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Armistice of Cassibile
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<p>The Armistice of Cassibile was an <a href="/facts/Armistice/myGLIXmj">armistice</a> that was signed on 3 September 1943 by the representatives of the <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Italy/X5hxYBvF">Kingdom of Italy</a> and the <a href="/facts/Allies_of_World_War_II/YzCdtjDY">Allies</a>, marking the end of hostilities between Italy and the Allies during <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>. It was made public five days later. </p><p>It was signed on September 3rd by Major-General <a href="/facts/Walter_Bedell_Smith/S4oCp7xh">Walter Bedell Smith</a> for the Allies and Brigade-General <a href="/facts/Giuseppe_Castellano/pplGSPy0">Giuseppe Castellano</a> for Italy. The armistice's signing took place at a summit in an Allied military camp at <a href="/facts/Cassibile_(village)/U5IUcw0B">Cassibile</a>, <a href="/facts/Sicily/E6fug03z">Sicily</a>, which had recently been <a href="/facts/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily/nN55UqQ7">occupied by the Allies</a>. The armistice was approved by both <a href="/facts/Victor_Emmanuel_III/swYWoPeV">Victor Emmanuel III</a> and <a href="/facts/Marshal_of_Italy/GsGn44m9">Marshal</a> <a href="/facts/Pietro_Badoglio/9R0TvGun">Pietro Badoglio</a>, who was serving as <a href="/facts/Prime_Minister_of_Italy/LRTyxot6">Prime Minister of Italy</a> at the time. The signing of the armistice was kept secret on that day, and was announced to the media on September 8th. </p><p><a href="/facts/Nazi_Germany/8kRbqRpo">Nazi Germany</a> responded by <a href="/facts/Operation_Achse/DMvCGQpY">attacking Italian forces in Italy</a>, <a href="/facts/Southern_France/Jm4I4xAl">southern France</a> and the <a href="/facts/Balkans/5Hy8ly0d">Balkans</a>, and <a href="/facts/Gran_Sasso_raid/1xyJETMA">freeing</a> <a href="/facts/Benito_Mussolini/q8UPaBlm">Benito Mussolini</a> on 12 September. The Italian forces were forcefully disbanded in the north and centre of the country, with most of Italy being occupied by the Germans, who established a <a href="/facts/Puppet_state/cNDM9tpK">puppet state</a>, the <a href="/facts/Italian_Social_Republic/r7wyfRWh">Italian Social Republic</a> led by Mussolini. The king, the Italian government and most of the Navy fled to southern Italy under the protection of the Allies. An <a href="/facts/Italian_resistance_movement/FLVYn1AV">Italian resistance movement</a> emerged in German-occupied Italy. </p>