Speech at the Teatro Adriano in Rome, September 25, 1943

By Rodolfo Graziani

Officers, soldiers, sailors, aviators and servicemen of the Armed Forces of Italy! All the Italian people!

I am assuming leadership of the Ministry of National Defense in this most tragic period of our history.

I, the man speaking to you now, am the Marshal of Italy. During my long life as a soldier I have widely known both fortune and misfortune, and, with my weapons, I have seen both the sun of glory and the shadow of ingratitude. Now I have been called by fate to clench my fist around the sword in order to erase the stain of shame, infidelity and betrayal which has defaced the Italian flag.

The phase of every military tradition is the sense of honor.

The Italian people did not betray anyone. Nor can the Italian Armed Forces be accused of dishonor or betrayal. It was the House of Savoy, along with a man named Badoglio (who lost the right to call himself an officer), who not only betrayed our German, Japanese and other allies engaged with us in common struggle, but also deceived the whole Italian people in one of the most disgusting acts that man has ever known throughout the course of history.

It was an act so disgusting that it has the potential to disgrace an entire people for generations in the eyes of the world, and comprise their honor, credit and capacity to engage in future agreements and alliances. Up until the last hour of September 8, Marshal Badoglio had assured the German authorities of his fidelity to the alliance and the continuation of the war on the side of Germany, meanwhile the armistice had already been signed by September 3. From September 3 to 9 he allowed the Anglo-Americans to complete the destruction of Naples and launch an attack on Frascati.

He is responsible for the 6,000 dead in Frascati!

He executed his latest criminal act on the night of September 9, when he ignominiously fled, causing the downfall of the King. And with him fled all of his accomplices from the military, who abandoned their command and responsibilities.

Fearing for his life, Badoglio did not even make the bureaucratic gesture of leaving any military leader in charge of assuming operations against the Germans who were clearly referenced in this subtle phrase from his proclamation: "Italian forces must fight against eventual attacks from any other source." He could only be referring to the Germans.

He thus he left the Armed Forces in a state of anarchy and chaos during those tragic days of September 9 to 10 and subsequent days, leaving them without guidance, without orders, without a leader; they were forced to melt away and abandon their weapons, thus suffering humiliation and shame, and therefore dishonor, all sown by Badoglio in the wake of his safe escape.

Dear Romans! Which of you does not tremble in horror remembering the tremendous days of September 9 and 10 when, being unarmed, defenseless and abandoned to yourselves, you could have truly become a totalitarian holocaust victim of the betrayed ally, if said ally really wanted to use terror to avenge the betrayal that it was subject to?

Such terror was not implemented by the Germans, and in those cases where fighting did occur it still remains to be specified who fired the first shot in that chaotic situation instigated by Badoglio. But the German reaction to the betrayal was contained within the smallest possible limits by virtue of the moderating action of the Führer, who thus acted only thanks to the ties of friendship and loyalty he has to Mussolini, and also thanks to the initiative of generous commanders, first among whom is Marshal Caviglia, who used our authority and influence to minimize the damage and calm everyone's tempers.

But Badoglio's habit of sabotage and betrayal has both old and recent precedents, from Caporetto to today. All of this will be explained to the Italians because it is about time this false idol is finally unmasked, stripped and shattered. More than once I had to personally observe the sabotage that this man was waging against the war efforts of Fascist Italy (which is fighting to provide bread and life to our people) due to his criminally intriguing spirit and thirst for power.

He recently delivered messages of hatred and blindness from the enemy camp, addressed to our unhappy people (who have been dragged into catastrophe by him), in which he attempted to justify his shameful betrayal by reason of the unfavorable course of military operations. But who assumes the responsibility of such unfavorable performance if not Badoglio himself, who, as Chief of General Staff in the decisive 21 years preceding the conflict, was fully responsible for the armament of the Nation? And who, if not Badoglio, was Chief of General Staff during the preparation and beginning of the campaign in Greece? And during the first phase of the campaign in North Africa?

Before history and before the intimate names of our fallen comrades who died in the name of Italy, I therefore pronounce a solemn accusation against this man who, abandoning himself to dark instincts and turbid influences, is guilty of the insufficient preparation of the Armed Forces of Italy.

When Benito Mussolini was arrested on July 25 at the doorstep of the King's house, contrary to all legal norms and contrary to all civil law, and was deported, Badoglio hastened to spread the rumor that this had been done in order to give peace to Italy. This was a lie.

In his contemptful and arrogant speech to the House of Commons, Churchill unveiled to the world the individual steps of the secret negotiations with Badoglio. It is therefore clear that he did not plan an armistice with the goal of peace, but with the goal of continuing the war in the ranks of our enemies and against the divisions of our allies. Our soldiers still fought, bled and died alongside their German comrades while Badoglio had already decided and signed an agreement by which our Armed Forces at a given moment would have to commit themselves to fraudulent bribes and then continue to shed their blood as honorless mercenaries under the flags of England and the United States.

