MARSHAL BADOGLIO RESIGNS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 7 December 1940, Page 5

MARSHAL BADOGLIO RESIGNS

' CHIEF OF ITALIAN GENERAL STAFF DISAPPROVAL OF GREEK CAMPAIGN SHARED BY ARMY ! U P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] Received 7th Dec., 10.40 a.m. LONDON, 6th December. Marshal Badoglio, Chief of the Italian General Staff and righthand man in military matters of Mussolini, who is Chief of the Armed Forces, has been relieved of his post at his own request. The form in which the announcement has been made in Rome contains a strong suggestion that Marshal Badoglio has taken that way of showing his disapproval of Mussolini’s reckless offensive against Greece. It is known that his disapproval is shared by the Italian Army, both officers and men. Many reports from the front have stated that the Italians’ heart is not in the war, and the only element that

has shown any zeal has been the fanatical Blackshirt militia. The rift between the Fascist Party and the Army has been in evidence for some time. The Fascist leaders have been criticising the High Command’s conduct of the campaign, and the Army on the other hand has not concealed its opinion that the war is unjustified, unwise and unpopular. OPINION IN LONDON [British Official Wirelessj (Received 7th December, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, 6th December. Commenting on the report of the resignation of Marshal Badoglio—it is pointed out that this is what is really meant by “being relieved of his command at his own request”—military circles say that the Italian army has thus been deprived of one of its most experienced commanders, and suggests that Marshal Badoglio’s action may well have been prompted by reason of his disagreement with the military policy of the Fascist Government.