Rodolfo Graziani Story of an Italian General
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1089maul
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All,
Now that Jeff has put me under considerable pressure, here is my review!
This is not an easy review for me to write with my limited experience of previous reviews of which they themselves relate a particular event in WW2 or a particular aeroplane. This is the first review that I have written in relation to a biography.
I wondered where I should start and have decided that I should tell you about my knowledge of Graziani before I read the book. I haven’t read any of his own books or any literature in the Italian language about him. For me, he was the General who led the ill fated invasion of Egypt in 1940 and who was soundly beaten. I recall a book stating that he had written to his wife stating that ’You cannot break armour with fingernails alone.’ He then disappears and reappears leading the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (RSI) army from 1943. He was also played by Oliver Read in the film Lion of the Desert.
Having now read this book, I now much more about him and his life.
The author of the book has made extensive use of the Italian National archives for both official papers and the diaries and letters of Graziani. I therefore have to conclude that most of the information contained in the book is accurate according to Graziani himself. The book is 238 pages long which includes Endnotes and bibliography.
There are some 42 photographs and a number drawing and facsimile pictures within the books.
The first chapter deals with disastrous invasion of Egypt but does not go into great detail. We then learn of his birth and upbringing. The bulk of the book relates to his involvement in the pacification of the Senussi in Libya and the invasion of Ethiopia. Having seen the film, I was aware of the atrocities committed by the Italians in Libya and this book does go into detail as Graziani’s involvement. We then return to WW2 where Graziani is in limbo and in reality not doing a great deal apart from mounting a defence to the disastrous invasion of Egypt, working his farm and social life. He then resurfaces in 1943 in charge of the army for the (RSI).
The book goes into detail of his involvement in the RSI and subsequent capture.
The final chapters deals with his trial and subsequent death.
Graziani is a controversial character and I feel that the author has made a balanced and sensible approach. He highlights anything that can and has been disputed. I have learnt about his relationship with others both Italian and German but in particular Mussolini and Badolio.
This book is not a military book per se so if the reader is only interested in military aspects in WW2 then it is not for you. The book is about a man. As I result I have learnt that he was a career soldier and a loving family man. He loved his dogs and working in his farms. He had considerable assets which were lost after WW2. However, we also learn of atrocities that he committed especially after an assignation attempt in him.
Graziani was often ill requiring hospital treatment and some of his behaviour could be called paranoia which is hardly surprising considering the what was going on around him.
To sum, I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it but as previously stated not if you want to learn his military tactics.
Jeff, I will be very interested to learn your thoughts on the book once you have read it but with some nervousness in case it is the opposite of what I have written!
Regards to all,
Bob
Now that Jeff has put me under considerable pressure, here is my review!
This is not an easy review for me to write with my limited experience of previous reviews of which they themselves relate a particular event in WW2 or a particular aeroplane. This is the first review that I have written in relation to a biography.
I wondered where I should start and have decided that I should tell you about my knowledge of Graziani before I read the book. I haven’t read any of his own books or any literature in the Italian language about him. For me, he was the General who led the ill fated invasion of Egypt in 1940 and who was soundly beaten. I recall a book stating that he had written to his wife stating that ’You cannot break armour with fingernails alone.’ He then disappears and reappears leading the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (RSI) army from 1943. He was also played by Oliver Read in the film Lion of the Desert.
Having now read this book, I now much more about him and his life.
The author of the book has made extensive use of the Italian National archives for both official papers and the diaries and letters of Graziani. I therefore have to conclude that most of the information contained in the book is accurate according to Graziani himself. The book is 238 pages long which includes Endnotes and bibliography.
There are some 42 photographs and a number drawing and facsimile pictures within the books.
The first chapter deals with disastrous invasion of Egypt but does not go into great detail. We then learn of his birth and upbringing. The bulk of the book relates to his involvement in the pacification of the Senussi in Libya and the invasion of Ethiopia. Having seen the film, I was aware of the atrocities committed by the Italians in Libya and this book does go into detail as Graziani’s involvement. We then return to WW2 where Graziani is in limbo and in reality not doing a great deal apart from mounting a defence to the disastrous invasion of Egypt, working his farm and social life. He then resurfaces in 1943 in charge of the army for the (RSI).
The book goes into detail of his involvement in the RSI and subsequent capture.
The final chapters deals with his trial and subsequent death.
Graziani is a controversial character and I feel that the author has made a balanced and sensible approach. He highlights anything that can and has been disputed. I have learnt about his relationship with others both Italian and German but in particular Mussolini and Badolio.
This book is not a military book per se so if the reader is only interested in military aspects in WW2 then it is not for you. The book is about a man. As I result I have learnt that he was a career soldier and a loving family man. He loved his dogs and working in his farms. He had considerable assets which were lost after WW2. However, we also learn of atrocities that he committed especially after an assignation attempt in him.
