I knew that Rome was declared an open city on June 5, 1944, but Mussolini was taken out almost a year earlier and the people at once took to the streets, celebrating, among other things cutting the Fascist eagle down from Mussolini's balcony. And as I said, Mussolini had been ousted, imprisoned, and rescued and the new Italian government had joined the allies by this date seventy years ago. I had forgotten about the Germans, though, and how far north Rome is. It's just that the idea of a new Allied Italian government caused me to assume Rome was its capital. As I said, I had forgotten about the Germans and how much longer it took to liberate Rome. I regret the error, and thank you for correcting me.
I am especially ashamed of my error because my late father was at Salerno. He never forgot it and mentioned it on Sept. 9 every year.
The famous photo of Mussolini hanging upside down was taken in April 1945 in Milan, not Rome.
The Italian Fascist Party was in Rome when it removed Mussolini, but Nazis took over there very quickly.
The anti-Nazi Italian government was centered far south of Rome under Allied protection.