Benito Mussolini is deposed

25th July 1943: The Italian dictator has a much weaker grip on power than he supposes - as his country becomes disillusioned with involvement in Hitler's war

Mussolini with Hitler and Goring before the war. His fantasies about being a great military leader were even more deluded than Hitler’s - and led Italy into disaster.

On the 18th July 1943 Hitler had travelled to Italy to see Mussolini. He attempted to give Mussolini some encouragement to strengthen the resolve of the Italian armed forces in the war. It …