Fascism, the War, and Structures of Feeling in Italy, 1943-1945

On July 25, 1943, news of Mussolini''s resignation and subsequent arrest stunned Italians leaving them dumbfounded. After two decades, fascism had fallen without any advance warning. As festive events marked the incredible outcome and reminders of the past were destroyed, an uncontainable joy seemed to pervade Italians. But what did people actually celebrate? How did they understand the bygone dic...