Today marks the 75th anniversary of Italy's defeat of fascism and the German occupation, also known in Italy as Liberation Day. #25aprile

In 1945, anti-fascist partisans, largely led by communists, liberated the Northern Industrial centers of Milan and Turin from the grip of Adolf Hitler's occupation army and Benito Mussolini’s remaining loyalists, following a working class uprising and a general strike.⁠

One of the greatest myths about the Second World War is that Allied armies led by the U.S. liberated Europe from Nazism on their own. The truth is that many national liberation movements played a key role in driving the Nazis out of their own countries, like Greece & Yugoslavia.

One of the most inspiring stories comes from Italy, where a guerrilla army, known as the partisans, of up to 300,000 fought the German Nazis and Italian fascists behind the front lines.⁠

Just three days later after liberating Milan and Turin, the partisans captured and executed Benito Mussolini and his entourage, hanging them upside down in Milan’s Piazzale Loreto, making an effective end to 20 years of fascist dictatorship.

Some of these photos were colorized by us, some by Kade Ferris, Cassowary's Colorizations and Cat's Claw.