1. Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli, was an Italian military officer in the Kingdom of Italy's Royal Army, primarily noted for his campaigns in Africa before and during World War II.
26 Facts About Rodolfo Graziani
1. 2.
In February 1937, after an assassination attempt against him during a ceremony in Addis Ababa, Rodolfo Graziani ordered a period of brutal retribution now known as Yekatit 12.
3.
Rodolfo Graziani was never prosecuted by the United Nations War Crimes Commission; he was included on its list of Italians eligible to be prosecuted for war crimes but Allied opposition and indifference to the prosecution of Italian war criminals frustrated Ethiopian attempts to bring him to justice.
4.
Rodolfo Graziani was born in Filettino in the province of Frosinone on August 11,1882.
5.
Rodolfo Graziani was educated in a seminary in the town of Subiaco and then went on to study in the Liceo Torquato Tasso in Rome.
6.
Rodolfo Graziani's first posting was to Italian Eritrea where he learned Arabic and Tigrinya.
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Rodolfo Graziani's deeds earned him the nickname "the Butcher of Fezzan" among the Arabs.
8.
Rodolfo Graziani's army invaded Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland and he commanded the Italian forces at the battles of Genale Doria and the Ogaden.
9.
Rodolfo Graziani had wanted to reach Harar before Badoglio reached Addis Ababa, but failed to do so.
10.
In connection with the attempt on his life, Rodolfo Graziani authorized the massacre of the monks of the ancient monastery of Debre Libanos and a large number of pilgrims, who had traveled there to celebrate the feast day of the founding saint of the monastery.
11.
From 1939 to 1941, Rodolfo Graziani was Chief of Staff of the Regio Esercito.
12.
At the start of World War II, Rodolfo Graziani, now styled 1st Marquis of Neghelli, was still Commander-in-Chief of the Regio Esercitos General Staff.
13.
Rodolfo Graziani oversaw the Italian forces during the Italian invasion of France on June 1940.
14.
Rodolfo Graziani doubted the ability of his largely-unmechanized force to defeat the British and put off the invasion for as long as he could.
15.
On 25 March 1941, Rodolfo Graziani was replaced by General Italo Gariboldi.
16.
Rodolfo Graziani was the only Italian Marshal to remain loyal to Mussolini after the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, and he joined Mussolini in the north after the Italian surrender.
17.
Rodolfo Graziani was appointed Minister of Defence of the Italian Social Republic by Mussolini and oversaw the mixed Italo-German Army Group Liguria.
18.
When Mussolini fled northward on 25 April 1945, Rodolfo Graziani was left as the de facto leader of what remained of the Italian Social Republic.
19.
Rodolfo Graziani was brought back to Africa in Anglo-American custody and stayed there until February 1946.
20.
In one case, Rodolfo Graziani had ordered his troops to use chemical weapons against Nasibu Zeamanuel's troops in Gorrahei on 10 October 1935.
21.
On 4 March 1948, charges against Rodolfo Graziani were presented to the United Nations War Crimes Commission.
22.
Rodolfo Graziani never faced any further prosecutions for any other specific war crimes.
23.
Rodolfo Graziani died in Rome at 6 am on 11 January 1955 at the age of 72.
24.
Public funding for the Rodolfo Graziani monument was suspended by the newly elected Lazio administration after the 2013 regional elections.
25.
Rodolfo Graziani wrote several books, the most important of which are:.
26.
Rodolfo Graziani was portrayed by British actor Oliver Reed in the 1981 war film Lion of the Desert.