There are many tales of the daring exploits of commandos during World War II. However, not all of them come from the Allied side of the conflict. The Gran Sasso Raid is one such event, and involved were some of the rarest arms of the war.
At the time when the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was imprisoned by his people after the Allied bombers flattened the "Eternal City" of Rome, Hitler did his part as a trusted ally and friend to come and rescue his fellow dictator from the people. or was it for a reason?
Not a shot was fired but it was highly regarded as an audacious operation. This was the rescue of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini after he was deposed and placed under arrest at the Grand Sasso mountain retreat and hotel in 1943.
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Operation Eiche, when Mussolini was rescued by the Nazis.On the 25th of July, 1943, Italian Fascist dictator
Benito Mussolini was arrested at Villa Savoia in Rome. Mussolini’s arrest brought an end to 21 years of Fascist rule in the country. Although he had once brought hope and prosperity to the Kingdom of Italy, years of war had demoralized the population and Italy was on the brink of defeat.
In December of 1942,
Italy’s African front had collapsed and Allied forces moved into North Africa, leaving Italy vulnerable to invasion. Italian forces had also suffered massive casualties on the Eastern front, as the Soviet Union grew increasingly confident as they moved west.