When and where was the Armistice of Cassibile signed?
The Armistice of Cassibile was signed on the 3rd of September 1943 at an Allied military camp in Cassibile, a town near Syracuse in Sicily. The signing ceremony began at 14:00.
Questions about Armistice of Cassibile
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who signed the Armistice of Cassibile on behalf of Italy and the Allies?
Brigade General Giuseppe Castellano signed for Italy, acting on behalf of Marshal Pietro Badoglio. Major-General Walter Bedell Smith, Eisenhower's chief of staff, signed on behalf of the Allied forces and General Eisenhower.
Why was the Armistice of Cassibile kept secret after it was signed?
The armistice was kept secret to prevent Germany from responding before the Allies could coordinate landings on the Italian mainland. It was signed on the 3rd of September 1943 but not announced to the public until the 8th of September.
What happened to the Italian battleship Roma after the Armistice of Cassibile?
Roma was sunk by German guided bombs on the 9th of September 1943 while sailing without air cover off Sardinia. Nearly 1,400 men were lost when the ship went down.
How did Germany respond to the Armistice of Cassibile?
Germany immediately launched Operation Achse, attacking Italian forces across Italy, southern France, Greece, Yugoslavia, and the Dodecanese. Between the 8th and the 12th of September 1943, German forces occupied virtually all Italian territory not already held by the Allies, and Benito Mussolini was freed on the 12th of September.
What was the longer armistice that followed the Armistice of Cassibile?
A longer armistice, known to the Italians as the Additional Conditions for the Armistice with Italy, was signed on the 29th of September 1943 at Malta. Badoglio and Eisenhower signed the document aboard the British battleship HMS Nelson; it required unconditional surrender and called for Mussolini and his Fascist officials to be handed over to the Allied nations.