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What if....

May 1945, Mussolini uses his head and realizes the open roads are vary hazardous to his health.

He then gathers about 150 fascist die hards and German SS men. Carefully selected buildings are hastily fortified, food and water is collected. The fascists get a lucky break. Unlike many of the local SS, Major Hienz Hardcoreritz is a Waffen combat veteran and ensures that the group's few weapons are well sited and the cornered fascists get the latest urban warfare tips.

Over the next few days, the small but determined group beats back increasingly half hearted communist asaults. Communist commanders quickly realize that their ranks include more than a few fair weather communists and nobody, not even the dedicated communists want to get killed in the last few days of the war. Mussolini's group then surrenders to U.S. forces.

What happens to Mussolini? Is he tried as a war criminal? (his wartime record is pretty clean by WWII standards). Do the U.S forces turn him over to the Italians for execution? Is he allowed to stay in power as an anti communist asset? Or does he retire to Argentina?
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