The article "Gran Sasso Raid — Most Daring Mission of World War II?" by Friedrich Seiltgen describes a daring World War II rescue operation involving German commandos. In September 1943, these commandos conducted an airborne assault on the Gran Sasso D’Italia Massif to rescue the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who had been deposed and imprisoned. This mission was prompted by Adolf Hitler's desire to rescue Mussolini before he could be tried for war crimes, following Mussolini's arrest by the Carabinieri on the orders of King Victor Emmanuel III.
The planning and execution of the Gran Sasso raid involved key figures like SS Major Otto Skorzeny, General Kurt Student, and Major Harald Mors. Skorzeny, known as "the most dangerous man in Europe," was tasked with locating Mussolini, while the operation plans were approved by Airborne Operations Chief General Student. Using a combination of gliders and a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch aircraft, German commandos landed at the hotel holding Mussolini, overwhelmed Mussolini's guards without firing a shot, and successfully extracted the dictator. The raid bolstered German morale and provided a much-needed propaganda opportunity for the regime.
The operation's conclusion saw Mussolini being reinstalled as the leader of a puppet regime in the Italian Socialist Republic. The raid became a notable military event, with Skorzeny and his team receiving praise for their swift actions. Though successful at the time, Mussolini's downfall was inevitable, and he was eventually captured and executed by Italian partisans in 1945. This raid has become a benchmark in military history, studied in academies globally for its strategic execution. For more details, read the full article, Gran Sasso Raid — Most Daring Mission of World War II?.
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