Figure 1.-- This Fabrizio Ciano, the eldest son of Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano. He is participatingd in a motor gymkhana organized by Roman aristocracy for charity in 1938. The sons and daughters of the wealthy took part in various types of races and exhibitions.

Galeazzo Ciano, conte di Cortellazzo was born in Livorno, Italy (1903). He was an earlky convert to Fascism, married Mussilini's daughter Eddas and became his closest advier, ultimately leading to his execution by the Germans. A young Ciano participated in the Fascist March on Rome (1922). He studied law at the University of Rome. After worked briefly as a journalist and then entered the diplomatic corps, beung posted at Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires and served as consul general in Shanghai and as ambassador to China. He married Edda Mussolini (193), after which he received impoortant appoitments: ks: chief of the press bureau (1933), undersecretary of state for press and propaganda (1934), and member of the Fascist Grand Council. This brought him into the inner circle that determined Party policy. He was an avid aviator, he led a bomber squadron in Ethiopia (1935-36). When he returned home, Mussolini appointed him foreign minister (1936). He began to be see as Mussolimi's likely successor. This set him up to have a ring side seat to the event leading up to World War II. The British had hopes that Mussolini could be a moderating influence on Hitler. Ciano throughout the 1930s used his positions to acquire enormous wealth. He was a strong advocate of the Italo-German alliance as it developed. He began to have dounts when Hitler invaded Poland without first consulting Italy (September 1939). His German counterpart, German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, had assured him that there would be consultations. Ciano persuaded Mussolini not to join the Germans in the War, but after the French Army was nearly defeated, thinking tht tghe war was nearly over, he finally urged Mussolini to declare war on Britain and France (June 1940). Germany had a strinbg of spectacular victgoiries at the outset of the War. Italy had nothing, but reverses from the very begimming. This was not what Mussolini bad Ciano had anticipted. Italian arms proved unequal to the task, even unable to defeat the small Greek Army. Fighting Britain was one thing, but Hitler dragged Italy into war not only with the Soviet Union, but also the United States. Italy suffered major defeats at the hands of the British Army and Royal Navy, culmianting in the Battle of El Alemein (October 1942). The Soviets struck at Stakingrad a month later (November). An entire army was lost in the Soviet Union. Ciano became a leading Fascist concluding thzat tghe war was losdt and that a separate peace had ti b negotiazted with the Allies, all of which was closeky followed by the Germans. Mussolini was not about to break the alliance with Hitler. He dismissed his entire Cabinet just as Italian-German armies were beiung forced into a Tunisian pocket (February 1943). He appointed Ciano ambassador to the Vatican. Ciano and other leading Fascists after the collapse of Italian forces in Sicily at the historic meeting of the Grand Council forced Mussolini to resign (July 24-25, 1943). The new government was preparing charges of embezzlement. Fearing arrest, Ciano just befire the Allied invasion fled from Rome to Germany--a not very asute move for an inteligent man. Mussolini had him tried and found guilty of treason. Mussolimi's personal feelings are unclear. Hus primary motive seems to be to maintain his daparture in Hitler's eyes. Edda tried to barter his freedom with his diaries. Along with four other high-leverl Fascists (Emilio De Bono, Luciano Gottardi, Giovanni Marinelli and Carlo Pareschi) who had demanded Mussolini's resignation, he was executed by a Fascist firing squad in Verona.

Created: 2:47 AM 6/10/2021
Last updated: 2:47 AM 6/10/2021