What an unheard of shame! And how much misery for quarrels pervades in Churchill's words!

It was an unheard of shame because military honor dictated that the war be continued to the last hour alongside our ally Germany and that our resistance be carried out to the bitter end, even at the cost of death, but death with honor, so as to be able to repeat the historical motto of Francis I: "All is lost save honor", which is the supreme heritage of nations and men. But Badoglio, who led the Italian people to ruin, now attempts to dishonor them by throwing the blame upon them for the pressure suffered by the Armistice.

It is not true that the people wanted such an infamous unconditional surrender! I vindicate their undeniable dignity.

The people unanimously affirm that if an armistice had to be concluded, it would have had to be done on the first day of the fall of the Fascist Government. And it would have had to be concluded according to international law in agreement with the Allies, loyally declaring to them our incapability of continuing the war, and the whole world would understand us.

Why did Badoglio not do this?

Because Badoglio – the main culprit in the plot that led to the fall of Mussolini – barricaded himself in his sumptuous villa (which he received through Fascism), trembling with fear that an avenging hand would strike him as a result of some indiscretion. In the shadow of the infamous surrender, he plotted and poisoned the minds of the people, bringing to the fore a Bolshevized government to narcotize them and lull them to sleep during the 45 days of his evil power. Finally, he secretly concluded a dishonorable pact for the entire Italian people, and from that moment, according to his typical abusive style, he thought only of saving himself and escaping, leaving ruin and chaos behind him.

This is what the Italian people affirm, and even Marshal Badoglio can no longer pretend that he can further deceive the people with his blaring radio messages. By now the false prophet has been unmasked by the truth. He knows that the Italian people know perfectly well that he has thrown them into civil war and fratricide, which inevitably will explode since he has joined the armed forces of southern Italy with the Anglo-Americans.

Will brother fight against brother? Will common blood be shed on the battered corpse of the Fatherland, as a result of a horrific civil war after centuries of Italic brotherhood? Will Badoglio return to the bloody turf of the Fatherland to face his guilt?

And those Italian prisoners who have suffered so much in the far-away prison camps of India, Rhodesia, Kenya, Tanganyica, etc., are now being treated like negro recruits and are forced to form militias for the enemy.

To all our comrades in southern Italy, and to all of you who suffer in allied captivity: do not adhere to the infamous word of this traitor, but instead sabotage this evil scheme. Blood will be upon him and one day he will certainly be struck by his nemesis who will destroy him.

To create additional excuses, Badoglio argued that it was the attitude of Germany after the Armistice that forced Italy to attack them.

But even on this point, Churchill is of a different opinion. He revealed that divisions of Anglo-American paratroopers, in collaboration with the traitor, planned to occupy Rome, and that only the readiness of German troops in taking control of Italian airfields prevented the implementation of this plan, which had already been decided long before Germany could suspect armistice negotiations. That is evidence enough.

As far as Badoglio is concerned, the Italian people and the whole world have already anticipated what tremendous judgment he will receive by history.

Comrades, it is with great sorrow and sadness that I must inform you that even the King and the House of Savoy can not be saved in this dramatic and dishonorable crisis. In the millennial history of the Italian people, we have never known a King, nor a Prince, who in the hour of danger abandoned their people and their soldiers in order to take refuge with the enemy. What has happened now is unprecedented in our history.

Deserters, whatever their rank, no longer have the right to ask others for loyalty and obedience. It is for this reason that the King himself, with his act, has violated the oath that we loaned to him with purity of heart and loyalty of character and to which we have remained faithful during all serious contingencies for the Fatherland. The King destroyed the Armed Forces, of which he was also supreme commander, leaving them unmanned in a world of global war between the powers.

Not only did he materially place these forces at the disposal of foreign powers, but he undermined the sense of honor, without which no army can exist and last. To this is contrasted the vital will of the whole Italian people, the pride of every soldier worthy of the Italian name.

Fully aware of my national and personal responsibility, I call upon you, dear comrades, to collaborate. Regardless of personal interests or political speculation, with the courage of conviction and by the virtues of souls, we must regain for Italy the purity of our honor, which is the precious heritage of our race, we must fight and we must work (and eliminate treason and infidelity!), giving us back our independence and our territorial integrity. That is why, for that exact purpose, I have offered my whole life by joining the new Government. I assure you that nothing will be asked that you will not be able to achieve; peace and security will be restored.

Therefore, I ask you to volunteer in the national and popular front of Republican Fascism, freed from all scorn of personal ambition and greed. Under the leadership of the Duce, who once saved Italy from the shipwreck of anarchy, we will resume the fight against decomposition, degeneration and treason, against agitators and saboteurs of every kind. By restoring our honor, we will set the foundations of the new militia of the Italian people, young, armed with modern weapons, ideally engaged together with one faith and one will.

Officers and soldiers! Once again fate offers you an opportunity and opens the door. Your answer will decide the fate of generations to come. With the help of God and by the purity of our hearts, we will victoriously overcome this trial.

Long live Italy!