government of Badoglio is Fascism without Mussolini." In the popular front against Italy's traditional rulers--the militarists, the aristocracy and the clerics--stood five parties: ^ Socialists, the biggest group, their ranks reformed three years ago.

> Actionists, second biggest group, composed of liberals from labor, industry, the army, the professions.

> Communists, decimated by the OVRA but the only party which kept a national organization through the Fascist era.

> Reconstructionists and Christian Democrats, numerically the two weakest groups.

The Devil. Bern reported that German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop had slipped into Italy for crucial talks with Italian Foreign Minister Raffele Guarig-lia (see p. 23). In any haggling with Germany, the Badoglio Government stood at a disadvantage. The Nazis held as hostages for Italian conduct some 400,000 Italian workers in Germany, some 25 Italian divisions hemmed by the Wehrmacht in the Balkans. German troops had occupied the strategic sectors of northern Italy. The Nazi position seemed clear: if the Allies would not accept a neutral Italy, the Germans would accept nothing but Italy's continued alliance with the Reich. If Italy would not fight on with Germany, Germany would fight across Italy.

The Deep Sea. Since the Allies had made clear that they must have Italy as a base against Germany, the Badoglio Government faced an almost impossible situation. How could it keep Italy from becoming a battlefield? The Rome radio complained: "Fascism has fallen. What have [the Allies] offered Italy? . . . The velvet glove over the iron fist of unconditional surrender. . . . Our peace could be nothing but a continuance of war, with us or without us or over us."

In a flurry of activity, in secret meetings and high conclaves, the Vatican sought to mediate. The Catholic Italia spoke of the Church's "disinterested pacification mission" (see p. 55). A Swiss report had the Badoglio Government ready to demilitarize Rome, declare it an open city. But neither plaint nor plea yet budged the Al lied High Command. At week's end Allied heavy bombers resumed the attack on the restive northern cities of Genoa, Milan and Turin.

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