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{{Short description|Italian military officer and commander before and during World War II}}
'''Ettero Bastico''' ([[April 9]], [[1876]] - [[December 2]], [[1972]]) was an Italian soldier.
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ettore Bastico
| nickname =
| image = Ettore Bastico.jpg
| alt = Ettore Bastico
| caption = Bastico in 1942
| birth_date = {{birth date|1876|4|9|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1972|12|2|1876|4|9|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bologna]], [[Kingdom of Italy]]
| death_place = [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
| allegiance = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
| branch = [[Royal Italian Army]]
| serviceyears = 1896–1943
| rank = [[Marshal of Italy]]
| unit =
| battles = {{tree list}}
*[[Italo-Turkish War]]
*[[World War I]]
*[[Second Italo-Ethiopian War]]
*[[Spanish Civil War]]
*[[World War II]]
**[[Operation Crusader]]
**[[Battle of Gazala]]
**[[Battle of Bir Hakeim]]
**[[Axis capture of Tobruk]]
**[[Battle of Mersa Matruh]]
**[[First Battle of El Alamein]]
**[[Battle of El Agheila]]
**[[Battle of Tripoli (1943)]]
{{tree list/end}}
| awards =
| laterwork =
| office = [[List of governors-general of Italian Libya|Governor-General of Italian Libya]]
| term_start = 19 July 1941
| term_end = 2 February 1943
| predecessor = [[Italo Gariboldi]]
| successor = [[Giovanni Messe]] {{small|(acting)}}
| honorific_prefix = ''[[Marshal of Italy|Maresciallo d'Italia]]''
| commands = [[Army of the Po]]
}}


'''Ettore Bastico''' (9 April 1876 – 2 December 1972) was an Italian field marshal who served as the commander of [[Axis powers|Axis]] forces in North Africa from 1941 to 1943 during [[World War II]]. In addition to being a general of the [[Royal Italian Army]], he served as the governor of the Italian held [[Italian Islands of the Aegean|Aegean islands]] and of [[Italian Libya|Libya]]. After his time in the army, he became a military historian and published several books.
Bastico was born in Bologna on April 9, 1876. He fought in [[World War I]] and was promoted to rank of general in 1928. He commanded troops during war agaisnt Abyssinia in 1936, and during Spanish civil war he commanded Italian valunteer troops fighting with Spanish nationalists. On July 19, 1941, he was named governor of [[Libya]] and became supreme commander of all Italian troops on North Africa. He also had nominal command over German troops commanded by [[Erwin Rommel]]. As [[Rommel]] was the de facto commander of Axis forces in Africa, this was changed in 1942, and Bastico retained control over the Italian troops stationed in [[Libya]] (this excluded the Italian troops fighting in [[Egypt]] and later in [[Tunisia]]).


==Biography==
He was promoted to rank of marshal on August 12, 1942. After the fall of Libya to Allies he was relived from his duty. Bastico spent rest of the war waiting orders. After the end of World War Two, he devoted himself to the study of military history. Bastico died on December 2, 1972 in Rome.
[[File:Bastico Ettore north africa.jpg|thumb|Ettore Bastico in North Africa]]

Bastico was born in [[Bologna]], [[Italy]]. When he came of age, Bastico joined the [[Italian Army]] and fought in [[World War I]]. In 1928, Bastico was promoted to [[brigadier]] ''(generale di brigata)''. At that time, the [[Kingdom of Italy]] was ruled by [[Italian Fascism|Fascist]] dictator [[Benito Mussolini]].

In this role, Bastico was a target of [[Giulio Douhet]] in ''Recapitulation'' (published with the work ''The Command of the Air''). Douhet devotes many pages to critically examining six "basic theories" put forth by Bastico and how they relate to the future of an Independent Air Force's role in future wars.<ref>Douhet, Giulio; ''The Command of the Air'', book three (Recapitulation), pp. 263-269; Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C.</ref>

Bastico was promoted to [[major general]] on 29 May 1932 and in 1935, he commanded the [[1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"]] during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. In 1935, Bastico was the commander of the [[III Army Corps (Italy)|III Corps]] in [[Ethiopia]] and on 10 February 1936 he was promoted to [[lieutenant general]] ''(generale di corpo d'armata)''. From 1936 to 1937, he was the commander of the [[II Army Corps (Italy)|II Corps]].

In 1937, during the later stages of the Spanish Civil War, Bastico replaced [[Mario Roatta]] as the commander-in-chief of the Italian volunteer corps in Spain, the ''[[Corpo Truppe Volontarie]]''. The CTV was sent to help the [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|Spanish Nationalists]] side in the war. From mid-1937, Bastico's force fought in the [[Battle of Santander]], a decisive victory for the Nationalists. In late 1937, Bastico was replaced by [[Mario Berti]]. In October 1937, Bastico received the rank of general, "generale di corpo d'armata designato d'armata," the highest rank that could be assigned if Italy was not officially at war. In February 1939, the Italian volunteers left Spain.

