Pietro Badoglio

Italian Military General Officer and Marshal of the Royal Italian Army from 1916-1943 during both World Wars and Prime Minister of Italy from 1943-1944 (1871-1956)

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Lived 1871–1956, aged 85Italy

Italy PoliticiansPolitician

Wikipedia
61 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1871–1956
Aged 85
Awards
26
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-21

An Italian general who climbed through two world wars and colonial conquest to become viceroy of Mussolini's East African empire, then turned coat when fascism crumbled—stepping in as the prime minister tasked with extracting Italy from the wreckage.

Biography

About

Pietro Badoglio was born on 28 September 1871 and rose through Italy's military ranks across both world wars. He served as the first viceroy of Italian East Africa, overseeing the colonial apparatus carved from conquest. When the Fascist regime collapsed, he was installed as Prime Minister of Italy, inheriting the impossible task of navigating a country whose ideology had just imploded. He held power through the transition, a general turned political manager in the debris of dictatorship. He died on 1 November 1956.

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Pietro Badoglio

Pietro Badoglio

said1945

I think if we call in the experts we can draw up the full scheme, with the rallying points arranged.

— Quoted in "Twenty Angels Over Rome: The Story of Fascist Italy's Fall" - Page 72 - by Richard McMillan - 1945

Pietro Badoglio

said1945

When Mussolini decided on war he did not take my advice or that of any other Army chief.

— Quoted in "Twenty Angels Over Rome: The Story of Fascist Italy's Fall" - Page 70 - by Richard McMillan - 1945

Pietro Badoglio

said1943

Militarily it was impossible to invade with the dispositions we had made. We had only seven divisions in Albania.

— Quoted in "We Cannot Escape History" - Page 85 - by John Thompson Whitaker - Europe - 1943

Pietro Badoglio

saidundated

If I announce the armistice and the Americans don't send sufficient reinforcements and don't land near Rome, the Germans will seize the city and put in a puppet fascist government.

— Quoted in "A Special Mission" - Page 9 - by Dan Kurzman - Political Science - 2007

Pietro Badoglio

saidundated

There is no doubt that Jacomoni and Visconti Prasca have a large share of the responsibility in the Albanian affair, but the real blame must be sought elsewhere.

— To Pavolini. Quoted in " Albania in the Twentieth Century: A History" - Page 68 - by Owen Pearson - 2006

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