[4] At the proclamation of the Armistice of Cassibile, on 8 September 1943, Cigala Fulgosi was still in command of the Split Fortress Area, subordinated to General Umberto Spigo's XVIII Army Corps.

The area of Split was garrisoned by the 15th Infantry Division Bergamo, under the command of General Emilio Becuzzi, who initially decided to resist the Germans by joining forces with the Yugoslav partisans, but at the same time informed them he would not fight against the former allies.

On 11 September Becuzzi held a war council with his officers, suggesting to hand over all weapons to the Yugoslav partisans, abstain from fighting the Germans, and dissolve all Italian units in the area.

Both Cigala Fulgosi and General Salvatore Pelligra, commander of the artillery of the XVIII Army Corps, firmly refused to give up their arms, expressing their desire to fight the Germans.

Obergruppenführer Karl Reichsritter von Oberkamp, commander of the "Prinz Eugen" Division, ordered that all Italian officers who had made common cause with the Yugoslav partisans were to be executed.