Italian resistance movement - Definition and Overview

The Italian resistance movement was a partisan force during World War II.

In 1944, with the Allied forces nearby, the partisan resistance in Italy staged an uprising behind German lines, led by the Committee of National Liberation of Upper Italy. This rebellion led to the establishment of a number of provisional partisan governments throughout northern Italy, of which Ossola was the most important that received recognition from Switzerland and from Allied consulates in Switzerland. By the end of 1944, German reinforcements had crushed the uprising, and the area's liberation had to wait until the final offensives of 1945. In the valley of Carnia, anti-Communist forces from the Soviet Union were used, and promised the establishment of a Cossack republic in north Italy, to be called Kosakenland.

The uprising showed to the world that not all Italians agreed with the Fascist rule and were even prepared to fight against it.

All partisan governments:

• Alto Monferrato (Sep-2 Dec)
• Alto Tortonese (Sep-Dec)
• Bobbio (7 Jul - 27 Aug)
• Cansiglio (Jul-Sep)
• Carnia (Jul-Oct)
• Friuli Orientale (30 Jun - Sep)
• Imperia (Aug-Oct)
• Langhe (Sep-Nov)
• Montefiorino (17 Jun - 1 Aug)
• Ossola (10 Sep - 23 Oct)
• Val Ceno (10 Jun - 11 Jul)
• Val d'Enza e Val Parma (Jun-Jul)
• Val Maira e Val Varaita (Jun - 21 Aug)
• Val Taro (15 Jun - 24 Jul)
• Valli di Lanzo (25 Jun - Sep)
• Valsesia (11 Jun - 10 Jul)
• Varzi (Sep - 29 Nov).