Viva Balbo! - a Preview

Thanks to everyone for the interest and words of encouragement.

Research progresses. I have finished Segre's book on Balbo and am reading Mussolini's Generals. Right now in this book it is the 20's and the biggest international problem is naval rivalry with the French. I've also found a copy of Balbo's own My Air Armada at the Smithsonian, which I can check out through a local library as part of a library loan program.

Also, a special thank you to lounge60 who has been very helpful in my research. He even found me the website and contact information of a friend of Paolo Balbo's (Italo's son). Grazie!
 
Hmm, under Balbo, could a large number of displaced European Jews find refuge in Italy?
Probably not in Italy proper, But I think a very large Jewish community in Italian Oriental Africa would be Interesting post war.
 
Probably not in Italy proper, But I think a very large Jewish community in Italian Oriental Africa would be Interesting post war.
This work.
And about the Jews in Italian colonies i remember a proposal of Mussolini that wanted to give a large region of Ethiopia to Jews
In Etiopia?

Benito Mussolini nel 1938 propose ad Hitler la creazione di un territorio autonomo ebraico nel quale trasferire gli ebrei d'Europa, in Etiopia, allora colonia italiana. Avrebbe dovuto sorgere sul modello della sovietica Oblast' autonoma ebraica e nella regione etiope già abitata da ebrei, la regione dei Falascia[1]. Non è noto se Hitler abbia preso in considerazione il progetto.


"Benito Mussolini in 1938 to Hitler propose the creation of an autonomous Jewish territory in which to transfer the Jews of Europe, in Ethiopia, then Italian colony. Should have arisen on the model of Soviet Oblast 'and the Jewish autonomous region already inhabited by Ethiopian Jews, the region of Falasca [1]. It is not known if Hitler took into account the project".
And Balbo was much more friendly with the Jews (In Ferrara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrara ,his hometown are a large Jews community)
So settlements of Jews refugees in Lybia (and in Ethiopia,too) is possible.
The Jews could help the economy of those Italian regions, Europeanise those lands (The Ferrarese Balbo knew and appreciated the Jews cosmopolite culture) ,and arouse simpaty for Italy.
 
If there were large amounts of educated Jews in Ethiopia then we might see a very powerful nation. At least we won't see that mid '80s famine then.
 
Almost there, folks!

Still working on my research. Nearly through the 1920's in Mussy & Generals. That is one dense book! Work and family constraints have delayed me in that regard.

I also managed to find a copy of the Historical Dictionary of Fascist Italy by Cannistraro, a professional resource and a wealth of knowledge on the players big and small.

Stand by, folks!
 
Happy Birthday Balbo! :D

Born Jun 5, 1896, but he celebrated his birthday on the 6th.

In celebration, another teaser:

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Protests, Counterprotests Rock Balbo Celebration

Patria Square, Rome, June 6, 2009 (AP News) - opposing groups of protesters disrupted this year's Balbo Day celebration, an annual and controversial ceremony sponsored by the Italian Fascist Party and celebrating the observed birthday of Italo Balbo, second "Duce" of the Italian Fascist state. Socialist political groups, Ethiopian and Rastafaarian groups, anti-Balbian Jewish groups, and various ethnic minorities were among those who marched against the quasi-official celebration. Such groups have protested the event for the last few years with protests gaining size and momentum with each new year. This year the protests reached the largest size yet and were met with an almost equally large counterprotest from Fascists, Fasci organization, nationalists, veterans' groups, pro-Balbian Jews, and conservative political groups.

"It was terrible," said Fascist party official Mussolini Ferrara, "while we understand that there are those revisionist elements who dislike our national hero, it is utterly abhorrent the way they disturb such a solemn event. While I and the Fascist party remain instruments of peace, brotherhood and order such anarchic behavior makes one sympathetic to the heavy-handed tactics of the past."

The protestors themselves called the event "a celebration of violence, hatred and imperialist agression." Said one protestor who identified herself as a Libertarian Socialist, "He was a thug. A blackshirted thug who used the cudgel and the boot to oppress the worker. Yes, he fought Hitler, but so what? A thug is a thug, even one not quite blind enough to overlook the machinations of a bigger thug." Said Shlomo Klein of the Hebrew Youth Front "I don't care what the Elder [Jews] say, Balbo was no friend of the Jew! You can call those camps a 'rescue' all you want. Babylon is Babylon. If anything, he was complicit in the Nazi genocide. Without Balbo there would have been no 'Final Solution'!"

Counter-protestors held opposite views. "Yes, regretably Marshal Balbo and his compatriots had to resort to some...strong means to save the nation from Marxism and Anarchism," said Fascist Minister Italo Cabrini, "but to ignore the great deeds he did for our nation in war and in peace is to deny the very soul of the [Italian] Patria!"

"Complicit in the Holocaust?" said Rabbi Israel Samet of the Zion Defence Council, there by invite of the Fascist party, "What is wrong with these kids? Balbo saved the Jewish people from utter annihilation! Have they not read Hitler's book? Read the nazi files? Hitler would have killed us all like he killed so many were it not for Niew Yisroyel!" He then revealed a number tattooed on his inner wrist, adding: "Babylon? These kids have no concept of what Babylon truly is!"

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berusconi was more reticint: "Yes, Marshal Balbo had some regretable past actions, but in total we the Italian people can not forget his courage and fortitude in the face of the great threats to this nation. He was a product of his times but also ahead of his times. He and the Fascist Party not only rescued our nation from disunity and poverty but elevated us to international power status and brought our nation the recognition and honor it now holds. In the end Balbo Day is about the heroics and honor and pride of the Commonwealth's people, and any Italian, Libyan, Jew, Somali, or indeed Berber should take pride in that."
 
Happy Birthday,Balbo.

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