Graziani was often ill requiring hospital treatment and some of his behaviour could be called paranoia which is hardly surprising considering the what was going on around him.
To sum, I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it but as previously stated not if you want to learn his military tactics.
Jeff, I will be very interested to learn your thoughts on the book once you have read it but with some nervousness in case it is the opposite of what I have written!
Regards to all,
Bob
I will begin with two disclaimers:
Alessandro Cova’s biography, Rodolfo Graziani, Story of an Italian General, is more of a character study than a traditional biography. This is not a complete and detailed account of Graziani’s life as many aspects of his career are either briefly mentioned or not presented. What Mr. Cova has provided is an examination of those key points in his life that shaped the public’s viewpoint and opinions of Graziani and created his legacy. What I came away with is an understanding of the man rather a compilation of facts about his life. The book is more about how a man failed to master the role he occupied on the world stage than the story of his rise to that stage.
Cova explores the man through the lens of his personal papers, the memories of the people around him, and the use of the official records that touch upon his life. Much of what is contained within the book are in Graziani’s own words. Cova does remind the reader that Graziani’s diaries and other personal papers are certainly not free of bias, but uses them to paint a picture of the man, his significant weaknesses and his foibles.
That picture is of a man that reached the highest levels of the Fascist military, yet was singularly unprepared to handle the political and social aspects of that position. While Cova stresses Graziani’s principles and life beliefs, those beliefs only involved concerns that affected him personally or his immediate family. Besides loyalty to the soldiers serving under him, Graziani was singularly unable to develop a broader world view of right and wrong. He questioned orders and policies at various times, but his concerns never rose to the level that would require strong action on his part. At times it appeared that Graziani was gullible and indecisive and hid behind his duty as a soldier to avoid the need to take action. The times he did take action, it was half-hearted and generally ineffective.
Graziani came from a poor family. His father was a doctor who never could afford to move to the city to make a better life for his family. Money would become a major concern and tied with that was a suffocating sense of personal pride. As a self-made man, Graziani couldn’t tolerate any action that appeared to impinge his honesty or his sense of honor. His love for his wife was unyielding and was another significant factor in his decision-making. Many of Graziani’s life decisions that Cova addresses were made based on these character traits and not the informed reasoning of the realities of the time. This made navigating the swirling politics of high Fascist leadership too complicated for Graziani. After his relief from command in North Africa in 1941, Graziani would spend a significant portion of life until his death writing massive defenses of his actions against any perceived slight. Too often these would alienate any support and do little to clear his name.
With much of Graziani’s life stated in brief passages, Cova does focused on those significant events that shaped his legacy. The use of concentration camps and reprisals in Libya, the use of the same tools in Ethiopia to which was added poison gas, and his decision to join the government of the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (also called the Republic of Salò) are the time periods he examines. With all of these events, Cova argues using multiple sources that Graziani's place in history is accurate. His denials and justifications aren't creditable. Whether unwittingly or not, he was a creature created by fascism but was unable to understand how this crafted the world's view of himself.
One area that should have been better addressed was his rise in the officer ranks of the Italian Army. How did Graziani become the youngest colonel in the Regio Esercito? By the time we meet him in this book, he is already a Marshal of the Empire and commanding all the forces in North Africa in 1941. What did he accomplish (or not accomplish) as Chief of Staff of the Army in 1939-1940? His failure against the British is never examined and the caricature of the man painted by his enemies is never fully assessed. The glimpses of his military service are mainly limited to Libya and Ethiopia in the 1930s. My sense here was his success in those locations were mainly through persistence and harsh tactics including the ones mentioned above, but not through any great military acumen. Cova helps us understand how Graziani is remembered, but doesn’t give us much insight to how he was able to first step onto the world stage.
The book could be a challenge to read as much of the context within which Graziani lived is not provided. While the picture Cova paints might be familiar to an Italian reader, an English reader might become lost in understanding the full impact of the conditions surrounding his life. There are some historical inaccuracies that might bother a purist, but they don’t impact the main story (calling all British tanks I tanks is one). I thought an annotated edition would have been valuable to fill in that background. Mr. Cetrullo did add some endnotes explaining a few items, but more would have been helpful.
Mr. Cetrullo’s translation of the book from Italian to English is quite good. I didn’t find many of the common problems I normally experience when reading translations from Italian. There were no awkward phrases or unusual word patterns, and the text flowed quite naturally. I only experienced two translations of a word that sounded odd to my ear. I will note that I haven’t read the original Italian edition, but I never felt that I was hearing two voices but only that of the author’s.
Mr. Cova has provided an excellent resource if one wishes to gain some insight of how Graziani’s legacy was formed and how he couldn't master the role within which he had been placed by fascism.
- I received a copy of the book for review.