He was then assigned to the Second Army. Shortly after, Bastico was appointed commander of the new motorized Sixth Army, known at the "[[Army of the Po]]," stationed in the [[Po Valley]] area. In 1939, Bastico was named [[Senate of the Kingdom of Italy|senator]] of the Kingdom of Italy.

When Italy entered [[World War II]], Bastico was [[List of governors of the Italian Islands of the Aegean|Governor]] of the [[Italian Islands of the Aegean|Italian Aegean Islands]] ([[Dodecanese]]) and he was promoted to full general ''([[Generale d'Armata]])'' on 7 August 1940.

On 19 July 1941, Bastico was named [[List of Governors-General of Italian Libya|Governor-General]] of [[Italian Libya]] and [[commander-in-chief]] over all [[Axis powers|Axis forces]] in [[North Africa]]. Since [[Erwin Rommel]] was officially under Italian command in the North African campaign, Rommel's plans had to be first approved by Bastico.

Bastico was made the commandant of the [[Giado concentration camp]], established in February 1942 to intern Libyan and Italian Jews.

Bastico was promoted to [[Marshal of Italy]] (''Maresciallo d'Italia'') on 12 August 1942, largely to avoid him being junior in rank to Rommel, who was promoted to [[field marshal]] (''[[Generalfeldmarschall#Nazi Germany|Generalfeldmarschall]]'') on 22 June.

When Libya was lost to the British [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]]'s advance, since 2 February 1943 he was left without a command for the rest of the war.

Bastico died in [[Rome]] at 96, after spending his last years studying history. At the time of his death, he was the last living Italian military officer to have held an Italian five-star-rank in an active capacity. ([[Umberto II of Italy|Umberto II]], the last King of Italy, who was appointed a marshal of Italy in a ceremonial capacity, died in 1983).

==Honours==
*Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] - 2 June 1957
*Knight Grand Cross of the [[Military Order of Savoy]] - 17 February 1942 (Grand Officer: 1 May 1939; Commander: 9 July 1936)
*Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Crown of Italy]]
*Knight Grand Cross of the [[Colonial Order of the Star of Italy]]
*Grand Officer of the [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]
*Commander of the [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta]]
*Knight of the [[Order of Vittorio Veneto]]
*[[Silver Medal of Military Valor]]
*[[Bronze Medal of Military Valor]]
*[[War Cross for Military Valor]]
*Distinction for War Merit (general officer degree)
*Distinction for War Merit (superior officer degree)
*Seven awards of the [[War Merit Cross (Italy)|War Merit Cross]]
*[[Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912]]
*Commemorative Medal for the Spanish Campaign (1936-1938)
*Commemorative Medal of the Volunteer Division of Littorio (guerra di Spagna 1936-38)
*[[Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Austrian War 1915-1918]]
*[[Commemorative Medal of the Unity of Italy]]
*[[Allied Victory Medal (Italy)|Allied Victory Medal]]
*[[Crosses of Military Merit (Spain)|Cross of Military Merit of Spain]]
*[[Croix de guerre 1914-1918 (France)|French Croix de Guerre (1914-1918)]]
*[[German Cross]] in Gold (5 December 1942)<ref>Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 26.</ref>

==Works==

Bastico wrote some books about Italian military history. The most famous are:
* "Il Ferreo Terzo Corpo in Africa Orientale" (1937)
* "L'evoluzione dell'arte della guerra" (1930)

==See also==
* [[Ugo Cavallero]]
* [[Rodolfo Graziani]]
* [[Marshal of Italy]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist|25em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book
|last1=Patzwall
|first1=Klaus D.
|last2=Scherzer
|first2=Veit
|year=2001
|title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II
|trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2
|language=German
|location=Norderstedt, Germany
|publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall
|isbn=978-3-931533-45-8
}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{DBI|first=Giorgio|last=Rochat|title=BASTICO, Ettore|volume=34|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/ettore-bastico_(Dizionario-Biografico)}}
* [https://comandosupremo.com/ettore-bastico/ Comando Supremo: General Ettore Bastico (1876-1972)]
* [http://digilander.libero.it/lacorsainfinita/guerra2/indicepersonaggi.htm La seconda guerra mondiale, Ettore Bastico]
* {{PM20|FID=pe/001122}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box|
title=[[Commander-in-Chief]] of [[Italian North Africa]] and [[List of Governor-Generals of Libya|Governor-General]] of [[Italian Libya]]|
before=[[Italo Gariboldi]]|
years=19 July 1941—2 February 1943 |
after=[[Giovanni Messe]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Marshals of Italy}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bastico, Ettore}}
[[Category:1876 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Bologna]]
[[Category:People of former Italian colonies]]
[[Category:Italian military personnel of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War]]
[[Category:Italian military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Italian military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Corpo Truppe Volontarie personnel]]
[[Category:Field marshals of Italy]]
[[Category:Holocaust perpetrators]]
[[Category:Italian fascists]]
[[Category:Italian mass murderers]]
[[Category:Italian war criminals]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian politicians]]
[[Category:Governors-general of Italian Libya]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Military Order of Savoy]]
[[Category:Grand Officers of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of St John]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Vittorio Veneto]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor]]
[[Category:Recipients of the War Cross for Military Valor]]
[[Category:Recipients of the War Merit Cross (Italy)|War Merit Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)]]

