invaded the Italian mainland Italy's armistice with the Allies disarming Italian forces rescued Mussolini Italian Social Republic Italian civil war main German defensive line Germany Allies client state the Italian mainland armistice German occupied invaded Italy
On 3 September 1943, the Western Allies invaded the Italian mainland, following Italy's armistice with the Allies and the ensuing German occupation of Italy. Germany, with the help of fascists, responded to the armistice by disarming Italian forces that were in many places without superior orders, seizing military control of Italian areas, and creating a series of defensive lines. German special forces then rescued Mussolini, who then soon established a new client state in German-occupied Italy named the Italian Social Republic, causing an Italian civil war. The Western Allies fought through several lines until reaching the main German defensive line in mid-November.
