Valtellina Redoubt

It was to be based in the Valtellina, a valley in the Italian Alps, which had the natural protection afforded by the surrounding mountains as well as the possibility of re-using fortifications built in the area for World War I.

Only minimal preparatory work was carried out to establish the area as a stronghold and, as a result, when the Allied victory in Italy approached in April 1945, the Valtellina was not ready to be used by the fascists as a redoubt.

With the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy in July 1943 following the Allied invasion of Sicily, Mussolini was deposed as dictator and placed under arrest.

[7] The objective of making a last stand in an Alpine stronghold, according to Pavolini, would be to set a heroic example for later generations to follow and, after the inevitable defeat, to inspire a future fascist revolution.

[5] Pavolini wrote to Mussolini on 8 September:Duce, the project – in the deplorable event of a further and almost complete invasion of republican territory  – to entrench ourselves with the Blackshirts, our weapons and our government in a defensible area such as the province of Sondrio and part of Como would, it seems to me, be the most logical and worthwhile solution... On the other hand, our resistance in the Valtellina and around Adamello would protect the German flank in South Tyrol.

The 71 kilometre (44 mi) long valley was protected by mountains and easily defended, had hydroelectric power stations and a hospital even though it was sparsely populated, and was still surrounded by World War I fortifications.

[9] On the other hand, Rudolf Rahn, the German Ambassador, advised Mussolini against the Valtellina as he thought the proximity of Switzerland would encourage desertions amongst the troops.

The Minister of Defence, Marshal Graziani, took the view that because the proposal came from Pavolini, who was closely associated with the Republican Fascist Party, it would compromise the "apolitical" traditions of the army, and opposed it on that basis.

[9] The work that was completed is generally thought to have been minimal and was limited to the installation of barriers at the valley entrance, and the construction of an anti-tank ditch and some housing.

He noted that in mid-February 1945 partisan units reported large concentrations of Black Brigades in the area and that defence lines had been constructed by building on to the existing World War I fortifications.

[10] In the following month, another fascist official, Asvero Gravelli (it) inspected the redoubt and was equally pessimistic, reporting that the roads into the area were not safe for Mussolini and were subject to partisan attack.

In April 1945, Giorgio Pisanò, then an officer in the Republican Guard, visited the area and was shocked by the lack of work that had been completed: Where is the Alpine Redoubt?

At the meeting, Mussolini introduced the project as the Ridotto Alpino Repubblicano (meaning Republican Alpine Redoubt) and used the acronym of "RAR".

He spoke of setting up a radio station in the valley to broadcast the final days of the stronghold to the outside world and printing a newspaper in the redoubt which would be air dropped on Italian cities.

Pavolini continued to strongly advocate the idea but had to admit that arms and food had yet to be sent to the valley and only 400 soldiers and 350 members of the Black Brigades were stationed there.

Over the following week, with the military situation deteriorating and total defeat imminent, he vacillated between a number of options including making a last stand in the Valtellina (to put into effect the RAR), fleeing to Switzerland, or attempting to negotiate a peaceful handover to the partisan leadership.

It is unclear whether his objective was to attempt to cross the Swiss border or to go to the Valtellina; if it were the latter, he left the city without the escort of troops earmarked to accompany him to the RAR.

[21] The corpses of Mussolini, Pavolini and other executed fascist leaders were then put on public display, hanging by their feet, at a gasoline station in the Piazzale Loreto in Milan.