- I have exchanged emails with Mr. Cetrullo (translator)
Alessandro Cova’s biography, Rodolfo Graziani, Story of an Italian General, is more of a character study than a traditional biography. This is not a complete and detailed account of Graziani’s life as many aspects of his career are either briefly mentioned or not presented. What Mr. Cova has provided is an examination of those key points in his life that shaped the public’s viewpoint and opinions of Graziani and created his legacy. What I came away with is an understanding of the man rather a compilation of facts about his life. The book is more about how a man failed to master the role he occupied on the world stage than the story of his rise to that stage.
Cova explores the man through the lens of his personal papers, the memories of the people around him, and the use of the official records that touch upon his life. Much of what is contained within the book are in Graziani’s own words. Cova does remind the reader that Graziani’s diaries and other personal papers are certainly not free of bias, but uses them to paint a picture of the man, his significant weaknesses and his foibles.
That picture is of a man that reached the highest levels of the Fascist military, yet was singularly unprepared to handle the political and social aspects of that position. While Cova stresses Graziani’s principles and life beliefs, those beliefs only involved concerns that affected him personally or his immediate family. Besides loyalty to the soldiers serving under him, Graziani was singularly unable to develop a broader world view of right and wrong. He questioned orders and policies at various times, but his concerns never rose to the level that would require strong action on his part. At times it appeared that Graziani was gullible and indecisive and hid behind his duty as a soldier to avoid the need to take action. The times he did take action, it was half-hearted and generally ineffective.
Graziani came from a poor family. His father was a doctor who never could afford to move to the city to make a better life for his family. Money would become a major concern and tied with that was a suffocating sense of personal pride. As a self-made man, Graziani couldn’t tolerate any action that appeared to impinge his honesty or his sense of honor. His love for his wife was unyielding and was another significant factor in his decision-making. Many of Graziani’s life decisions that Cova addresses were made based on these character traits and not the informed reasoning of the realities of the time. This made navigating the swirling politics of high Fascist leadership too complicated for Graziani. After his relief from command in North Africa in 1941, Graziani would spend a significant portion of life until his death writing massive defenses of his actions against any perceived slight. Too often these would alienate any support and do little to clear his name.
With much of Graziani’s life stated in brief passages, Cova does focused on those significant events that shaped his legacy. The use of concentration camps and reprisals in Libya, the use of the same tools in Ethiopia to which was added poison gas, and his decision to join the government of the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (also called the Republic of Salò) are the time periods he examines. With all of these events, Cova argues using multiple sources that Graziani's place in history is accurate. His denials and justifications aren't creditable. Whether unwittingly or not, he was a creature created by fascism but was unable to understand how this crafted the world's view of himself.
One area that should have been better addressed was his rise in the officer ranks of the Italian Army. How did Graziani become the youngest colonel in the Regio Esercito? By the time we meet him in this book, he is already a Marshal of the Empire and commanding all the forces in North Africa in 1941. What did he accomplish (or not accomplish) as Chief of Staff of the Army in 1939-1940? His failure against the British is never examined and the caricature of the man painted by his enemies is never fully assessed. The glimpses of his military service are mainly limited to Libya and Ethiopia in the 1930s. My sense here was his success in those locations were mainly through persistence and harsh tactics including the ones mentioned above, but not through any great military acumen. Cova helps us understand how Graziani is remembered, but doesn’t give us much insight to how he was able to first step onto the world stage.
The book could be a challenge to read as much of the context within which Graziani lived is not provided. While the picture Cova paints might be familiar to an Italian reader, an English reader might become lost in understanding the full impact of the conditions surrounding his life. There are some historical inaccuracies that might bother a purist, but they don’t impact the main story (calling all British tanks I tanks is one). I thought an annotated edition would have been valuable to fill in that background. Mr. Cetrullo did add some endnotes explaining a few items, but more would have been helpful.
Mr. Cetrullo’s translation of the book from Italian to English is quite good. I didn’t find many of the common problems I normally experience when reading translations from Italian. There were no awkward phrases or unusual word patterns, and the text flowed quite naturally. I only experienced two translations of a word that sounded odd to my ear. I will note that I haven’t read the original Italian edition, but I never felt that I was hearing two voices but only that of the author’s.
Mr. Cova has provided an excellent resource if one wishes to gain some insight of how Graziani’s legacy was formed and how he couldn't master the role within which he had been placed by fascism.
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Yes it does, but not in detail but part of the larger narrative. The entire chapter Postcards from Libya discusses Graziani's time in Libya as vice governor. The book uses Graziani's writing and speeches and compares them to the historical accounts. The chapter hits on the camps, the wire, the treatment of the people. The author doesn't judge per say but presents the facts mainly through contemporary accounts. All in all, the author demonstrates that Graziani was guilty of many of the accusations against him, but he does this an a calm manner. It isn't a polemic book.
In the end, you have an idea of the man. His actions are not disputed, merely presented. AS I stated in my review....
In the end, you have an idea of the man. His actions are not disputed, merely presented. AS I stated in my review....