Latest revision as of 22:51, 2 September 2024

Maresciallo d'Italia
Ettore Bastico
Ettore Bastico
Bastico in 1942
Governor-General of Italian Libya
In office
19 July 1941 – 2 February 1943
Preceded byItalo Gariboldi
Succeeded byGiovanni Messe (acting)
Personal details
Born(1876-04-09)9 April 1876
Bologna, Kingdom of Italy
Died2 December 1972(1972-12-02) (aged 96)
Rome, Italy
Military service
Allegiance Kingdom of Italy
Branch/serviceRoyal Italian Army
Years of service1896–1943
RankMarshal of Italy
CommandsArmy of the Po
Battles/wars

Ettore Bastico (9 April 1876 – 2 December 1972) was an Italian field marshal who served as the commander of Axis forces in North Africa from 1941 to 1943 during World War II. In addition to being a general of the Royal Italian Army, he served as the governor of the Italian held Aegean islands and of Libya. After his time in the army, he became a military historian and published several books.

Biography

[edit]
Ettore Bastico in North Africa

Bastico was born in Bologna, Italy. When he came of age, Bastico joined the Italian Army and fought in World War I. In 1928, Bastico was promoted to brigadier (generale di brigata). At that time, the Kingdom of Italy was ruled by Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

In this role, Bastico was a target of Giulio Douhet in Recapitulation (published with the work The Command of the Air). Douhet devotes many pages to critically examining six "basic theories" put forth by Bastico and how they relate to the future of an Independent Air Force's role in future wars.[1]

Bastico was promoted to major general on 29 May 1932 and in 1935, he commanded the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. In 1935, Bastico was the commander of the III Corps in Ethiopia and on 10 February 1936 he was promoted to lieutenant general (generale di corpo d'armata). From 1936 to 1937, he was the commander of the II Corps.

In 1937, during the later stages of the Spanish Civil War, Bastico replaced Mario Roatta as the commander-in-chief of the Italian volunteer corps in Spain, the Corpo Truppe Volontarie. The CTV was sent to help the Spanish Nationalists side in the war. From mid-1937, Bastico's force fought in the Battle of Santander, a decisive victory for the Nationalists. In late 1937, Bastico was replaced by Mario Berti. In October 1937, Bastico received the rank of general, "generale di corpo d'armata designato d'armata," the highest rank that could be assigned if Italy was not officially at war. In February 1939, the Italian volunteers left Spain.

He was then assigned to the Second Army. Shortly after, Bastico was appointed commander of the new motorized Sixth Army, known at the "Army of the Po," stationed in the Po Valley area. In 1939, Bastico was named senator of the Kingdom of Italy.

When Italy entered World War II, Bastico was Governor of the Italian Aegean Islands (Dodecanese) and he was promoted to full general (Generale d'Armata) on 7 August 1940.

On 19 July 1941, Bastico was named Governor-General of Italian Libya and commander-in-chief over all Axis forces in North Africa. Since Erwin Rommel was officially under Italian command in the North African campaign, Rommel's plans had to be first approved by Bastico.

Bastico was made the commandant of the Giado concentration camp, established in February 1942 to intern Libyan and Italian Jews.

Bastico was promoted to Marshal of Italy (Maresciallo d'Italia) on 12 August 1942, largely to avoid him being junior in rank to Rommel, who was promoted to field marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) on 22 June.

When Libya was lost to the British Eighth Army's advance, since 2 February 1943 he was left without a command for the rest of the war.

Bastico died in Rome at 96, after spending his last years studying history. At the time of his death, he was the last living Italian military officer to have held an Italian five-star-rank in an active capacity. (Umberto II, the last King of Italy, who was appointed a marshal of Italy in a ceremonial capacity, died in 1983).

Honours

[edit]

Works

[edit]

Bastico wrote some books about Italian military history. The most famous are:

  • "Il Ferreo Terzo Corpo in Africa Orientale" (1937)
  • "L'evoluzione dell'arte della guerra" (1930)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Douhet, Giulio; The Command of the Air, book three (Recapitulation), pp. 263-269; Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C.
  2. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 26.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
[edit]
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief of Italian North Africa and Governor-General of Italian Libya
19 July 1941—2 February 1943 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Ettore_Bastico&oldid=1243697250"